In 2021, the Federal Government awarded La Plata County $10.9 million through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to assist in recovering from the economic and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. La Plata County opened dialogue with the community on how to best utilize this social impact funding and contracted with the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado to facilitate distribution of a portion of those grants.
In total, $3,365,000 in County funding will be distributed by the Community Foundation to 13 projects by the end of 2025, with the bulk of grants distributed in 2023. Each of these projects provide beneficial impacts to address the needs of La Plata County and its residents across various areas, including equity, youth recovery, food security, and water projects.
Funded Social Impact Projects:
- Community Language Resource Group – Language Justice
- Ignacio Public Library – Mobile Library Service
- Local First Foundation – Affordable Healthcare
- LPC Collaborative Management – Housing Security
- Resilient Colorado – Trauma Informed Trainings
- Hub Therapeutic Program – Educational Services
- Oak Tree Youth Resources – Youth Homelessness Prevention
- United Way of SW Colorado – Team UP
- Youth WIN – Wellness in Nature
- EAT FAIR – Food Security
- Pine River Shares – Field to Fork
- Housing Solutions of the Southwest – Water Well System
- La Plata West Water Authority – Water Fill Station
The Impact Summary booklet below provides a snapshot of each project that has received funding from Social Impact granting. Each project team has provided supporting data to highlight the transformative changes being made with help from La Plata County’s social impact funding.
Click the image below to read the Impact Summary.
