2024 Recreation Grant Program and Applications

Important dates

MetRec’s 2024 recreation grant schedule, encompassing the recreation grant program and application preparation through MetRec’s awarding of recreation grants, is as follows:

  • January 18 – MetRec Rec Committee meeting
  • January 24 – Advisory Committee Meeting
  • January 31- Regular MetRec Board meeting to approve the Draft 2024 Recreation Grant Program and Budget
  • February 5 – 2024 Recreation Grant Program and applications published online
  • March 15 – Recreation Grant application deadline
  • May 8 – Independent Grant Review Committee Meeting and Recommendation
  • May 15 – MetRec Rec Committee meeting to formulate MetRec Board Recreation Grant Award Recommendations
  • May 29 – Board awards Recreation Grants

Contact

MetRec encourages all prospective grant applicants to contact the Executive Director, Derrick Nehrenberg (719) 221-9125, about their grant application ideas before submission to ensure they are eligible and fit with the best funding purpose. 

MetRec 2024 Recreation Grant Program

Recreation grant funding purpose

MetRec aims to create thriving environments that support its residents’ physical, mental, and emotional health. 

Our grant funding will prioritize projects that solve our community’s vital recreation needs. By fostering collaboration between public and non-profit sectors, we strive to develop innovative facilities, operations, and programs that address our citizens’ unique requirements and aspirations. Emphasis will be placed on maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure, supporting and elevating local recreation non-profit operations, catalyzing innovative recreation programs and projects, and strategic recreation planning.

MetRec is embarking on Parks and Regional Recreation Master Planning district-wide in the spring of 2024 to help guide recreation funding decisions and strategic planning. In 2023, we conducted a community-wide recreation survey to identify needs and orient our master planning efforts. Until MetRec adopts a master plan, the survey results are good data for determining your grant application alignment with our community recreation needs. Another good source is the 2022 North Subdistrict 6B ballot language approved by the voters (presented below) because we restructured our grant programs to fit the funding purposes in 2023. Here is a link to a .pdf file for the 2023 Community Survey Results.

2023 metrec Community survey results

Background

Colorado created parks and recreation special districts to promote its inhabitants’ health, wellness, and general welfare. Special districts are local governments governed by elected directors who are responsible for determining the vision and mission of a district and allocating funds generated through property taxes within the boundaries of a district.

The Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District (MetRec) encompasses most of Gunnison County and a small northwestern portion of Saguache County (map below). MetRec’s district is subdivided into a North Subdistrict, which coincides with the boundaries of the Crested Butte Fire Protection District, and a South Subdistrict, which includes everything outside the North Subdistrict and within the MetRec district. MetRec is unique because it enables our geographically associated groups of communities to pool their tax resources to create regional recreation solutions together.

In 2018, MetRec’s voters approved ballot issue 7D that repealed TABOR, returning the mill levy tax to 1 mill to fund qualifying expenditures district-wide. In 2022, MetRec voters within the North Subdistrict approved ballot issue 6B to increase their property tax mill levy by two mills for a total of 3 mills. The net two-mill levy tax increase collected in the North Subdistrict can only be spent on recreation purposes in the North Subdistrict and not TV translator services or administrative expenses.

To streamline MetRec’s funding opportunities, it has merged its grant programs into three funding purposes: capital construction, non-profit operation support, and community grants. These three recreation purposes are capital, operations, and community grants. They are designed to merge both the funding purposes of the 2022 North Subdistrict ballot issue and district-wide funding into a single streamlined application process.

MetRec stakeholders have consistently stated a need for multi-year grants to formulate and attain multi-year recreational goals. Hence, MetRec created multi-year operations and community grants in 2023, subject to annual appropriations.

Therefore, five types of grants are available this year.

  1. Capital
  2. Operations
  3. Community
  4. Multi-year operations
  5. Multi-year community
 

Please refer to the North Subdistrict Ballot Issue 6B language below for more information about qualifying grant expenditures.

MetRec encourages all applicants to discuss their intentions to apply for 2024 recreation grants with the district manager before submission to ensure their grant application idea is eligible and that it fits with the best funding purpose.

