The Colorado Forest Collaboratives Network (presenter identified as Katie, network coordinator) told the Forest Health Council that collaboratives and place‑based groups are seeing immediate harm from recent federal funding pauses and uncertainty.

The network convened 39 participants on March 20 (summary shared with the council) and reported the following common impacts: delayed reimbursements and paused federal grants; loss of staff hours and a return to volunteer‑heavy models for some collaboratives; contractor payment delays that threatened small businesses; and removal of some federal online mapping/data tools used for planning.

Why it matters: collaboratives are the primary implementers of many local projects (reforestation, fuels reduction, watershed protection). When funding is frozen or uncertain, planning stalls, skilled workers are laid off and local firms face cash‑flow problems, which reduces the pace of on‑the‑ground work.

Examples and evidence presented:
- The San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership reported that current uncertainty has put coordinator capacity at risk; staff reductions would cut meetings, outreach and project work.
- Survey responses gathered by FireAdapted Colorado and the Collaboratives Network described cancelled or delayed projects and contractors unsure whether they will remain solvent.

Collaboratives’ requests and recommended next steps:
- Multiyear, flexible funding for baseline capacity and collaborative coordination instead of reimbursement‑only or one‑off grants.
- Support for federal agency partners so they can continue to participate in local planning and funding relationships.
- Help with communication and storytelling: partners asked for assistance summarizing local outcomes and crafting messages for legislators and federal decision makers.

Council reaction: members acknowledged the problem and suggested coordinated follow‑up with state and federal funders, coordinated messaging and exploring the leveraging‑resources committee to identify non‑federal funding mechanisms.

Ending: Network leaders said they had shared a letter to congressional offices and the governor summarizing needs and asked the council to consider amplifying those requests and supporting multi‑year capacity funding.