2026 WHILD Fund Grants

WHILD Grants Support Wildlife Habitat

2026 funding fights noxious weeds, finances research, and invests in post-fire reforestation

The Wildlife Habitat Improvement Local District (WHILD) Endowment Fund, a board designated endowment of the Yampa Valley Community Foundation (YVCF), has awarded grants to three local organizations through its 2026 competitive grant cycle, supporting projects that protect and enhance critical wildlife habitat across Routt County, Colorado.

The 2026 grant recipients represent a range of approaches—from on-the‑ground habitat improvement to research and postfire forest recovery—each contributing to the long-term health of ecosystems that support Routt County’s diverse wildlife.

• Friends of Wilderness received funding for Noxious Weed Identification and Mitigation, targeting invasive species such as Canada thistle, houndstongue, and yellow toadflax. These weeds displace native forage and degrade habitat quality for wildlife including elk, mule deer, pika, and dusky grouse.

• Friends of the Yampa was awarded a grant for the Elk River Segment of the Yampa River Scorecard Project (YRSP), which evaluates trends and opportunity areas related to water quality and quantity, aquatic and terrestrial habitat, floodplain connectivity, riparian condition, and the biotic community, agriculture, and recreation. Species that will benefit from improvements to their habitat include mountain whitefish, mottled sculpin, speckled dace, American dipper, sandhill crane, and bald eagle.

“The Yampa River Scorecard provides critical, science-based insight into the health of our river system,” said Jenny Frithsen, Environmental Program Manager at Friends of the Yampa. “Support from the WHILD Endowment Fund helps us better understand existing conditions and identify the opportunity areas that can make the greatest difference for both wildlife and the community.”

• Western Resilience Center (formerly Yampa Valley Sustainability Council) received funding for Accelerated Post Fire Regeneration on the Medicine Bow–Routt National Forest, expanding support for U.S. Forest Service regeneration surveys to increase the pace and capacity of reforestation following wildfire. The project helps ensure forests continue to provide critical habitat for species such as boreal owls, Pacific martens, hoary bats, Canada lynx, and pygmy shrews.

In the 2026 cycle, 10 applications were submitted requesting a total of $44,489, while $6,235 was available for grantmaking based on the endowment’s spending calculation. As a result, several strong proposals could not be funded.

Unfunded applications include a research project to count and track the breeding season of bobolinks—a native bird identified as a Priority Tier 2 Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Colorado State Wildlife Action Plan—as well as a community educational and pollinator habitat garden designed to support native pollinators such as rufous hummingbirds, tiger swallowtail butterflies, and western bumblebees.

“This year’s applications reflected an impressive range of high-quality projects, from research‑based efforts to immediate, on‑the‑ground habitat improvements,” said Greg Hamilton, Director of Grantmaking at Yampa Valley Community Foundation. “We are hopeful that continued growth of the WHILD Endowment will allow us to support more of these excellent projects in the years ahead.”

About the WHILD Endowment Fund

Established in 2018, the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Local District (WHILD) Endowment Fund is a board designated‑ endowment of YVCF created to support wildlife habitat improvement projects for public benefit in Routt County, Colorado. Eligible projects include capital improvements, planning, research, management, enforcement, education, and other efforts that enhance wildlife habitat. Charitable organizations as well as federal, state, and local government agencies may apply through an annual competitive grant cycle, with funding recommendations provided by a grant committee.

Annual grant award funding availability is calculated according to YVCF’s Spending Policy for Endowment Funds. Contributions to the endowment grow the fund over time, creating a permanent source of support for protecting key habitat elements such as food, water, protected cover, adequate range, and migration corridors.

Routt County residents are fortunate to regularly see moose, deer, elk, and many other species that depend on healthy habitat. As the community grows, pressure on these critical habitats increases. Donations to the WHILD Endowment Fund are a direct investment in wildlife—supporting habitat improvement projects that balance conservation, research, and education for lasting public benefit.