Colorado is giving communities without recreational pot sales close to $1 million in grants

Colorado is awarding $985,760 to communities throughout the state that are just saying no to recreational marijuana.

The money comes from a grant program offered through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). The program stems from a ballot measure Colorado voters approved last year that allows taxes collected from the sale of recreational marijuana to be used to fund statewide programs in places without recreational marijuana sales.

Less than half of the 15 applicants who applied for the money were approved, and more than half of the money — $567,540 — went to Longmont. Here’s the breakdown:

• Longmont Youth Programs: $567,540. Includes youth programs and building remodel for program use.
• Englewood Police Department: $12,436. Personal protection equipment for law enforcement officers.
• Arvada Police Department: $27,500. Includes personal protection equipment and training for law enforcement officers.
• Jefferson County Programs and Data Collection (on behalf of Jefferson County School District): $219,200. Includes educational training and data collection.
• Sterling Programs and Equipment: $26,397. Includes program facilitators and equipment.
• Otero County Law Enforcement: $128,647. Includes law enforcement equipment and training.
• Grand Junction Law Enforcement: $4,040. Includes personal protection equipment for law enforcement officers.

DOLA spokeswoman Denise Stepto told the Longmont Times-Call that “Longmont had the largest request of all the applicants and provided a competitive application for activities and programs related to marijuana diversion.”

Longmont’s plans for its grant money provide insight into the kinds of things the Local Government Marijuana Impact Grant is meant for. According to the Times-Call, $400,000 will go toward renovating a fire station that hosts programming for senior citizens,

According to the Times-Call, $400,000 will go toward renovating a fire station that hosts programming for senior citizens, youth and families. Another $73,600 will be spent on two 15-passenger vans to bring Longmont and Carbon Valley teens to the station. The programming at the station will include marijuana abuse classes.

The Local Government Marijuana Impact Grant is an annual program, so cities that missed out this time around will have more chances.