Jackie Miller

Hello friend,

I’m so glad you’re here. At GOCO, it is a privilege to invest Colorado Lottery proceeds in the outdoors that define our state, and in the people who care for and enjoy them. This past year brought meaningful progress and exciting milestones worth celebrating, while laying the groundwork for even greater impact in the years ahead. 

True to the vision of GOCO’s founders and Colorado voters, we remained a steady, trusted resource for partners as they work to conserve land and water, care for natural and recreational resources, help communities thrive, and ensure that everyone has access to the outdoors.

We invested more than $61 million through our grant programs and our partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. On the ground, that means farms and landscapes irrigated by traditional acequias protected forever in the San Luis Valley; joy in Haxtun as a long-awaited community pool opened; families in Superior returning to parks rebuilt and reimagined after their loss to the Marshall Fire; and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and Montezuma Land Conservancy partnering to reconnect people to ancestral homelands while honoring traditional knowledge—a glimpse of the impact created by 113 community-based projects funded this year.

Importantly, we also invested in efforts to strengthen the partner network needed to address today’s and tomorrow’s outdoor challenges. Central to this work was the launch of Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy in April 2025, our state’s first-ever shared vision for Colorado’s outdoors. It was developed in partnership with hundreds of leaders across local, regional, Tribal, state, and federal levels, and drew from thousands of pages of previous plans and research. The Strategy serves as a framework for strategic collaboration, offering shared objectives, guidance, and tools to help partners statewide advance efforts to secure Colorado’s outdoor assets for generations to come.

Looking ahead, we know there’s still much to do, and demand for our resources remains high. Guided by our 2025 Strategic Plan, we’ll continue to listen, adapt, and direct funding to your community priorities and to projects that deliver the greatest impact, while supporting the partners who advance this work.

Thank you for your passion, leadership, and commitment to Colorado’s outdoors. It’s an honor to work alongside you, and I look forward to all we’ll achieve together in the years ahead.

Sincerely,

Jackie Miller

Jackie Miller
Executive Director 

Land Acknowledgment

The lands now known as Colorado are the homelands of many Tribes, including the Apache Nation, Arapaho Nation, Cheyenne Nation, Pueblo Tribes, Shoshone Tribe, and Ute Nations. We recognize the past and ongoing injustices perpetrated against Indigenous peoples, including the painful history of genocide, forced removal, and stolen land. We respect and honor Elders past, present, and future, and all Indigenous peoples for their relationship with this land throughout generations. 

It's GOCO's responsibility to examine history and take meaningful steps toward healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and Native Nations. We commit to honoring their sovereignty and investing resources in support of sustained dialogue, partnership, and conservation and recreation priorities elevated by Tribal communities. Beginning with our first-ever grant to a Tribe in 2022, GOCO has since invested over $5.8M in 15 Indigenous and Tribal-led projects. We see this work as essential to achieving GOCO’s mission. 

Sandstone wall at the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park. Photo by Travis Custer.

2025 By the Numbers
$61 million in Colorado Lottery proceeds invested

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projects funded

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counties invested in

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acres conserved

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acres restored

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parks and recreation areas built or upgraded

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young people employed in Youth Corps

Since 1992, that’s more than $1.7 billion invested in Colorado.

  • 5,960 projects
  • 64/64 counties
  • 1,465,505 acres conserved
  • 1,206 miles of rivers protected
  • 1,856 parks and recreation areas built or upgraded
  • 1,276 miles of trail built or improved
  • 66,688 acres added to State Parks
  • 11,369 young people employed in Youth Corps
Bristlecone Pine Scenic Area in Park County. Photo by Bergreen Photography.


Funded Projects

Land Acquisition

$11.6M, 7 projects
Supports urban and rural landscape, waterway, and habitat protection priorities, and improves outdoor access 

Community Impact

$9.1M, 16 projects
Invests in projects that enhance a community's quality of life and outdoor access 

Generation Wild

$4.2M, 16 projects
Invests in coalitions delivering locally designed, culturally relevant programs connecting kids and families to the outdoors

Conservation Service Corps

$1.4M, 26 projects
In partnership with Colorado Youth Corps Association, helps partners hire conservation service corps for outdoor recreation and natural resource stewardship projects

RESTORE Colorado

$1.4M, 9 projects
In partnership with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, employs a collaborative funding model to support large-scale habitat restoration and stewardship projects across public and private lands 

Transaction Cost Assistance Program

$1M, 21 projects
In partnership with Keep It Colorado, helps nonprofit land trusts cover the costs associated with conservation easement transactions 

Stewardship Impact

$1.1M, 4 projects
Invests in collaborative stewardship work that improves ecological and recreational amenities

Planning & Capacity

$1.7M, 8 projects
Addresses opportunities, explores issues, engages communities, and examines outdoor trends 

CPW Director’s Innovation Fund

$150K, 6 projects
In partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, invests in creative, impactful parks or wildlife projects elevated by CPW staff.

