Peaks To People Water Fund
Protecting Watersheds, sustaining habitats, enriching communities
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Big Thompson Initiative
After years of protection from wildfire, Colorado’s forests have become dense and overgrown, increasing the risk of severe wildfires that threaten water supplies with sedimentation and debris. In 2020 alone, Northern Colorado experienced the catastrophic effects of the two largest fires in Colorado history, the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires, which combined burned over 400,000 acres/625 square miles. These fires exceeded $149 million in suppression costs,
We will treat 84% of the feasible wildfire risk to the Big Thompson watershed over the next 10 years. Through leveraged funds and new funds, we will invest $67 million from 2021 to 2031 to restore our forests to their natural state and reduce the risk of severe wildfires. Guided by sophisticated tools, Peaks to People has identified the locations for treatment based on the greatest potential risk reduction. Additionally, each treatment site is monitored before and after the treatment to accurately measure the results.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative 2018
External reviews

Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
All communities, municipalities and businesses downstream of the BIg Thompson watershed and served by Colorado Big Thompson water supply infrastructure.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Suggestion box/email, Social media,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
Peaks to People funds forestry projects on private lands to protect water supplies from severe wildfire impacts. We work to educate and inform the public about the resources avaialable to them to protect their properties and livelihoods. We work closely with partners who have strong ties with the communities we serve. We are now offering project site tours to increase transparency for our donors, board members, landowners and other members of the community. The newly formed Big Thompson Watershed Health Partnership (BTWHP) spearheaded by Peaks to People Water Fund will combine the resources and expertise from 13 local organizations. We are helping the group define goals so we can effectively and efficiently increase the pace and scale of forest health work occurring in the area.
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
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How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?
When our community members feel heard they are more engaged in our work and more empowered to do their own wildfire mitigation work. They are also empowered to communicate their needs to local, state and federal officials leading to increased awareness and support from those who represent them.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Peaks To People Water Fund
Board of directorsas of 02/23/2023
Robert Addington
The Nature Conservancy Colorado
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/23/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.