Cloud City Conservation Center (C4)

A nonprofit organization

0% complete

$15,000 Goal

In 2023 C4 celebrated our 10th anniversary. A decade of supporting Healthy Planet, Healthy People for and with our Lake County community. 

Our 2023 Impact:

Energy 

The C4 Energy Resource Center makes Lake County homes safer and warmer, improves our housing stock and supports more resilient community members as they reduce their energy costs. In 2023 the Energy Resource Center helped over 170 Lake County households address their energy needs by:

  1. Distributing over $120,000 to 109 Lake County households to assist with past due utility bills and address health, safety and energy issues.  
  2. Helping over 58 households address delayed maintenance issues in their homes and reduce their energy usage.
  3. Distributing rebates for home energy audits and improvements to Lake County households.

Education

We engage local youth in environmental education, growing future stewards of our planet, through both in-school and out-of-school programming. In 2023 we:

  1. Provided FREE hands-on nutrition and environmental education to over 75% of Lake County youth in partnership with the Lake County School District, Project Dream, Full Circle of Lake County and Get Outdoors Leadville!. 

Food 

We work to build a more resilient Lake County food system that prioritizes providing access to affordable, fresh produce to our community through Cloud City Farm and Community Garden. In 2023:

  1. Over 20% of Lake County residents engaged in the local food system through Cloud City Farm & Community Garden.
  2. Grew over 2,000 pounds of produce for our community and distributed an additional 1,000 pounds of Colorado grown produce thanks to our partnerships with regional farms. 
  3. Doubled our capacity to provide locally grown, fresh produce for our community by adding a second high tunnel.


Waste Diversion 

We work to divert waste from the Lake County Landfill through free community programs and by supporting local partners through consulting and zero waste event services. In 2023 we:

  1. Expanded our FREE community compost program, helping over 200 househoulds diverting their food scraps from our landfill. 
  2. Partnered with the Leadville Race Series and Boom Days to bring recycling and composting to their events, diverting as much waste as possible from our local landfill. The Leadville Race series diverted 78% of their waste from the landfill!
  3. Partnered with the Lake County Landfill to launch a mattress recycling program. 

In 2024 C4 plans to:

  1.  Support a Lake County Climate Action Plan in partnership with Lake County Government 
  2. Triple our financial assistance for Lake County residents who want to reduce their energy usage 
  3. Pilot a commercial compost program 
  4. Expand youth environmental education programming with GOL! to reach EVERY Lake County student 
  5. Continue to expand access to affordable, fresh produce through Cloud City Farm.

Giving Activity

Mission

Cloud City Conservation Center fosters pathways to a healthier planet and community through initiatives that inspire the conservation of our natural environment.

Background Statement

In 2011, a diverse group of local stakeholders created the Lake County Energy and Sustainability Plan. Efforts by this group subsequently led to a new Lake County recycling center, the community's first public renewable energy project, and first large-scale zero-waste events. The group that developed and implemented these projects has become Cloud City Conservation Center's founding board and staff. The organization began operations on January 1st, 2013 with seed funding from Lake County Government. Today our work focuses on issues at the intersection of healthy equity and sustainability in Lake County. We have four main programs: Energy Efficiency, Environmental Education, Sustainable Food and Waste Diversion.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Cloud City Conservation Center (C4)

other names

C4

Year Established

2013

Tax id (EIN)

46-0616024

Category

Environment, Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, Education, Housing & Shelter, Community Improvement & Capacity Building, Human Services, Public & Societal Benefit

Organization Size

Medium Organization

Address

130 W 5th St #119
Leadville, CO 80461

Mailing

PO Box 459
Leadville, CO 80461

Service areas

Lake County, CO, US

Phone

719-465-6164

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