The Yampa River Fund (YRF) is a community-based collaborative dedicated to identifying and funding activities that protect the water supply, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities provided by the Yampa River.
Donor Name: Yampa River Fund
State: Colorado
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/04/2022
Details:
The YRF will invest in conservation and restoration activities that positively impact Yampa River flows and support natural-resource based livelihoods, including agriculture and recreation, throughout the basin. It will ensure that a healthy, flowing Yampa River remains the thriving center of their communities for generations to come.
The goal of the Yampa River Fund is to establish a sustainable, voluntary funding source for the Yampa River in order to:
- Enhance water security for communities, agriculture, the economy, and the natural environment in the Yampa Valley;
- Support a healthy, flowing river and enhance critical low flows through water leases from reservoirs, and;
- Maintain or improve river function through a holistic approach to restoration of riparian and/or in-channel habitat.
Purpose
- General Purpose: The general purpose of the YRF is to advance the goals of the BIP, the Yampa Integrated Water Management Plan, the Yampa River Health Assessment and Streamflow Management Plan (Steamboat Springs Stream Management Plan) and the Endangered Fishes Plan by establishing a sustainable fund to be used for grants that will be issued to support projects and programs that will enhance water security for communities, agriculture, the economy and the natural environment in the Yampa Valley, in compliance with applicable laws.
- Primary Purposes: The primary purpose of the YRF is to enhance water security for communities, agriculture, industry, the economy and the natural environment in the Yampa River Basin (the “Intent”) by providing funding and supporting the efforts of other organizations and individuals to implement the following:
- voluntary, market-based water leases and releases from reservoirs that will enhance river flows;
- restoration actions (on private and public land) that will improve riparian, in channel, streambank and aquatic habitat;
- improvements or enhancements to water storage, distribution, management and infrastructure in the Yampa River Basin that will generate combined agricultural, industrial, environmental and recreational benefits.
- undertake fundraising activities with the objective of building, managing and administering a substantial fund (the “Fund”), the principal and earnings of which shall be dedicated to and expended by the YRF pursuant to this Agreement to support such efforts.
Eligibility Criteria
- In the Yampa River Fund’s spirit of collaboration and desire for community benefit, landowners and groups that do not meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to partner with qualified organizations on potential YRF projects. If you have questions about your eligibility or want to learn more about possible partnerships, contact the YRF Manager. (The following categories are derived from the Yampa White Green Basin Roundtable eligibility criteria.)
- Entities Eligible to Apply for YRF funds
- Public (Government): municipalities, enterprises, counties, and State of Colorado agencies. Federal agencies are eligible, but the agency needs to demonstrate why a local non-federal partner should not be the grant recipient. Federal agencies are encouraged to with local entities.
- Public (Districts): authorities, Title 32 special districts, conservancy, conservation, and irrigation districts, and water activity enterprises.
- Private Incorporated: mutual ditch companies, homeowners associations, and nonprofit corporations.
- Non-governmental organizations: typically, non-profit but they may also include for profit corporations.
For more information, visit Yampa River Fund Grant.
