OSMP Funded Research Program

The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (OSMP) has competitive grants available through its funded research program for scientific inquiry on OSMP lands that address natural, cultural, and visitor resource conditions and management.

New this year: Funding is also available for research on non-OSMP City of Boulder lands for topics proposed, funded, and sponsored by the City of Boulder Climate Initiatives Department.

Dates

• Request for proposals issued: Oct 28, 2025
• Proposal deadline: Jan 9, 2026
• Award notifications: Feb 20, 2026
• Draft report submission: Oct 30, 2026
• Reviewer comments to applicant: Nov. 25, 2026
• Final report submission: Dec 29, 2026

Who Can Apply

• Anyone may apply.
• Students must submit a signed letter from an academic advisor to confirm that the proposal has been reviewed, approved, and is supported.
• Faculty sponsors are responsible for providing the final report should the student fail to submit one.

Priority Topics

Proposals will be reviewed on a competitive basis, with preference given to proposals that address Priority Project Topics. However, all proposals will be considered based on their merits. While you are welcome to discuss your research topics with agency staff prior to proposal submission, please do so prior to Dec. 15, 2025.

Budget

The maximum award amount is capped at $12,000. Details on allowable expenses can be found in the budget worksheet (DOC). Overhead costs should not exceed 10 percent of the total grant award except in rare circumstances. Funding commitments are limited to an annual basis, but multi-year projects are encouraged, especially for studies in which year-to-year variation may influence results.

Proposal Format

Proposals must follow the format guidelines exactly.

On-going Projects

Project extensions will be considered, but the proposal must be for work that is above and beyond the scope of previously funded work (i.e., not just a proposal to complete the uncompleted work scoped previously).

One Proposal per PI

A PI may only submit one proposal as lead but may collaborate on additional proposals.

Information Sharing

OSMP reserves the right to acquire and share with other researchers any grant-related intellectual property/work products, such as datasets, field protocols/manuals, and reports. Proposals received may be shared on our webpage, whether they are funded or not.

Additional requirements for funded applicants

• All successful applicants are required to abide by City of Boulder OSMP rules and regulations.
• All research and related projects conducted on City of Boulder OSMP lands will have oversight provided by an OSMP staff member.
• Successful applicants must sign a volunteer registration and waiver of liability.
• Funded applicants are required to submit a draft and final report.

Where to Submit

Submit proposals to osmpfrp@bouldercolorado.gov.

Unfunded Research

Proposals that do not require OSMP funding may be submitted through our unfunded research program.

Interagency Grants

OSMP, Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS), Jefferson County Parks and Open Space (JCPOS) and Parks, Recreation & Open Space, City of Longmont (COL) will consider proposals for research that cross their land boundaries. See our interagency proposal instructions.

If interested in the possibilities of a shared research project, please contact Raquel Robles (BCPOS), Jes Gray (Parks, Recreation & Open Space, City of Longmont), Ann Lezberg (OSMP) or Julie Liggett (JCOS) to discuss custom application procedures.

Proposals not adhering to the following guidelines will be returned for revision without review. These guidelines are also available as a printable Word doc: Proposal Format Guidelines (DOC).

Document parameters

• Figures and tables should be embedded in the text.
• 1-inch margins all around.
• 12-point font.
• Double line spacing.
• 8 page maximum, excluding cover page, references, budget, and personnel qualifications.
• All content is combined into a single PDF document.
• Use the exact section numbers and names described below to mark the sections of document (i.e., above the abstract, write "Section 1: Abstract").

Cover page

• Proposal title.
• Names of and affiliation of each researcher.
• Identify the lead principal investigator and include his/her contact information.
• Date of the proposal.
• Briefly document the history of your correspondence with staff about the research.