Grant and award process

MetRec desires to fund grant applications promoting vital recreation opportunities and excellence for our communities. The process and decision-making framework are as follows:

  1. MetRec seeks to make the 2024 Recreation Grant Program more competitive.
  2. There will be one grant cycle for all recreation grants.
  3. An independent grant review committee will score and rank order applications within each of the five grant funding purposes.
  4. The grant reviewer scores will be submitted to the MetRec Recreation Subcommittee.
  5. MetRec’s Recreation Committee will provide funding options to the MetRec board for discussion and approval. District-wide funds can be awarded to organizations within the North and South Subdistricts, and North Subdistrict funds can only be awarded to organizations located within the North Subdistrict.
  6. The MetRec board will award the recreation grants at its regular board meeting on May 29, 2024. The elected MetRec board is solely responsible for awarding recreation grant funds annually to ensure that the funds align with the grant reviewers’ scores, our residents’ recreation needs, and MetRec’s strategic aims.
  7. Note that all grant applications are subject to the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA). We recommend that applicants mark sensitive information as confidential and that MetRec redact grant applications in accordance with the CORA confidential information exception. If challenged, this does not guarantee exemption from public disclosure if required by law.

2024 recreation budget

MetRec’s 2023 Recreation Grant Program is funded by two distinct tax revenue sources: a District-wide property tax and a North Subdistrict property tax. Organizations located in the South Subdistrict and North Subdistrict may be funded from the District-wide fund, whereas only organizations located in the North Subdistrict qualify for North Subdistrict funds.

For the North Subdistrict, MetRec is required to distribute the annual property tax funds as follows:

  • Capital: 30-60% (spent annually or held in capital reserve)
  • Operations: 30-60% (paid annually)
  • Community: 10-40% (paid annually or held in capital reserve)
 

In 2024, for the North Subdistrict fund, the district has tentatively budgeted the grant award funds as follows:

  • Capital: 58% (held in capital reserve)
  • Operations: 32% (budgeted)
  • Community: 10% ($50,000 budgeted and $83,544 held in capital reserve)

2024 recreation grant awards and 2024 recreation program budget comparison

In 2023, MetRec budgeted $531,524 for its Recreation Grant Program. We awarded 26 out of 27 grant applications, totaling $427,541. In 2024, MetRec’s total Recreation Grant Program budget is $727,341, representing a 70% increase in the 2024 Recreation Grant Program budget compared to the total amount awarded in 2023. 

2024 total Recreation budget

MetRec’s total recreation budget includes our Recreation Grant Program, a contribution to the 2023 Gunnison County Steward Fund, the CB2CBS Rec Path 10% design, and the estimated cost of our Parks and Recreation Regional Recreation Master Planning effort. 

2024 north subdistrict Capital reserves planning

One of MetRec’s primary goals is to build our capital reserve fund. Hence, we are in a position to promote vital recreation projects identified through our Parks and Recreation Master Plan. At the end of 2024, MetRec projects to have accrued $1,371,075 in capital reserves. 

2024 recreation Grant applications

Grant Scoring Rubric

The following scoring rubric is designed for the MetRec 2024 Recreation Grant Program. It aligns with the program’s emphasis on promoting vital recreation opportunities, including capital needs, support for local recreation non-profits, and community recreation projects and programs.

The rubric is divided into sections corresponding to each grant category: Capital, Operations, Community, Multi-Year Operations, and Multi-Year Community Grants. Each grant program has tailored criteria to reflect that category’s goals and requirements. It is designed to provide a comprehensive and fair assessment of grant applications. It ensures that applications are evaluated in alignment with the funding purposes of the MetRec 2024 Recreation Grant Program. The total possible score for all grant categories is 100 points.

Capital Grants

  1. Planning and Feasibility (20 points): Clarity, detail, and practicality of the project plan, including timelines, milestones, and risk management strategies.
  2. Strategic Alignment and Community Benefit (20 points): How the project aligns with MetRec’s strategic goals and its direct benefits to the community, including enhancing community wellness and engagement.
  3. Budget, Value, and Fiscal Sustainability (20 points): Comprehensive budgeting focuses on the reasonableness of the costs, the project’s value, and long-term financial sustainability.
  4. Collaboration and Support (20 points): Strength and breadth of partnerships, ability to leverage additional funds, and community support, emphasizing cooperative efforts and resource sharing.
  5. Community Accessibility and Inclusivity (20 points): The project’s commitment to universal design principles for accessibility, inclusivity for all demographics, and environmentally responsible practices in construction and operation.

