Rivers don’t belong to just one of us—their future depends on all of us.
Together with partners across agriculture, commerce, recreation, and restoration, the River Fund invests in coordinated solutions that strengthen our river—now and for generations to come.
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River Funds are financial vehicles popping up in communities around the West. These funds unite water users, land managers, and communities to plan and invest in a sustainable water future. They provide ongoing support for conservation and restoration efforts that protect water quality, supply, recreation, and more.
The Poudre River Fund is built from pooled Northern Colorado donor resources and will be guided by a collaborative of diverse partners to help scale more strategic impact within the Poudre Watershed around a specific set of project goals. A series of community input sessions helped shape the goals for the Fund.
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The Poudre we experience today is the result of fragmented decisions made over many decades.
Today, the river faces increasing pressure from ongoing drought, wildfire, growth, and competing water uses. These challenges are complex, interconnected, and long-term. No single organization or solution can address them alone.
The river, which future generations inherit, will be shaped by the choices we make now—how we invest, collaborate, and plan for resilience across the entire watershed.
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Pooling resources increases impact.
Collaboration reduces duplication.
Long-term investment enables smarter decisions.
Collective investment allows projects to move faster, enables partners to work together, and provides solutions to address diverse and complex needs.
The Poudre River Fund harnesses the power of collaboration across sectors and perspectives, aligning efforts that might otherwise operate independently.
Our Approach
01
Diverse Collaboration
We believe the best solutions are built together.
The fund works alongside diverse partners to maximize impact and avoid duplication.
02
Thoughtful Investment
Decisions reflect local knowledge and shared responsibility.
Resources are directed toward projects that align with watershed needs and long-term goals.
03
Community
Capitol
The fund pools contributions from individuals, families, businesses, and partners.
Investments are guided by clear criteria and transparent reporting.
Poudre River Fund Goals
Fund projects that create a healthy, functioning river while increasing and protecting flows.
Advance projects that maintain or improve river function and actively restore riparian habitats.
Promote innovative agricultural practices that balance river health with improvements to water quality and water availability.
Invest in initiatives that sustain healthy forests and reduce wildfire risk across the watershed.
Support community-driven projects that strengthen connections to the river while enhancing economic vitality, recreation, and overall well-being.
Community Listening Sessions
Input collected over a series of listening sessions with different sectors of the Northern Colorado community was incorporated into the Poudre River Fund purpose and goals.
