GRANT AWARDS
As grant writers, the Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park carry an important responsibility. Oftentimes the existence of grant funding will determine whether a potential project moves forward or is abandoned. With years of experience associated with protecting, preserving and promoting Castlewood Canyon State Park, the Friends organization is perfectly positioned to do the research and fact finding necessary to write competitive, solutions - oriented grant proposals, and to build and maintain relationships with potential funding sources.
Read about some of our successes below:
LIBERTY COMMUNITY GIVING
Wildcat Canyon Bridge
Liberty Community Giving has shown continued support to Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park projects. Our current ambitious project is raising money to build Wildcat Canyon Bridge over Cherry Creek at the junction of the Lake Gulch and Inner Canyon trails. We are thankful for Liberty Community Giving's early contribution to this effort that will allow hikers of all capabilities to complete this popular hiking loop through all four of Castlewood Canyon's ecosystems.
$3,125
Awarded in 2020
PARTNERS IN THE OUTDOORS
Leave No Trace Program Expansion
Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park, together with Friends of Roxborough State Park, announce the award of a grant from Partners in the Outdoors for expansion of the Leave No Trace Program. The $5,000 grant will help to advance the partnership effort between Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park, Friends of Roxborough State Park, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to expand Leave No Trace programming, education, and messaging throughout Colorado State Parks, Recreation Areas, and Wildlife Areas.
$5,000
Awarded in 2019
COLORADO PARKS FOUNDATION /
LIBERTY COMMUNITY GIVING FUND
Trail Improvements by TeamWorks
In 2019, Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park received grant funding from both Colorado Parks Foundation and Liberty Community Giving that provided assistance in widening the Lake Gulch Trail. TeamWorks provides a paid educational work experience which aims to connect youth to nature and their community. Crew members work among a diverse group of both urban and rural youth, fostering the development of inclusive communication and leadership skills.
CPF $2,000 / LCG $2,273
Awarded in 2019
KIWANIS CLUB OF CASTLE ROCK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Wonders Program Support
KCCR is dedicated to improving the world "one child and one community at a time." The Wonders Program enables socioeconomically diverse schools to introduce students to the wonders of nature by getting them outside and away from technology. It is an excellent opportunity to enhance the students’ understanding of wildlife and how people’s actions affect wildlife and wildlife habitat. This is accomplished through a high quality place-based environmental education experience.
$500 / Year
Awarded Annually 2015 - 2019
LIBERTY COMMUNITY GIVING
Visitor Center Interpretive Displays
Castlewood Canyon State Park Visitor Center is visited by many of its over 200,000 visitors each year. Thanks to a grant from Liberty Community Giving, the park rangers are planning some new displays that will interpret many of the natural features - geology, wildlife, plants, and history -
that makes our park unique in Colorado.
$2,100
Awarded in 2017
COLORADO PARKS FOUNDATION
Interpretive Signage
By 2016, many of the park's interpretive signs were sun faded and cracked after years of exposure to the elements. Many were illegible. Thanks to Colorado Parks Foundation (CPF) we were able to begin replacing the worn out signs and even add some new ones. Next time you're at Castlewood Canyon State Park, look for the signs at the Homestead, Dam ruins, Native Garden, and East Canyon Preserve that include CPF's lovely Columbine logo.
$3,500
Awarded in 2016
LIBERTY COMMUNITY GIVING
Native Garden
In 2014 after the emergency well repair work in the Native Garden adjacent to the Visitor Center was completed, several park volunteers got together to redo the garden. This grant allowed us to purchase 25 tons of pea gravel and several tons of cobblestones which was used to establish the basic hardscape underlying the garden. Pea gravel makes a great natural water conserving mulch in our garden which is only watered by Mother Nature. We also thank Quality Landscape Materials, Pioneer Sand & Gravel, and C&C Sand and Stone Co. for donating materials or providing the materials at a discount.
$2,222
Awarded in 2016
LIBERTY COMMUNITY GIVING
Wonders Program Support
Every year, Castlewood Canyon State Park can host underserved school groups in our naturalist-led environment education programs by paying for bus transportation to the park, up to $300 per year per school. A generous grant from Liberty Community Giving enabled eight schools to participate in this program.
$2,500
Awarded in 2015
VERIZON
Education
Verizon encourages their employees' passion to serve others. And they support their efforts - through their Matching Gifts Program and by making donations to the nonprofit organizations they choose to volunteer. Dale Campbell, our current President, has dedicated countless hours at the park since 1995. Read his bio. We thank Verizon for their Matching Gifts Program and Dale for his countless hours of dedication to the park.
$750
Awarded in 2014
EL POMAR
Visitor Center Remodel
You can see how these funds were spend when you enter the vestibule at the Visitor Center and see the lovely photograph of the falls that completely covers the wall immediately opposite the entrance doors.
$1,000
Awarded in 2013
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION (NEEF)
Education & Website Development
We thank NEEF for supporting two of our projects: castlewoodfriends.org and Wonders of Castlewood. As our organization evolved, the Board realized we desperately needed a presence on the Internet as a resource for the park, Friends activities, and public outreach. NEEF granted $5,000 enabling us to develop our first website and pay its operating expenses for the first couple years of its existence.
Another generous $4,000 grant enabled us to kickstart the Wonders of Castlewood program that hosted approximately 1,500 students.