Section 1: Abstract (300 words maximum)

• Explain the relevance of and need for the proposed work.
• Is the work related to a priority research topic? If so, which one(s)?
• If not, explain why this work is important and timely.
• Identify problems and response variables.
• Work location(s), and timeline.
• Outline general methods.
• Describe how results will contribute to natural resource management and/or conservation or human dimensions goals on OSMP lands.

Section 2: Introduction (1-4 paragraphs)

• Briefly describe the problem to be addressed and its origin(s).
• Local/regional context and relevance.
• Explain how information from this work will benefit natural resource management and conservation, or recreation management, on OSMP lands.
• Provide with this information a scientific literature review covering relevant prior work related to the project.
• Include any previous work of key project personnel.
• Include one or more clearly stated objective(s) or hypotheses.
• Describe the anticipated value of the research to furthering scientific knowledge and public education.

Section 3: Methods (1 – 5 paragraphs)

• Methods should detail the tasks necessary to achieve each objective, and how each task will be carried out.
• Methods should adhere to sound scientific principles.
• Please include descriptions of
• Field and analytical methods.
• Study area description and maps (please consider the timing and location of OSMP closures when proposing field work).
• A project schedule.
• A detailed explanation of any potential for harm to natural, social, or cultural resources on OSMP properties.
• To conclude the methods, describe, in a bulleted list
• All major facilities and equipment to be used in support of this project in sufficient detail to demonstrate adequacy.
• For example, indicate whether there are suitable field equipment, vehicles, laboratory and office facilities, life support systems for organisms, and computers.
• Identify and justify any special or high-cost equipment to be purchased with funds requested in this proposal.

Section 4: Anticipated Results and Discussion (1 – 3 paragraphs)

• Describe what the anticipated results of the research will be and discuss their relevancy to local and regional issues. If useful, include a list of predicted results.
• Conclude this section by clearly identifying all deliverables that will result from this work (e.g., reports, presentations, habitat enhancements, etc.) in a bulleted list and describe the purpose that each product is intended to meet.

Section 5: Relationships to existing projects (1 paragraph)

• Please indicate whether (and how) this project is a collaborative effort with other proposed or existing projects, specifically those in the northern Colorado Front Range area.
• If this project requires any special permitting, explain the permit status and provide name of permit holder/applicant.
• If you are aware of any potential conflict between this proposal and an ongoing project, explain.
• If applicable, explain how this proposal is part of a larger regional effort involving multiple projects or multiple partners.

Section 6: Project history for continuing projects (1 paragraph)

• If this project is part of an ongoing study, please provide a brief history of past goals and accomplishments.
• List the years underway, past costs (amount received by year), summary of major results, project reports and technical papers, and relevant adaptive management implications.

Section 7: References

• Provide full citations for all scientific and technical documents that are referenced in the proposal.

Section 8: Budget

• Provide a detailed, itemized budget in table format. Please use this budget worksheet (DOC) for City of Boulder projects and follow the guidelines carefully.
• PIs must document who the funding award letter should go to (individual or organization, contact information, anyone else to copy) and how funding is distributed (e.g., via lock box, check, money transfer, etc.)
• List information for all personnel, equipment, goods and services, and other items (e.g., per diem), required to complete the work described in this proposal.
• Also include overhead costs, not to exceed 10% of total amount requested (i.e., direct + indirect).
• Subtotal within each category and provide a grand total.

Section 9: Personnel qualifications

• On one page, include names, titles, anticipated level of participation (in full-time equivalent hours), and how each will participate on the project.
• On subsequent pages, include a curriculum vitae (CV) for each key personnel (i.e., principal investigators, project managers, primary subcontractors, academic advisors).
• Each CV should be no more than 2 pages long.

Important Information About Fund Disbursement

• Fund payment schedules for all funded projects will be determined jointly with successful applicants. For City of Boulder Projects, final payments may be held until OSMP project sponsors receive relevant deliverables described in the project proposal and related contract documents.

These Priority Research Topics are also available as a printable Word doc: Priority Research Topics (DOC).