Operations Grants

  1. Operational Objectives and Efficiency (20 points): Assessment of objectives and how well the organization utilizes resources to achieve its objectives, including cost-effectiveness and process optimization.
  2. Financial Management and Transparency (20 points): Evaluation of the organization’s financial management practices, including budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting transparency.
  3. Community Engagement and Service Delivery (20 points): Measure the organization’s ability to positively engage with the community and deliver services to meet the community’s recreation needs.
  4. Strategic Alignment and Evidence-Based Practices (20 points): Aligning with MetRec’s strategic goals and incorporating evidence-based practices operations to ensure effective programming.
  5. Adaptability and Resilience (20 points): The organization’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances and challenges, ensuring the long-term resilience of its operations.

Community Grants

  1. Community Engagement and Project Description (20 points): Extent and depth of community engagement in determining their needs and depth of project planning. 
  2. Project Relevance (20 points): The project’s relevance to local needs and potential for sustained impact.
  3. Budget Efficiency and Leveraging (20 points): The efficiency of budget use, the ability to maximize impact per dollar spent, and the potential to leverage additional funds or resources.
  4. Partnership Synergy and Community Support (20 points): Quality of partnerships, synergy between different stakeholders, and level of community support and endorsements received.
  5. Innovative Impact (20 points): The project’s innovativeness in addressing community needs and potential for adaptability.

Multi-Year Operations Grants

  1. Long-term Strategic Impact (20 points): Evaluation of the project’s potential for delivering sustained operational benefits and contributing to systemic improvements in service delivery.
  2. Financial Strategy and Risk Management (20 points): Assessment of the thoroughness of financial strategies, including risk management and the ability to secure funding in the future.
  3. Community Engagement and Value Creation (20 points): Examination of the depth of the engagement and the value the project creates for various stakeholders, ensuring broad-based benefits.
  4. Strategic Synergy and Outcome Measurement (20 points): Evaluation of how well the project’s goals solve community needs and the prospective effectiveness of the outcome measurement tools.
  5. Resilience and Adaptive Capacity (20 points): Consideration of the organization’s resilience to external pressures and its capacity to adapt to evolving needs and sector changes.

Multi-Year Community Grants

  1. Long-term Community Benefit (20 points): Evaluation of the project’s potential for delivering enduring benefits, including community health, well-being, and recreation access.
  2. Strategic Coherence and Impactful Planning (20 points): Alignment with identified needs and the presence of a clear-actionable plan that outlines tangible milestones.
  3. Fiscal Resilience and Diversification (20 points): Assessment of the project’s financial viability, organizational stability, cost management strategies, and diversified funding sources.
  4. Community Integration and Partnership Synergy (20 points): Depth of community integration, quality of partnerships, and collaborative impact.
  5. Adaptive Organizational Capacity (20 points): Organization’s ability to respond to changing community needs and external variables while maintaining program integrity and stability.

FAq

Can my organization apply for more than one grant?

Yes, however, MetRec strongly encourages organizations to apply for one grant per grant cycle that will provide the most vital recreation impacts for the district’s citizens. If your organization believes MetRec funding support for more than one grant is vital to our community, please get in touch with the district manager before submitting your applications.

How do I decide between submitting community vs. capital grants and community vs. operations grants?

Please refer to the ballot language below or contact the district manager. For now, operations grants are intended to elevate ongoing operations. In comparison, community grants are designed to support creative initiatives or support ongoing programs and services, or smaller capital and operations projects at a lower funding level. Furthermore, only non-profits can apply for operations grants.

Will the capital grant fund maximum remain at $100,000?

No. MetRec anticipates raising the maximum award substantially as our community’s strategic capital construction opportunities become more evident after we complete the Parks and Recreation Regional Recreation Master Plan in 2025.

Why does MetRec require a 75% match on Capital grants?

