Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District

**Welcome to the Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District!** The Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District ("GCFMLD" or "FML District") is an independent public body charged by the state legislature with distributing financial resources it receives from the development of natural resources on federal lands within Garfield County to communities impacted by these activities. The FML District is also authorized by law to provide services to those communities. The FML District exercises an essential public function: to alleviate social, economic, and public finance impacts resulting from federal mineral leasing activities in our Communities. Our goal is to provide the greatest use of the financial resources we receive for the greatest number of Citizens, and to do so expeditiously and using sound financial principles. We do not have the power to levy or collect taxes, nor do we have the power of eminent domain. Federal law limits how lease payments distributed to the Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District can be used. The distribution may only be used by the state, or its political subdivisions, for (1) planning, (2) construction and maintenance of public facilities, or (3) provision of public services. See 30 U.S.C. §191. All grant requests must fit within one of those three categories, or the grant application will not be considered by the GCFMLD. Distributions, therefore, cannot be made to corporations including non-profit corporations under section 501(c)(3) of the I.R.S. Code. The FML District utilizes two major grant cycles each year. In our Spring Cycle, the FML District accepts applications in February, reviews them in March, and makes its awards in April. In our Fall Cycle, we accept applications in August, review them in September, and make awards in October. See [Grant Information](https://gcfmld.colorado.gov/grant-information) page for more details. The GCFMLD operates two grant programs: a Traditional Grant Program and a Mini Grant Program. Eligible applicants may submit a maximum of two applications as follows: one application under the Traditional Grant Program and one application under the Mini Grant Program. In all cases an application must conform to the requirements of federal and state law regarding the purposes for which the funds may be expended. The GCFMLD may allocate up to ten percent (10%) of total grant funding awarded in any cycle to the Mini Grant Program. **Our Mission** ***The Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District, expeditiously and through sound financial practices,*** ***alleviates the social, economic, and public finance impacts resulting from the development of natural resources on federal lands within Garfield County;*** ***distributes the financial resources it receives from federal mineral leasing activities through grants to communities impacted by the development of natural resources; and*** ***serves the Citizens of Garfield County by providing the greatest use of these financial resources for the greatest number of Citizens.***