As part of its Funded Research Program, the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (OSMP) awards small grants for scientific inquiry on OSMP lands that address natural, cultural, and visitor resource conditions and management.

New this year: Funding is also available for research on non-OSMP City of Boulder lands for topics proposed, funded, and sponsored by the City of Boulder Climate Initiatives Department.

Grants are awarded up to $12,000. The deadline for proposals is Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.

Preference will be given to original proposals that address topics identified below, however, all proposals will be considered based on their merits. Questions sponsored by OSMP are followed by the corresponding OSMP Master Plan strategy listed on page 21 to 31 in this executive summary (PDF).

OSMP Priority Topics

Agricultural Land and Soil Restoration

1. Soundscapes: How do soundscapes differ between different agricultural production types with and without prairie dogs? What conclusions can be drawn about insect and bird diversity? (ATT.3)

Climate Change

1. Wind erosion: How can OSMP staff accurately measure the rate and spatial variability of soil erosion caused by wind and water? What methods and techniques are available to mitigate this type of soil loss? (ATT.2, EHR. 3)
2. Visitor emissions: How can we refine our initial estimate of greenhouse gas emissions associated with visitor travel to OSMP access points? Additionally, how can OSMP staff develop a spatially explicit model to better understand and manage these emissions and track their change overtime? (EHR. 9)

Plant Ecology and Restoration

1. Biological soil crusts: Where are biological soil crusts found within OSMP grassland habitats and how do we characterize their microhabitat affinities, compositional types, and threats to their persistence in a managed landscape? (EHR.7)

Technology and Analytic Applications for Resource Assessment and Scaling

1. Crowd sourcing: Using APIs and crowd-sourced online platforms (e.g., AllTrails reviews, social media, mobile applications), evaluate the potential to characterize visitors, visitor satisfaction, and resource conditions across seasons and years. (RRSE.1, RRSE.9) (RRSE.1, RRSE.9)
2. Photo series interpretation: To what extent can visitors be accurately detected and resource conditions assessed using photographic time series and machine learning algorithms? (EHR.7)
3. Environmental sensors: What is the feasibility and performance of long-range wide area sensor networks (LoRaWAN) for remote environmental monitoring in the challenging terrain of OSMP lands? (EHR.7)

Vegetation Stewardship and Invasive Plants

1. Weeds and composting: How effective or ineffective is composting noxious weeds (including List A species as well as diffuse knapweed, leafy spurge, etc.) as a method of control? What conditions in the process could lead to risk of further spread?

Visitor Experience and Human Dimensions of Recreation

1. Multimodal access: What are the key factors that motivate or discourage visitors from using alternative transportation options (e.g., public transit, biking, carpooling) to access OSMP? (RRSE.4)
2. E-bike quantification: What practical (low-cost, high-accuracy) methods can be used to distinguish between e-bikes and traditional bikes on multi-use trails (such as observation, automated counters, or machine learning)? (RRSE.6)

Wetland, Aquatic and Riparian Ecology

1. Visitor-use impacts along streambanks/riparian areas: How does the type and intensity of recreation (based on field surveys or existing data) influence streambank and riparian conditions? Develop strategies for multi-use along riparian corridors
2. Soil properties by wetland type: How do soil physical, chemical, and biological properties differ by wetland type on OSMP? (EHR.2)
3. Stream condition assessments: How can a bioassessment be used to assess river/riparian health on OSMP? Potential organismal groups may include fish, algae, amphibians, or other groups. (EHR.1, EHR.7)

