About FRWD
Program Overview
Reaching Colorado’s ambitious waste diversion goal will take active participation from every Front Range community, resident, and business. The state’s vision is for every Front Range community to provide access to universal curbside recycling and compost collection for all residents, and realizing this vision requires each community to take multiple steps to work toward zero waste. These steps include: conducting waste stream assessment and planning; pursuing public process and policy adoption; implementing programs; and public outreach and education for recycling and composting. The FRWD Enterprise provides grants and technical assistance to Front Range communities and entities working on these steps.
Vision
Increase Front Range recycling, composting and waste reduction to meet state waste diversions goals (of at least 32% by 2021, 39% by 2026, and 51% by 2036).
Mission
Develop and administer FRWD grant program and technical assistance to support effective and innovative waste reduction and diversion solutions.
Front Range Map
Map above shows the 13 Front Range Colorado counties highlighted in blue
The Front Range is defined as being made up of a 13-county region: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Pueblo, Teller, and Weld counties and/or the cities and counties of Broomfield and Denver. Projects must divert waste from this region to be eligible for FRWD grant funds. Local governments must be based in this region to receive FRWD technical assistance.
History and State Statute (C.R.S. 25-16.5-111)
Achieving the state’s waste diversion goals requires investing in and supporting innovative programs that advance recycling, composting, and waste reduction. As such, the Colorado legislature passed a bill in 2019 (SB19-192) that created an enterprise waste diversion grant program for the Front Range. A portion of the user fees collected on each ton of landfilled waste on the Front Range are directed to an enterprise fund; a 13-member Board of Directors governs the enterprise. Collection of fees began in January 2020 and will ultimately provide an estimated $15 million per year to be administered by CDPHE and the FRWD Board of Directors.
FRWD Strategic Plan and Annual Reports
The FRWD three-year strategic plan establishes goals and objectives for the FRWD grant and TASP programs. The FRWD annual reports track the program’s progress toward the goals outlined in the strategic plan, as well as highlighting FRWD grant and TASP projects that were awarded that year.