January 2026 Resilience Conversation: Colorado's Resiliency Ecosystem


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Colorado’s Resiliency Ecosystem

Building resilience requires coordination between many actors and across multiple sectors. Colorado is fortunate to have a strong ecosystem of actors building resilience across the State.

Collaborating on resilience initiatives produces multiple benefits including:

  • Designing initiatives that improve access to resources for disproportionately impacted communities
  • Strengthening and increasing the number of co-benefits produced by a single project or initiative
  • Bringing multiple perspectives together, increasing opportunities for innovative solutions
  • Building connections and reinforcing work across different areas that closes gaps, maximizes impact, and improves resource efficiency

With many state agencies, local governments, non-profits, businesses, and other actors who are taking independent action to build resilience at the State and local level,we can expand our impact, benefit more Coloradans.

2025 Partner Highlights and Resiliency Achievements

Connecting Climate Adaptation and Health

The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment’s 2025 - 2029 State Health Improvement Plan includes climate adaptation as a crucial health priority with a focus on increasing resilience to impacts from wildfire smoke and extreme heat. The actions within this plan will improve how the State protects and communicates with the populations that are at the highest risk from extreme heat such as outdoor workers or people experiencing homelessness, and from wildfire smoke such as children or people with pre-existing medical conditions. This focus on building resilience to two frequent climate hazards will help increase the safety, security, and health of all Coloradans.

Longmont is a United Nations Resilience Hub

Longmont has received the international recognition of becoming the first city in the United States to be named a United Nations Resilience Hub, the highest level of recognition in the Making Cities Resilient 2030 program through the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. This achievement means Colorado cities and towns can learn from an international leader right in our backyard, drawing on their innovations and key lessons to find inspiration for work around the state.

Investing in the Resilience Ecosystem

Every $1 invested in resilience generates $10 in benefits over ten years. Colorado recognizes the impact of these cost savings and continues to invest in resilience. A highlight of just eight programs shows the State has invested $167 million in over 245 resilience projects to support local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and communities in proactively preparing for the future. These programs included in these calculations are:

These programs represent only a portion of the many grant programs Colorado administers to build resilience and will translate into avoided losses from natural disasters while providing more Coloradans with access to housing and healthy environments.

Wildfire Prevention and Waste Reduction

Community partners in Boulder County are collaborating on an innovative way of reducing wildfire risk and improving regeneration of degraded agricultural land. The Boulder Watershed Collective and County of Boulder carefully thin forests to reduce risk of wildfire and enhance their ecology. The wood is then chipped and transported to degraded agricultural land where the Boulder Mushroom company uses fungi to break down the wood and the regenerative meat company Grama Grass & Livestock introduces cattle to work the nutrients from the wood into the soil - helping to restore the land. This partnership is pushing the boundaries of what is considered “waste” and of how to maximize the ecological benefits of every action.

While the full restoration of this agricultural land will take many years, 2025 showed signs of encouraging progress - with desirable vegetation returning to the site and other visible improvements. In addition to this, Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks department continues to utilize inoculated woodchip wastes from forest management efforts to restore other lands in Boulder County.

Learn more with this PBS mini documentary.

Resilience-Building Resources from 2025

To help continue building resilience in your community, here are a few key resources published in 2025:

As your organization and community steps into 2026, we encourage you to consider the other actors in your ecosystem. Are there opportunities to share resources and improve the impact of your shared work? Are there communities you have yet to engage that you could reach out to this year? Who could help you accelerate innovation and push your thinking?