You make it possible, Colorado
At its core, the Colorado Lottery is a conservation organization. In fact, it’s the only Lottery in the country dedicated to funding the great outdoors. Since 1985, the Colorado Lottery has given more than $3.7 billion back to parks, trails, open spaces and recreation projects across the state. Profits from the sale of Lottery games in the state are distributed to voter-selected beneficiaries who use those funds to preserve and protect Colorado. These beneficiaries and the profits they receive are:
- Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) – 50%
- Conservation Trust Fund (CTF) – 40%
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) – 10%
- Profits that exceed the annual cap go to the Colorado Department of Education, Public School Captial Construction Assistance Fund – Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST)
For the last 36 years, we have been turning Powerball into parks, tickets into trails and games into green space for all Coloradans to enjoy. Every time you play games from the Colorado Lottery, Colorado wins. So, Play On Colorado!
Play on, Colorado
We’re Giving back to Colorado
We’re partnering with other great Colorado organizations to make this all happen. Find our partners below:
Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)
Great Outdoors Colorado funds projects that impact communities across the state. The Colorado Lottery is GOCO’s only funding source and provides GOCO with 50 percent of its proceeds, up to a $35 million cap in 1992 dollars, adjusted for inflation. If this percentage exceeds the adjusted cap, the remainder is distributed to the State Public School Capital Construction Assistance Fund. In FY19, the distribution to GOCO was $68.5 million.
Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), Administration of the Converation Trust fund (CTF)
The Conservation Trust Fund receives 40 percent of Lottery proceeds. Local parks and recreation providers receive money from the Conservation Trust Fund in proportion to their population so that every town, city, county and special district in Colorado benefits. The Lottery distributed more than $54.9 million to the fund in FY19 for open space and land acquisition, equipment purchases, facility development, park maintenance and renovation or restoration of local facilities.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Colorado Parks and Wildlife receives 10 percent of Lottery proceeds. Colorado’s 41 state parks use Lottery money for trail construction and maintenance, land acquisition, equipment and facility purchases and maintenance of state parks facilities. Lottery funding improves the state park experience for more than 12 million annual visitors. The Lottery distributed approximately $13.7 million in FY19 to Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
Division of Public School Capital Construction Assistance – Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST)
The BEST program (Building Excellent Schools Today) receives Lottery spillover funds assisting Colorado schools in meeting students' fundamental education needs. To date, BEST has received more than $80 million from the Lottery to enhance schools across the state.