Routt County Climate Action Collaborative Fund awards $52k for carbon reductions projects
[PRESS RELEASE credit: Western Resilience Center]
30 June 2026 – The Routt County Climate Action Plan (CAP) Collaborative has awarded $52,400 for
community carbon reductions projects in 2026.
Now in its second year, the Routt County Climate Action Collaborative Fund, held at Yampa Valley Community
Foundation (YVCF), was created to support local projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus
implement the Routt County Climate Action Plan.
This year’s awardees are Routt County Riders, Yampa River Botanic Park, Strings Music Festival and
Northwest Colorado Health.
“Each of the awarded projects presents an important opportunity to take action to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions while supporting local organizations that are providing important services in the community,” CAP
Collaborative Board Chair Mathew Mendisco said. “Our goal is that the funding not only moves the needle on
our emissions reductions goals, but also makes life better for people in the process.”
Two of the grantees, Routt County Riders and Strings Music Festival, will use the funding to support projects
that progressed with CAP Fund grants last year.
Routt County Riders will put $15,000 toward its Active Transportation and Community Mobility Initiative, which
expands access to low-carbon transportation through bicycle matching, repair, reuse, and public education
programs including Street Smarts. The project supports Climate Action Plan goals by reducing vehicle trips,
increasing equitable multimodal transportation access, and promoting long-term active transportation habits.
Strings Music Festival will use its $7,000 award to support Phase 2 of the Stage Light Transition Project. This
is a multi-year project to transition the auditorium’s stage lighting to LED’s, saving energy and cutting down on
the organization’s electricity costs.
Phase 1 of this project replaced 22 intelligent stage fixtures, delivering immediate results: a three month
reduction of 8,160 kWh year over year which equates to total greenhouse gas savings of 6,030.24 kg of CO₂e
(or 13,294.40 lbs.), or the equivalent of removing one car from the road for a full year.
Yampa River Botanic Park received $10,400 to support the organization’s new Propagation Greenhouse with a
climate battery system. Climate batteries use the earth’s thermal mass to regulate temperature and humidity in
greenhouses. For the Botanic Park, this technology will significantly reduce energy costs associated with
conventional heating and cooling systems.
Northwest Colorado Health received $20,000 to support the predevelopment work needed to incorporate solar
energy and other sustainable design strategies into The Haven Assisted Living Expansion project. This project
addresses a critical shortage in care for older adults in Northwest Colorado, especially those who rely on
Medicaid. The project will be developed in alignment with the Routt County CAP through environmentally
responsible, energy-efficient, and sustainable design strategies supporting resiliency and operational cost
savings.
The Routt County Climate Action Collaborative Fund plans to award grants for local projects each year,
dependent on funds donated by the community. You can play a part in supporting future projects by donating to
the fund at https://yvcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4135.
Travelers flying out of Yampa Valley Regional Airport in Hayden can also offset the carbon impact of their air
miles by donating to the fund through the Good Traveler Program at
thegoodtraveler.org/partners/yampa-valley-community-foundation/.
Please direct questions to: Ashley Dean, Senior Manager for Collaborative Initiatives
[email protected] – 970-871-9299 ext. 116
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In 2021, Routt County, the City of Steamboat Springs and the Towns of Hayden, Oak Creek and Yampa formed
the Routt County Climate Action Plan Collaborative. The Collaborative Board serves as an oversight role in the
mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Routt County. Learn more at routtclimateaction.com