Funding Your Assessment

Funding a river health assessment can be a daunting task. The cost of river health assessment development can vary significantly based on the size and scope of the project. For smaller-scale projects with a narrow focus, costs may be less than $40,000. However, for larger, more comprehensive assessments that include elements like watershed planning or extensive data collection, costs can exceed $250,000. The average budget for a stand-alone river health assessment on a single reach of river is estimated to be approximately $100,000, but this can fluctuate depending on the specific needs and goals of the project.

In recent years, Colorado allocated millions of dollars in grant funds to develop projects and plans that protect or restore watershed health and stream function. This funding was a component of a Colorado Water Plan initiative to develop Stream Management Plans (SMP) for important rivers in Colorado, but it also kick started a wave of other types of watershed planning efforts, many of which can benefit from a river health assessment. Given a well-reasoned study plan and demonstrated need, funding for most studies is within reach.

Budget Elements

Budgeting for watershed planning is a foundational but challenging step towards securing funding. It is important to lay out the entire watershed planning process, even if you only undertake a portion at a time. Budget components to consider for the river health assessment include project management, stakeholder engagement and outreach, data collection, analysis of existing and new data, data synthesis and reporting, and communication of results. It may be helpful to have an experienced consultant or project manager review the estimates to ensure they are reasonable and realistic. Funding, both cash and in-kind, should come from a variety of sources. Most grants require cost-share or matches among multiple partners. Community-level financial support can also promote leadership and ownership/buy-in by local stakeholders. Typical funding sources include Basin Roundtables, local governments (county, city, town), nonprofit organizations, state agencies, federal grants, and local businesses. In some cases, groups have been able to secure significant non-governmental grants from private sources or foundations to offset costs.

Potential Funding Sources

A wide variety of potential funding sources for river health assessments exist, including, but not limited to:

Grant programs from federal, state, and local sources
Private landowners and other stakeholders involved in the project
Local businesses and utilities (particularly those that are water-related)
Basin Roundtables
Water districts and conservation districts
Local governments (county, city, town)
Nonprofit organizations (e.g., TNC, TU)
Organization general funds
Private foundations (e.g., Forever Our Rivers, Mighty Arrow, Walton Family Foundation)

Often, funds from one source can and will be used as match funding for another. Developing a thorough scope can help create the roadmap for successful funding. Breaking various assessment tasks and analyses into standalone pieces may make it possible to pursue funds from specific organizations or programs that have relatively narrow overlap with the objectives of your river health assessment.

CWCB Support

Funding for watershed planning, including river health assessments, is available on a cost-share basis through the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s (CWCB) Colorado Water Plan (CWP) grant program under the Watershed Health and Recreation funding category. Established nonprofit organizations, watershed coalitions, State agencies, local governments, water conservancy and conservation districts, and Colorado’s two Ute tribes are eligible to apply. Application guidance is provided on the CWCB’s grant program website. The program is somewhat flexible. Activities supported with grant funds must have a strong focus on environmental and/or recreational values, while considering the needs of consumptive water users. For example, an assessment of irrigation infrastructure needs can be funded if it is part of an analysis of opportunities for multi-purpose projects that have environmental benefits for impaired river reaches (e.g., aquatic organism passage). It must also be coupled with an assessment of river health to be eligible.

CWCB Match Requirements

CWCB funds from the Colorado Water Plan Watershed Health and Recreation Projects funding category require a minimum of 50% match for all construction projects and a minimum of 25% match for all plans and studies. River health assessments fall under the planning portion and require 25% match. Other CWCB funds—available through other Colorado Water Plan grant program categories, Basin Roundtables, or other grant programs—may be available as well. Matching funds may consist of a combination of cash and up to half in-kind. CWCB funds cannot be leveraged as match for more CWCB funds. CWCB funds can be used with other State funds (e.g., from CDPHE or CPW).

Cash Match: Actual expenditures paid directly with cash funds from the grantee to a vendor. Examples include direct monetary contribution of funds, purchase of supplies, contracts for services, and necessary equipment purchase or rental.
In-Kind Match: Services and labor provided by the paid staff of the grantee to perform all or part of the approved project scope of work, including necessary project administration. This can include standard direct and indirect personnel fringe benefits. Volunteer services provided at no cost to the applicant by firms or individuals consistent with the approved scope of work are valued for in-kind match at local prevailing wage rates. Project-specific land acquisition or access agreement costs may also be claimed as in-kind contributions and credited against the minimum requirement. Another common example of in-kind match is a donation of equipment or supplies (e.g., fencing, monitoring equipment).
Costs that cannot be considered: General organization operating costs such as utilities, operating supplies and services, amortized costs or rental costs for buildings and equipment used for the general operation of the organization, general property and liability insurance costs, and overhead percent charges to cover such items cannot be used as match. These business expenses are NOT reimbursable costs and may not be claimed as matching contributions.

Application Process

Grant applications are accepted twice per year, due on July 1 and December 1 each year. If you are considering applying for CWCB grant funds to undertake a river health assessment, contact our staff to discuss your project.