Wildlife Ecology

1. Abert’s squirrel: How do Abert’s squirrels utilize habitat in ponderosa pine forest stands? (EHR.2, EHR.7)
2. Drone mapping of falcon nest sites: How can falcon nest site locations, size of eyries and level of protection from weather, etc. be evaluated using drones? (EHR.7)
3. Grassland birds in managed and native grasslands: What is the nesting success, productivity, and/or breeding chronology of grassland birds nesting in irrigated hayfields or in native grasslands, including impacts of agricultural management on nesting success? (EHR.1, ATT.7)
4. Preble’s meadow jumping mouse ecology: How does Preble’s meadow jumping mouse use habitat on OSMP, especially as related to influences of land management actions such as grazing and habitat restoration? (EHR.1, EHR.2)
5. Bat diversity: How does bat diversity vary across various water sources on OSMP? (EHR.2, EHR.7)

Climate Initiative’s Priority Topics

(conducted on non-OSMP City of Boulder lands or in lab studies)

Integrated Pest Management

1. Indaziflam effects on invertebrates - What impacts does indaziflam and/or its degradates have on soil or aquatic invertebrates at field-realistic concentrations? How do different doses of indaziflam affect behavior, physiology, or reproductive success for invertebrates in microcosm or ecotoxicology studies?

Urban Ecosystems and Biodiversity (all on non-OSMP City of Boulder lands)

1. Urban insect habitat: How are bee- or other insect-communities affected by different types of urban landscapes, including native, non-native and weedy spaces?
2. Urban agriculture and adjacent landscapes: What cost-effective strategies integrate biodiversity into urban agriculture that enhance both biodiversity and food production?
3. Monitoring birds in urban areas: How would a pilot program be designed for an acoustic bird monitoring community science program to track urban bird activity?
4. Water needs for trees: How can trees be planted and managed to optimize for both water-use efficiency and shade/cooling, biodiversity, and water absorption?
5. Tree mulch and moisture dynamics: What types of mulch and/or inoculants applied to urban trees can reduce landscape watering needs and improve tree health/survival?
6. Mosquito and pest management practices: How can data be collected about the types and frequency of mosquito and pest management practices used on private urban properties?

City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP), Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS), City of Longmont Parks, Recreation & Open Space (COL), and Jefferson County Parks and Open Space (JCPOS) are happy to announce that they will once again consider proposals for research that cross their land boundaries.

Working with multiple agencies can have many benefits: researchers can use a broader spatial extent, access a greater number of environments and environmental histories, use a larger breadth of methods, and attract more funding. These benefits can produce higher quality research studies and help facilitate inter-agency collaboration.

Here are the custom procedures for applying to work with more than one land agency:

1. You should create just one proposal for submission to multiple agencies. Follow the proposal format guidelines for OSMP (DOC) (However, you may need to provide multiple budget worksheets to meet agency-specific requirements). Please check with the agency staff listed in item 4 below.

2. In addition to the regular proposal, please add to the top of your proposal an additional cover page (one page maximum) formatted as follows:

• Title: Your title 
• Subtitle: "This proposal is for consideration by X, Y, and Z agencies," where X, Y, and Z are the two (or more) agencies involved.
• Section 1: Importance of the proposed research to each agency
  • Briefly describe the unique benefits that each agency will receive.
• ​Section 2: Correspondence history
  • Briefly describe the history of your correspondence with staff about the research.
• Section 3: Funding request. Please check individual agency RFPs as maximum funding amount may differ.
  • Specify how much you are requesting from each agency in a bullet list, for example:
    • OSMP: $8,500
    • BCPOS: $5,100
    • Jefferson County: None

3. Proposal deadlines are listed below:

• OSMP: 1/09/2026
• BCPOS: 1/09/2026
• JCPOS: 1/09/2026
• COL: 1/09/2026

4. When you submit your proposal, be sure to cc the appropriate parties from each agency. 

• OSMP: Ann Lezberg, osmpfrp@bouldercolorado.gov
• BCPOS: Raquel Robles, rrobles@bouldercounty.org
• JCPOS: Julie Liggett, jliggett@co.jefferson.co.us
• COL: Jes Gray, jes.gray@longmontcolorado.gov

Note: Interagency grants are not guaranteed to be funded by all agencies; proposals should still be stand-alone projects if one agency decides not to fund it.