There’s a lot of fanfare around grant awards, but what happens after the ceremonial checks are presented and the reporters have published their articles? Our partners get down to business.

For 25 years, GOCO has improved Colorado’s great outdoors with the help of Colorado Lottery profits. We’ve put more than $1 billion in proceeds back into 5,000 projects to improve the lives of Coloradans across the state.

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After projects are awarded funding, grant recipients have about two years to make their projects happen. In November, five projects crossed the finish line, totaling $2.3 million invested in communities across the state. Scroll to see if one’s near you:

JE Canyon – Southeast Colorado Prairie Canyonlands Conservation Project

$1.9 million GOCO grant to The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

JE Canyon is officially the first real estate transaction to close as part of the Southeast Colorado Prairie Canyonlands Conservation Project. GOCO funding helped protect 25,000 acres of land from development or harm. The project is a large-scale effort by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) to protect native shortgrass prairie, one of the most threatened habitats in the world. Learn why JE Canyon is important for every Coloradan >>

Big Thompson River Flood Recovery Project

$281,798.85 GOCO grant to the City of Loveland

During the 2013 floods, the Big Thompson River breached its banks and caused more than $7.56 million in damage to Loveland’s community parks and trails. The city restored the River’s Edge Natural Area and Recreational Trail with help from a grant from GOCO’s Flood Recovery Initiative. Find out more about the flood recovery grants >>

Cherry Creek at Norton Farms

$25,000 GOCO grant to the Town of Parker

GOCO funding helped Parker fix a section of Cherry Creek running through Norton Farms Open Space. The creek had suffered from storm damage and years of uncontrolled erosion, and the grant helped revegetate the banks of the creek. Putting in new plants will help the soil stay healthy, keep weeds from growing, and make the creek banks more stable long-term. Learn more about GOCO’s habitat restoration work >>

City of Greeley Natural Area Improvement

$41,700 GOCO grant to the City of Greeley

Greeley employed young people from the Weld County Youth Conservation Corps to improve four natural areas around the city. Corps members removed invasive plants and old fencing while learning about local ecosystems at the Cache la Poudre Natural Heritage Area. See how Youth Corps serves 1,700 young people every year >>

Garfield County Inspire Initiative

$75,000 GOCO grant to Garfield County

Kids in the western half of Garfield County don’t experience the outdoors as often as others due to under-funded parks, lack of safe pedestrian and bike paths, and gaps in outdoor programming. With the help of GOCO’s Inspire Initiative, Garfield County is changing that. A local coalition spent 18 months engaging the community to learn how to best tackle these barriers. The group will be turning its vision into reality with the help of a new $1.5 million grant. Read the good news >>