Larimer disaster mitigation grant program accepting applications

FORT COLLINS – Grant funding to reduce disaster risk is now available to neighborhoods and communities within Larimer County.

The Community Mitigation Grant Program, offered through the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management, provides grant awards of up to $10,000 to help remove the obstacles communities confront in making them better prepared to collaborate and become more resilient.

Applications will be accepted through March 15, and award recipients will be notified by May 1.

The awards can be applied to a variety of community needs. Last year, the RiverRock Estates

Homeowners Association used its grant to improve defensible space in its community by removing tree branches and brush that were too close to structures in fire-prone areas. Improving defensible space can lessen the chance of a structure catching fire as a wildfire approaches.

The Red Feather Lakes Highlands Maintenance Association used its grant to remove slash, which are small branches and woody debris in forested areas that can be a fire hazard. Horsetooth Lake Estates used its grant funding for emergency preparedness and mitigation.

Community groups, nonprofit organizations and charitable foundations are eligible to apply for the grants, which can include forest treatments of community spaces, roadside fuel removal and improvements to community evacuation routes, home ignition zone and defensible space work, slash chipping and hauling, flood diversion and installation of high-water crossings, equipping community mitigation tool libraries, removal of vegetative debris in waterways and wildfire preparedness outreach and education.

More information about the grant program is online at larimer.gov/emergency/community-mitigation-grant-program.

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