ALAMOSA – The Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation and Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust are two local non-profits working to protect, conserve, and restore the Rio Grande for agriculture, recreation, and habitat purposes. The two Valley organizations are participating in Colorado Gives Day 2017 on December 5.

Presented by Community First Foundation and FirstBank, Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide movement to celebrate and increase philanthropy through online giving. The event is powered by ColoradoGives.org, a year-round, online giving website. ColoradoGives.org encourages charitable giving by providing comprehensive, objective, and up-to-date information about Colorado nonprofits and an easy way to support them online. Thanks to Community First Foundation and FirstBank, Colorado Gives Day features a $1 Million Incentive Fund, one of the largest gives-day incentive funds in the country. Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day receives a portion of the Incentive Fund, which increases the value of every dollar donated.

As profiled charities on ColoradoGives.org, these two non-profits will benefit from this initiative. The Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation and the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust need folks’ help in protecting the lifeblood of the San Luis Valley. Through generous donations, these two organizations can continue the work they do.

The Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation (CRGRF) works to improve the habitat, water quality, agriculture infrastructure, and recreation opportunities along the Rio Grande in Colorado. Through partnerships with farmers, ranchers, towns, government agencies, and local stakeholders, the CRGRF implements river restoration projects that benefit all residents of the San Luis Valley. Since formed, the CRGRF has improved the health of the Rio Grande by partnering with over 60 landowners and multiple ditch companies. Donations will help the CRGRF continue critical efforts to protect and restore the Rio Grande.

The Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT) works with local landowners to conserve their land and water through voluntary, incentive-based conservation easements on their working farms and ranches. RiGHT has helped conserve over 25,000 acres along the Rio Grande and Conejos River through the Rio Grande Initiative. This has been accomplished in large part due to the generous support of individuals in the community. There is more work to do, and a donation to RiGHT on Colorado Gives Day will help build upon these accomplishments and make a significant impact on land and water conservation throughout the San Luis Valley.

To learn more about these San Luis Valley organizations, check out their profiles on ColoradoGives.org. The support of the local community is crucial for the sustainability of these organizations. For more information about Colorado Gives Day and the charities involved, please visit ColoradoGives.org. Colorado Gives Day is December 5.