Great Outdoors Colorado awarded $9.9 million in lottery funds to 22 different conservation projects across the state, it announced recently.

In fiscal year 2023-2024, GOCO collected more than $84.1 million. Since 1992, it has collected more than $1.6 billion and spent more than $1.5 billion of the Colorado Lottery funds it receives.

The largest beneficiaries of this round includes The Conservation Fund, Colorado West Land Trust, and Trust for Public Land, which together received $5,725,000 in land acquisition funding for projects already underway.

Created by Colorado voters in 1992, GOCO invests up to half of Colorado Lottery proceeds in partner-led conservation and recreation projects across the state,” according to a news release. “Today’s grants were awarded through a competitive process.”

Supported by GOCO regional program officers, eligible organizations submitted project concepts and then applications to fund their projects.

Projects include new and improved parks and recreation areas in Northglenn, Silverton, Commerce City and Lone Tree.

Colorado Open Lands received $915,000 to complete the third phase of its project to protect acequia-irrigated lands and water rights in the San Luis Valley. This phase will focus on conserving properties in Costilla, Conejos, Huerfano, and Las Animas counties, and collaborating with partners to document acequias and provide legal resources for irrigators.

The Eagle County Outdoor Stewardship Partnership received $300,000 to address impacts of recreation, habitat degradation, and resource constraints on public lands throughout the county. The partnership is adding employees to its conservation crew for trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and to manage dispersed camping, fire restrictions, watershed improvements, and wildlife habitat restoration.

Keep It Colorado re-grants GOCO funds to nonprofit land trusts to help cover the costs associated with conservation easement transactions. In this tranche of funds, 10 Colorado ranches received between $23,000 and $75,000.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has gained funding for projects designed to support small-dollar, unique initiatives across the state.

Examples include a $15,000 grant that will help CPW test the use of drones to collect wolf data and haze wolves away from livestock, and a $25,000 grant to purchase an aerial spray drone system for applying herbicide on multiple state wildlife areas where thousands of acres are inaccessible with traditional spray equipment.