$1 million in grants awarded for reducing human-bear conflicts in Colorado

Seventeen efforts to reduce human-bear conflicts across Colorado will receive a part of $1 million in grant funding.

The Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant was created in 2021 to help keep communities and wildlife safe. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced the recent awards as the state has seen a record number of bear encounters this year.

Polis and CPW stressed the importance of supporting local prevention projects. The funds will go primarily towards efforts to increase the number of bear-resistant containers and dumpsters. Unsecured food sources are the primary cause of human-bear conflicts, and wildlife officials say it's important to properly store anything that may attract bears.

CPW says it received 27 applications this year. Of this year's recipients, 12 received the full amount of funding they requested, and another five received partial funding.

Recipients for the 2026 grants include:

• $1000,000 for city-wide bear-resistant containers in Manitou Springs' downtown corridor and high-traffic trailheads.
• $56,250 to replace a non-compliant dumpster shed that serves three housing developments in Snowmass Village.
• $58,500 to provide bear-resistant trash bins to residents and businesses in South Fork.
• $48,550 to upgrade waste storage bins in Roaring Fork Valley.
• $40,000 to replace non-compliant park and commercial trash bins in Eagle.
• $35,057 to install a bear-resistant dumpster enclosure system at the new Mountain Tots Preschool childcare facility in Eagle.
• $161,625 for bear-resistant trash bins for Oak Creek residents, paired with a new municipal ordinance mandating their use.
• $100,000 to replace aging infrastructure in downtown Minturn with a secure, centralized trash and recycling compactor and provide wildlife-proof public receptacles.
• $34,991 to provide bear-resistant trash containers to Nederland and Allenspark residents.
• $64,365 to replace residential trash cans in Parachute and provide wildlife-resistant lids for commercial dumpsters.
• $75,000 for bear-resistant trash containers for residents and businesses in high-conflict areas of Twin Lakes.
• $70,000 for residential and commercial trash bins for the communities of Rico, Dolores and Mancos.
• $32,956 for stabilized dumpster pads, electric fencing, and bear-resistant cans at Camp Tumbleson Lake.
• $26,293 to replace dumpsters at the Mountaindale RV Resort between El Paso and Fremont Counties.
• $45,000 to provide residents in Aspen Village with bear-resistant trash bins.
• $22,713 for bear-resistant trash containers in high-conflict areas in Eldorado Springs and to establish a cart maintenance fund.
•  $28,700 to replace all residential trash cans in Mountain View Village with bear-resistant containers.