On Aug. 1, Boulder County will launch its new Climate Equity Fund, a $2.5 million grant program designed to support community-led climate action, particularly in frontline communities most impacted by climate change. Grants will be awarded in two tiers: $5,000-$50,000 and $55,000–$1 million.
The program’s launch comes at a pivotal time. Earlier this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency abruptly ended a national environmental justice grant program, cutting nearly $50 million in funding across the Mountain West, Boulder Reporting Lab reported. Several Boulder County groups were among those affected.
FLOWS (Foundations for Leaders Organizing for Water and Sustainability), Boulder’s longest-running environmental justice group, lost a $250,000 grant — as well as all of its 2026 funding and more than half of its funding for 2025. Another group, the Boulder County Climate Justice Collaborative, lost more than 90% of its budget, which was earmarked for training and advocacy around coal ash pollution at Xcel Energy’s Valmont Power Station.
The commission approved the fund earlier this month. “Boulder County’s new Climate Equity Fund is based on the belief that communities know what they need,” said County Commissioner Marta Loachamin. “We hope to inspire community-led climate leadership and support a Boulder County that’s ready for the changes ahead.”
Details on how to apply are available on the Boulder County website. Applications open Aug. 1.