Strategic Plan

2026 to 2030

Outlining goals

In early 2026, the Board of Directors of Keep Colorado Beautiful approved a Five Year Strategic Vision guiding the organization through 2030. This vision builds on our founding purpose: to protect and enhance the places that make Colorado special.

Our vision is simple:

Keep Colorado Beautiful becomes the trusted statewide backbone organization for litter prevention, beautification, and environmental stewardship

Goal #1

Visible Impact Through Cleanup and Beautification

We will deliver consistent, high quality cleanup and beautification projects that produce visible improvement in Colorado communities while building disciplined systems for measurement and accountability.

In 2026, Love 5280 will serve as our flagship demonstration program in Denver. Beginning in 2027, we expand carefully across the state while maintaining operational discipline and realistic growth.

  • Annual Cleanup and Beautification Projects

    • 2026: 12 to 24 projects

    • 2027: 24 to 36 projects statewide

    • 2028 to 2030: 50 to 100 projects annually

    Annual Volunteers Engaged

    • 2026: 200 to 500 volunteers

    • 2027: 500 to 1,000 volunteers

    • 2028 to 2030: 1,000 to 3,000 volunteers annually

    Annual Tons of Litter Removed

    • 2026: 50 to 100 tons

    • 2027: 150 to 300 tons

    • 2028 to 2030: 400 to 750 tons annually

    The focus is not volume for its own sake. The focus is visible, repeatable improvement in targeted corridors, parks, neighborhoods, and gateways.

Goal #2

Statewide Prevention and Behavior Change

Cleanup alone does not solve litter. Prevention changes culture.

Beginning in 2027, Don’t Trash Colorado launches as our statewide prevention framework, aligning public messaging, volunteer engagement, education, and partner collaboration under one unified banner.

    • Launch statewide prevention campaign by 2027

    • Develop standardized education toolkit for municipalities and schools

    • Reduce repeat cleanup frequency in targeted hotspots by 15 to 25 percent by 2030

    • Increase returning volunteer participation year over year

    The long term goal is fewer repeat litter hotspots, lower cleanup costs, and stronger public ownership of Colorado’s public spaces.

Goal #3

Volunteer and Community Engagement

We will build a volunteer model that is structured, safe, measurable, and scalable. Our approach is volunteer powered but not volunteer dependent.

We are focused on creating meaningful opportunities for residents, businesses, schools, and civic groups to participate in improving their own communities.

    • Establish consistent volunteer onboarding and reporting systems by 2026

    • Develop volunteer team leader program by 2027

    • Maintain volunteer retention rates above 40 percent annually

    • Serve 15 to 25 communities in 2026, expanding to 50 to 75 communities by 2030

    Engagement is measured not just by headcount, but by leadership development, repeat participation, and local ownership.

Goal #4

Organizational Sustainability and Statewide Credibility

To become Colorado’s environmental protector, we must operate with financial discipline, transparency, and long term stability.

We are building a durable organization that public agencies, municipalities, and private partners can rely on.

    • Diversify funding across sponsorships, grants, public partnerships, and earned revenue

    • Maintain a minimum of 4 to 6 months operating reserves by 2028

    • Implement consistent statewide reporting dashboard by 2027

    • Secure at least two formal statewide agency partnerships by 2028

    By 2030, Keep Colorado Beautiful will be recognized as Colorado’s trusted statewide implementation partner for litter prevention and beautification.

The Long Outcome

By the end of 2030:

  • Targeted corridors remain cleaner year over year

  • Prevention reduces repeat cleanup costs

  • Volunteer leadership pipelines are established

  • Statewide partnerships are stable and institutionalized

Keep Colorado Beautiful will not simply host events, it will safeguard Colorado’s communities and landscapes for the long term.