What Success 
Looks Like

Major Progress on a Regional Trail

$7M Centennial grant
The planned 65-mile Clear Creek Trail will connect more than 3 million Front Range residents with close-to-home recreation from the plains to the Continental Divide. Moving that vision forward, Jefferson County completed a difficult 1.5-mile segment through steep, rugged terrain and sensitive waterways. It includes an ADA-accessible paved path, new trailheads, and river access. It also connects to Clear Creek Canyon Park, offering a wide range of recreational activities, including climbing, fishing, hiking, and biking.

Clear Creek Trail Segment
Clear Creek Trail segment. Photo by Jefferson County. 
Livermore Conservation Area. Photo by Meegan Flenniken.
Livermore Conservation Area. Photo by Meegan Flenniken.

Thousands of Acres Protected Forever 

$2.5 million Land Acquisition grant
Larimer County conserved three ranches totaling 4,856 acres in Livermore. A partnership with county, state, and private partners, the resulting Livermore Conservation Area protects prime habitat and scenic views in a region experiencing rapid development. The project safeguards habitat for various species such as black bears, mountain lions, beavers, deer, raptors, and the threatened Preble’s meadow jumping mouse. The conserved area connects to more than 100,000 acres of adjacent protected lands, supporting wildlife movement and landscape-scale ecological health. The effort also secures important water resources and a long-standing agricultural operation employing sustainable grazing and hay production.

Community Parks Reimagined Post-Wildfire

$660K Community Impact grant
The Town of Superior rebuilt Children’s Park, Big Sagamore Park, and Little Sagamore Park, restoring outdoor spaces for neighborhoods where more than 350 homes were lost in the 2021 Marshall Fire. Beyond just rebuilding, the town upgraded the park with new accessible playgrounds and equipment, green spaces and seating areas, improved safety surfacing, and drought-tolerant, fire-resistant landscaping—creating inclusive and fun places for kids and families to play outside. 

Big Sagamore Park. Photo by Bram Barth, courtesy of Lose Design.
Big Sagamore Park. Conceptual image by Bram Barth, courtesy of Lose Design.
Lobatos Bridge. Photo by Ryan Michelle Scavo.
Lobatos Bridge. Photo by Ryan Michelle Scavo. 

A Historic Landmark Transformed 

$352K Community Impact grant
Built in 1892, the Lobatos Bridge is Colorado’s southernmost crossing of the Rio Grande and a gateway between Conejos and Costilla counties. It sits in a landscape shaped by more than 10,000 years of human history. The bridge has carried generations across the river, supported local economies, and stands as a symbol of the region’s rich multicultural heritage. This year, Conejos and Costilla counties turned the surrounding area into an outdoor classroom and recreation destination. New shade structures, a boat ramp, picnic areas, improved trails, and educational signs invite the community to get outside, explore, and connect with the bridge’s historic and cultural significance. 

Stronger Partnerships
Greater Impact

2025 Annual Report Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy

Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy 
$1.5M invested

Learn More

Colorado set an ambitious goal to create a shared vision for the future of our outdoors. With a consultant team, coordinating partners (GOCO, CPW, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, and the Governor’s office) engaged hundreds of leaders across local, regional, Tribal, state, and federal levels and reviewed existing plans and data, synthesizing learnings into statewide objectives, guidance, and tools. Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy and its Resource Hub launched in April 2025. 

The Strategy reflects the rich diversity of Colorado’s outdoor resources, opportunities, and stakeholders, while serving as a North Star guiding collective action over the next ten years toward conservation, sustainable recreation, and climate resilience goals. 

Hiking at State Forest State Park. Photo by Mike DelliVeneri.

2025 Annual Report Colorado Parks and Wildlife Partnership

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Partnership
$28M invested

Learn More

Each year, GOCO invests half of its funding through Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) for conservation, recreation, and wildlife management efforts. In fiscal year 2025, more than $15M helped improve parks and recreation areas, build and maintain trails and river greenways, expand water recreation opportunities, and develop educational resources. An additional $12M supported wildlife and habitat conservation and restoration, wildlife watching opportunities, and wildlife education programs. 

