The community wildfire defense grant program aims to assist at risk local communities and indian tribes in planning for and mitigating against the risk created by wildfire

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service R2-Rocky Mountain Region awarded Colorado State University's Sponsored Programs division $29.479 million in project grant funding on December 3, 2025, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Community Wildfire Defense Grants program (CFDA 10.720) to support community wildfire mitigation and planning across Colorado through November 15, 2030.

The award funds nine selected projects across Colorado communities: Coalition for the Upper South Platte Park County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update, Grand County West Granby Fuels Corridor, Jefferson County Wildland Fire Risk Mitigation Education and Capacity Building, Protecting the Gateway to the Rockies, Glenwood Springs Wildfire Mitigation and Home Resilience Project, Livermore Fire Protection District Community Wildfire Protection Plan Development, Resident Mitigation & Resilience Project in Eastern Rio Blanco County, and Community Wildfire Protection Plan Implementation in Montezuma County. The program prioritizes high-risk communities, low-income areas, and communities impacted by severe disasters.

Sub-recipients and their specific deliverables include the Coalition for Upper South Platte (awarded July 2, 2026), which will lead updating the Park County Community Wildfire Protection Plan over 2–3 years through data collection, community risk assessment, and stakeholder engagement with a core team including project lead, GIS coordinator, and analysts. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Wildland Fire Management Program (awarded June 22, 2026) will implement vegetation treatment projects through mechanical and prescribed fire applications, expand community education and outreach programs, conduct county-wide home assessments, and operate a homeowner cost reimbursement program for defensible space and home hardening activities, coordinated through the Jeffco Risk Mitigation Working Group.

The program helps communities implement the national cohesive wildland fire management strategy. IT prioritizes communities that are in areas with high or very high wildfire hazard potential, are low income, or have been impacted by a severe disaster that increases the risk of wildfire. The program is a response to reduce wildfire risk and enhance fire management strategies across the united states. The following projects have been selected for funding in colorado. Coalition for the upper south platte park county community wildfire protection plan update, grand county west granby fuels corridor, jefferson county wildland fire risk mitigation, education and capacity building, protecting the gateway to the rockies, glenwood springs wildfire mitigation and home resilience project, livermore fire protection district community wildfire protection plan development, resident mitigation & resilience project in eastern RIO blanco county, and community wildfire protection plan implementation in montezuma county, CO.