Align Arapahoe Performance Dashboard

Parks and trails are an important factor in ensuring a vibrant and healthy community. The ability to access parks and trails is essential to increasing quality of life in Arapahoe County.

Medium - Arapahoe County receives a certain amount of funding each year to allocate to jurisdictions within the County for parks and trails. While the County does not have control over the amount of funding received, we have the ability to communicate with other jurisdictions the importance of applying for grant funding so that all allocated funding can be awarded.

In accordance with the Arapahoe County Open Space Resolution, 12% of Open Space Sales and Use Tax revenue is invested in Arapahoe County communities through a grants program. Each year, incorporated municipalities and special districts that provide outdoor recreation services are invited to submit proposals for eligible open space, park, and trail projects.  An evaluation team made up of OSTAB members and County staff review the grant applications and make recommendations to the BOCC regarding the approval, conditional approval, or denial of each application. Since 2005, the County has invested over $57 million in grant funding in 278 projects throughout the County. 

In September 2023, the BOCC approved an allocation of $5.5 million for the 2024 grant cycle. 

This year, 12 agencies submitted a total of 18 grant proposals (10 standard grants, two small grants, and six planning grants) requesting a total of $5,797,138, with total matching funds of over $4.5 million. 

After an initial staff review to confirm eligibility, a team of evaluators consisting of five OSTAB members and six County staff members reviewed the applications, participated in site visits and evaluator meetings, and individually ranked the grant proposals. Ranking criteria included project scope, need and urgency, matching funds provided, user benefits, the applicant’s ability to complete the project on time and within budget, community support, and the applicant’s capacity to maintain the completed project site. Finally, individual evaluator rankings were averaged to produce a final ranking. 

Based on evaluator feedback and the final rankings, funding 16 proposals were granted, including nine standard grants, one small grant, and six planning grants for a total of $5,493,576. The unspent allocation of $6,424 will roll forward in the grants fund balance to support future grants.