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 26 years, GOCO has improved Colorado’s great outdoors with the help of Colorado Lottery proceeds. We’ve put more than $1.2 billion in proceeds back into 5,200 projects to improve the lives of Coloradans across the state.

After projects are awarded funding, grant recipients have about two years to make their projects happen. In April, six projects closed, representing just over $2 million in GOCO investments into local communities across the state. Scroll to see if one’s near you:

Ridges to Rivers Trails Project

$407,200 grant to the City of Gunnison

With the help of GOCO funds, the City of Gunnison constructed 2.6 miles of trail broken up into three key segments: the Gunnison River Access Trail, Signal Peak/Tenderfoot Mountain Trail, and the Gunnison-Tomichi Valley Ditch Trail. The segments will connect the community to the Gunnison River and an array of scenic views. Other project improvements include an underpass, benches, restrooms, and fencing.

Visit Gunnison Trail's Facebook page for more info


McKay Lake Park and Open Lands

$350,000 grant to the City and County of Broomfield

The City and County of Broomfield invested its GOCO funds into a 15-acre nature play and education facility accessible to children and adults of all social, physical, and intellectual abilities. The new facility includes an adventure playground, native plantings, and a bike park. Additional amenities include a newly constructed environmental education pavilion, a nature fitness area, and more than a mile of paths. The project was a collaborative effort that received strong community support and included partnerships with the Butterfly Pavilion, City of Westminster, Denver Botanic Gardens, Broomfield Open Space Foundation, Craig Hospital and Legacy High School Environmental Club. McKay Lake Park and Open Lands offers the community and visitors a nature-inspired venue to gather, explore, and recreate.

Check out this video of McKay's universally accessible nature play area


Hot Sulphur Springs Park Revitalization Project

$153,876 grant to the Town of Hot Sulphur Springs

The Town of Hot Sulphur Springs received a Local Government Parks and Recreation (LPOR) grant from GOCO to make improvements to Pioneer Park and Town Park. At Pioneer Park, GOCO funding was used to improve campgrounds, update the disc golf course, and repair trail bridges. Town Park is Hot Sulphur Springs’ most popular park; updates were made to the playground, athletic facilities, barbeque pit, and sprinkler system in addition to adding shade and other landscaping. The town improved the park’s skating rink infrastructure, resurfaced the tennis and basketball courts, and replenished sand in the volleyball pit.

Learn more about Pioneer and Town Park’s outdoor recreation amenities


Falcon Dog Park

$45,000 grant to El Paso County

To provide visitors with an improved recreation experience at Falcon Regional Park, El Paso County invested its GOCO funds to construct a 10-acre, fully fenced dog park. It is the first dog park in central and eastern El Paso County and provides a space for off-leash activities and a separate two-acre area for small dogs. While dogs are at play, owners have access to benches, picnic tables, message boards, and dog waste receptacles. The park also features the addition of 4,100 linear feet of trail constructed by Mile High Youth Corps and a parking lot.

Read more about Falcon Dog Park


The Mancos Elementary Playground Redesign Project

$110,000 grant to the Town of Mancos

Mancos Elementary, in partnership with the Town of Mancos, received GOCO funds to replace the school's playground equipment. A youth task force, consisting of third- and fifth-grade students, designed the playground to include climbing nets, slides, and group swings that can hold four students at a time. The playground project also includes a bridge crossing the Mancos River and an outdoor classroom equipped with digging and water features.

Check out Mancos Elemetary's new playground


Mary Carter Greenway East Bank Trail

$1,000,000 grant to South Suburban Parks and Rec District

The South Suburban Parks and Recreation District invested its GOCO Connect grant in completing the final trail segment of the Mary Carter Greenway East Side trail. The new multi-use segment will link West Oxford Avenue to West Union, connecting south-metro schools and neighborhoods to parks along the South Platte Trail. The project provides a continuous trail on both sides of the river, which means more space for bicyclists and pedestrians to recreate, less traffic due to overcrowding, and a safe corridor for wildlife migration.

Learn about GOCO’s Connect Initiative grant