In February 2025, Governor Polis, CPW, and GOCO also announced $1M in funding through the Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative, investing in coalitions across the state working together to ensure Colorado's wildlife, recreation opportunities, and outdoor resources thrive into the future. This seventh round of funding brought the total number of regional partnerships to 21, covering 79% of the state. 

Heron on the Yampa River. Photo by Vic Schendel, courtesy of CPW.

2025 Annual Report Generation Wild Communities & Communications Campaign

Generation Wild Communities & Communications Campaign
$6.2M invested

Learn More

Twelve Generation Wild coalitions continued their work connecting kids and families across the state with outdoor experiences. Since 2015, they’ve delivered 9,550 outdoor programs to 360,222 participants, as well as 5,710 programs connecting youth to outdoor careers. Plus, $536K in grants helped groups in Montrose, Pueblo, and Greeley, as well as the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, develop plans to connect more local youth and families with the outdoors and explore joining the Generation Wild network. 

With a $2M investment, Generation Wild’s communications campaign with Sukle Advertising and Design brought back the Wilderflowers, distributing millions more native seeds and debuting an animated video that captured imaginations across Colorado. 

Generation Wild of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Photo by Kwiyagat Community Academy.

2025 Annual Report Conservation Service Corps

Conservation Service Corps
$1.4M invested

Learn More

$1.4 million supported partners in hiring conservation corps crews to complete important stewardship work this year. With this funding, 300 corps members restored 141 acres of habitat and 31 miles of trail, thinned 37 acres to reduce wildfire risk, and removed 246 invasive trees across 14 acres.

Eastern Plains Conservation Corps at John Martin Reservoir. Photo by Allison Daniell.

2025 Annual Report RESTORE Colorado

RESTORE Colorado
$1.4M invested

Learn More

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, GOCO, and other funders joined forces for another year to accelerate landscape-scale restoration, helping partners restore 1,562 acres of habitat on public and private lands, benefitting wildlife and local communities.

State Forest State Park. Photo by Jerry Neal, courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

2025 Annual Report Transaction Cost Assistance

Transaction Cost Assistance Program
$1M invested

Learn More

Through TCAP, Keep It Colorado regranted $1 million in GOCO funds to land trusts to help landowners cover conservation easement transaction costs. By reducing financial barriers for landowners, the program helped conserve 25,342 acres of land that were at risk of being subdivided or converted for other uses. Instead, they will continue to host critical wildlife habitat, support local food systems, and safeguard natural resources and places of historic and cultural significance. 

Kester Ranch in the San Luis Valley. Photo courtesy of Colorado Open Lands.

Downloads to Take With You

About GOCO

Mission 

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. 

Created by Colorado voters in 1992 through a constitutional amendment, GOCO must invest funds in a substantially equal amount over time across four areas: Outdoor Recreation, Local Governments, Wildlife, and Open Space.

Governance

GOCO is governed by a 19-member board appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate. It includes two members from different political parties in each congressional district, plus representatives from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources.

Members by Congressional District

  • 1: Leticia Martinez (U); Charles Garcia (U), both Denver

  • 2: Turk Montepare (U), Breckenridge; Mo Siegel (D), Boulder

  • 3: Pamela Denahy (R), La Junta; Craig Hughes (D), Edwards

  • 4: Brenda May (U), Lamar; Bobby Massie (D), Larkspur

  • 5: Mina Liebert (U); Krithika Prashant (U), both Colorado Springs

  • 6: Patty Imhoff (D); Tom Lee (R), both Greenwood Village

  • 7: Carrie Curtiss (D), Golden; Jahi Simbai (U), Wheat Ridge

  • 8: Mara Brosy-Wiwchar (D), Thornton; Ray Tschillard (U), Greeley

State Agency Representatives

  • Colorado Department of Natural Resources: Dan Gibbs

  • Parks and Wildlife Commission: Marie Haskett, Jay Tutchton

Fiscal Year 2025

(July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025)

RevenueFY 2024-25Amount to DateExpensesFY 2024-25Amount to Date
Lottery Proceeds$84,904,766$1,691,758,838Grant Expenditures$72,605,510$1,552,190,684
Interest & Other Income$5,138,991$58,814,772Administrative Expenses$6,310,505$82,985,496
Total Revenue$90,043,757$1,750,573,610Total Expenses$78,916,015$1,635,176,180

Fiscal Year 2026

(July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) Estimated Budget

RevenueFY26 BudgetExpensesFY26 Budget
Lottery Proceeds$83,589,939Grant Expenditures$65,513,000
Interest & Other Income$2,105,000Administrative Expenses$6,856,281
Total Revenue$85,694,939Total Expenses$72,369,281