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CCT Programs & Accomplishments
CCT Initiatives
Increasing Funding for Conservation
Protecting our state’s landscapes demands a significantly greater level of public and private investment. One of the most important roles that CCT plays is attracting new funding and implementing new financial tools to enable more land conservation in Colorado.
Increasing private funding for conservation
CCT also raises new funding from individuals, corporations, and foundations. In four years, CCT has raised nearly $10 million in private funds and has become one of the largest private funders of conservation in the state. As a statewide community foundation, CCT links donors, organizations, and conservation projects and works to leverage each party’s investment.
CCT provides donors with:
- A range of donor services
- Diversity of ways to give
- Better information for the donor community about conservation needs and opportunities
Revolving Loan Fund for Land Acquisitions
In 2004, CCT raised $3.85 million in order to launch Colorado's first revolving loan fund for land acquisitions. Often, when a property is on the market, there is little time to save it before it is sold for development. Key conservation opportunities can be lost because of a lack of immediate resources. The fund will serve this sole purpose: to provide the interim funding necessary for protection of high priority open lands.
Revolving Loan Fund for Land Conservation Easements
CCT raised $140,000 in private dollars to create a short term loan fund to help cover the up front costs of placing a conservation easement on properties which anticipate the use and sale of these tax credits. For land-rich, cash-poor landowners, having funds available up front to help with the appraisal and legal costs of donating the easement can make all the difference.
Colorado Conservation Easement Tax Credit
CCT’s primary focus on conservation tools this past year has been on: a) expanding the use of the Colorado Conservation Easement Tax Credit program and b) returning some of the proceeds from the sales of tax credits to the conservation community. CCT has been successful in working with credit buyers to direct their tax savings back to conservation projects. CCT has also played an instrumental role in recruiting buyers of credits, generating positive press coverage for the program and maintaining quality control.
Increasing Public Funding for Conservation:
Statewide Funding Efforts
Will Shafroth led a statewide campaign to secure $115 million in conservation bonding authority. This gives Great Outdoors Colorado the option of bonding from its revenue stream when once-in-a-lifetime land protection opportunities emerge.
For the past three years, CCT has also co-led an effort to identify new statewide funding sources for land conservation in Colorado. This process involved convening leading conservation organizations in the state, researching options, conducting polls, and gaining input and support from business leaders. CCT will continue to take a lead role in convening these groups and building consensus on how and when to proceed with a measure that will generate $50 million per year for conservation statewide. We are also working with the conservation community to establish a set of common priorities for land protection that would be used to focus conservation efforts and market the funding measure.
Local Funding Efforts
CCT has funded exploratory efforts in three Colorado counties – Mesa, Ouray, and Garfield - to help develop local revenue streams for conservation. An additional $2-5 million annually could be available to fund conservation projects, if measures are ultimately approved by the voters. $1-3 million in new, annual revenues would help to preserve 10,000 to 20,000 acres of land over 10 years.
Before the feasibility research, polling, or campaign plans for a conservation funding measure begins, CCT serves as a catalyst to develop or focus local leadership for public finance measures. Employing staff expertise and seed money, CCT has worked with a number of Colorado communities to help local people, who are committed to land conservation, develop additional funding for conservation.
In some cases CCT supports the local land trust as it works to form a steering committee and design a strategy. In other cases, CCT does the behind the scenes work to identify and engage local leaders.
CCT has made $60,000 in grants for local public funding outreach and education initiatives.
- Mesa County - $25,000
The County recently completed a public opinion poll regarding a possible ballot measure for open space. Based on the polling analysis, a local steering committee is now developing a strategy for establishing the ballot measure.
- Ouray County - $20,000
There have been two unsuccessful attempts to pass public funding measures in Ouray County. Local proponents believe the County is ripe for a future public funding initiative and that it can pass with an effective campaign. Chris Herrman, CCT’s Western Slope Director, is building a local steering committee to guide program work.
- Garfield County - $15,000
Garfield County attempted to pass a local funding measure in the late 1990s, but the measure failed by a very small margin of votes. CCT is working with local leaders to establish a steering committee that will guide development of a ballot measure for open space.
CCT Initiatives
CCT Programs & Accomplishments Links
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