The Nucla-Naturita Area Chamber of Commerce (NNACC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $32,666 in grant funding through the Colorado Tourism Office FY27 Tourism Marketing Grant. This award represents an important step forward for regional collaboration and for continuing the community‑driven work outlined in the West End Vision Plan.
Adopted by regional partners, the West End Vision Plan provides a shared framework for strengthening local economies while protecting the landscapes and character that define the West End. It emphasizes responsible growth, public lands stewardship and rural economic resilience. These values guide NNACC’s ongoing efforts to support local businesses and elevate the region’s identity as a gateway to outdoor recreation on public lands.
The West End is the gateway to some of the most accessible, spectacular and fragile public land in the country, offering extraordinary opportunities for recreation while requiring thoughtful stewardship to protect them for future generations. The newly funded project builds directly on this foundation. The initiative “directly advances the Vision Plan’s priorities by strengthening regional collaboration, elevating the West End’s identity as a public lands gateway, supporting local businesses, and promoting responsible recreation across BLM and USFS landscapes.”
The grant will expand the existing West End Colorado Find Your Wild campaign, launch a modern digital media effort to reach a wider audience and better serve both residents and visitors, and update the West End Find Your Wild website with interactive maps and user‑friendly itineraries that help people explore the West End’s diverse recreation opportunities.
These tools will make it easier for visitors to plan trips, discover local businesses and engage with the region in ways that support long‑term stewardship.
A major component of the project is a new film series that will highlight the places, people and recreation experiences that make the West End unique. Through storytelling, the series will feature local voices, celebrate community identity and illustrate how responsible recreation supports both public lands and rural economies. The films will be shared widely through digital platforms and partner networks, helping to build recognition for the West End as a destination rooted in authenticity, natural beauty and community pride.
The expanded campaign will promote the full spectrum of outdoor recreation in the region, including OHV routes, hunting and fishing, cycling, hiking, climbing, rafting, paddling, wildlife viewing and dark sky experiences. All outreach will reinforce responsible recreation and stewardship of the West End’s public lands. This initiative is a collaborative effort across the West End, supported by Community Builders; the towns of Nucla, Naturita and Norwood; Montrose County; San Miguel County; the Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office (BLM); the Norwood Chamber of Commerce; the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA); West End Pay It Forward Trust (WEPIFT); the West End Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC); and the West End Trails Alliance (WETA).
Project work will begin in 2027, and information will be shared as it becomes available. For more information, the public may contact Paula Brown at nnaccdirector1@gmail.com.
