Manitou Springs, El Paso County business receives grants to prevent bear conflicts

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Manitou Springs, as well as an El Paso County business, is among 17 recipients of $1 million in state grants aimed at reducing conflicts between people and bears.

Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced the 2026 recipients of the Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant on Tuesday. The program will fund projects across Colorado to help communities prevent bear encounters and keep wildlife and residents safe, according to officials.

Manitou Springs received $100,000 to expand its efforts to reduce human-bear conflicts. According to officials, the project will launch a city-wide initiative to distribute bear-resistant residential trash bins and replace noncompliant public trash receptacles throughout downtown and at high-traffic trailheads.

The project builds on previous efforts in Manitou Springs to prevent bears from accessing trash, a common attractant that can bring wildlife into populated areas.

Mountaindale RV Resort, located between El Paso and Fremont counties, received $26,293. The resort plans to replace damaged waste infrastructure with secure, bear-resistant dumpsters to prevent bears from accessing food and other waste, the Governor's office confirms.

The program was established in 2021 to support local initiatives focused on preventing bear encounters. This year, CPW received 27 applications requesting a combined $2.2 million in funding. Seventeen projects were selected to receive grants, with 12 receiving their full requested amounts and five receiving partial funding.

"Our quality of life, plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities, and jaw-dropping landscapes attract both families and animals to our state," Polis said. "That's why these common-sense and data-driven strategies are so important to reduce human-bear conflicts and ensure that all Coloradans and wildlife are safe."

The grant program is funded in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the full list of recipients, click here.

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