Until we complete our Parks and Recreation Master Plan and understand the full scope of recreation needs, MetRec intends to fund smaller, shovel-ready capital projects that are leveraged well by other funding sources. 

Why is MetRec proposing $150,000 per year as a possibility for the pilot multi-year operations grant?

Most Parks and Recreation Districts provide recreation programming and amenities. Our community is unique because non-profits set up many recreation programs and amenities before MetRec’s capacity to offer them. Therefore, rather than trying to replicate their excellence, our strategy is to promote their efforts. 

According to MetRec’s feedback, losing recreation staff due to the cost of living in our area is a top threat to non-profit organizations. Hiring, training, and keeping passionate and experienced people working in the recreation sector are key to our recreation community’s success. If MetRec’s goal is to support and elevate recreation operations, MetRec would like to truly make a strong impact. The amount sounds like a lot, and it is. But the amount is also relative to an organization’s operating budget. Some organizations have large operating budgets, and it could take a step change in MetRec’s traditional funding levels to elevate operations in a sustainable and impactful way.

Appendix

North subdistrict ballot language

Passed November 2022

SHALL THE NORTH SUBDISTRICT OF GUNNISON COUNTY METROPOLITAN RECREATION DISTRICT TAXES BE INCREASED BY AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $930,000.00 IN 2023 (THE FIRST FISCAL YEAR) AND BY WHATEVER AMOUNTS MAY BE GENERATED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER BY AN IMPOSITION OF AN ADDITIONAL MILL LEVY OF 2.0 MILLS FOR A NEW TOTAL MILL LEVY OF 3.0 MILLS UPON TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE NORTHERN SUBDISTRICT, OR SUCH LESSER AMOUNT AS THE BOARD OF THE GUNNISON COUNTY METROPOLITAN RECREATION DISTRICT MAY ANNUALLY DETERMINE COMMENCING WITH TAXES COLLECTED IN 2023 FOR TAXES DUE FOR 2022.

THE FUNDS SHALL BE USED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE NORTH SUBDISTRICT FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:

30-60% OF SUCH FUNDS SHALL BE ALLOCATED FOR THE PURPOSES OF CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION OF TRAILS, FIELDS, HOCKEY RINKS, CULTURAL CENTERS, RECREATION CENTERS, OR OTHER PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS, ACCESSIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THAT SUPPORT CULTURAL OR ACTIVE RECREATION (OTHER THAN TELEVISION) AND/OR THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY OR EASEMENTS THAT PERMANENTLY PROVIDE OR SUPPORT ACCESS TO SUCH RECREATION. SUCH FUNDS MAY BE SPENT ANNUALLY OR PUT IN A CAPITAL RESERVE FUND;

30-60% OF SUCH FUNDS SHALL BE ALLOCATED FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUPPORTING LOCAL NON-PROFITS THAT SUPPORT RECREATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO OPERATIONS, TRAIL MAINTENANCE, ACCESS, EDUCATION, SAFETY, AND EQUIPMENT. THE DISTRICT MUST SPEND THESE FUNDS ANNUALLY;

10-40% OF SUCH FUNDS SHALL BE ALLOCATED TO ANY MUNICIPALITY OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR LOCAL NON-PROFIT FOR THE PURPOSES OF MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCES BY PROPERTY TAX OWNERS ON LANDS ACCESSIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, INCLUDING OPERATING AND/OR CAPITAL COSTS, SUCH AS BUT NOT LIMITED TO CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF TRAILS, BATHROOMS, PARKING, SIGNAGE, EDUCATION, AND ENFORCEMENT. SUCH FUNDS MAY BE SPENT ANNUALLY OR PUT IN A CAPITAL RESERVE FUND.

AND SHALL THE DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT AND RETAIN AND SPEND ALL REVENUES FROM SUCH TAXES AND THE EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF SUCH REVENUES WITH FUNDS MANAGED IN AN ACCOUNT DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING INITIATIVES IDENTIFIED IN THIS BALLOT MEASURE AND NECESSARILY SEPARATE FROM GENERAL DISTRICT FUNDS AS A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE LIMITS WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE APPLY UNDER ARTICLE X SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR SECTION 29-1- 301 COLORADO REVISED STATUTES OR ANY OTHER LAW?

Metrec map