Boulder, CO – Virridy, in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, Friends of the Yampa and the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, announces the award of $650,000 by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator. This contract supports a pioneering project aimed at transforming water quality management through green infrastructure, with a focus on enhancing the health of Colorado's watersheds by tapping into global voluntary carbon markets.

A key innovation of the project is the development of a carbon credit methodology, enabling the use of private climate finance to fund green infrastructure. This approach is paired with advanced data science methods to measure and attribute water quality improvements directly to these environmentally friendly land management practices.

The NSF-funded project confronts a pressing environmental challenge: half of America's rivers are impaired, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. Virridy's initiative proposes a significant shift from addressing these water quality problems with traditional "gray" infrastructure to green alternatives, such as wetland restoration and regenerative agriculture.

"While we recognize and respect the immense contributions of our regulatory system in safeguarding public and environmental health over the past 60 years, we also see an opportunity for evolution," said Dr. Evan Thomas, CEO at Virridy.

This pivotal project brings together a coalition of important partners, including the City of Steamboat Springs, Friends of the Yampa, the City of Fort Collins, and the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, focusing their efforts on the vital waterways of the Yampa and Cache La Poudre Rivers.

"Through this convergence research, we're not only envisioning but actively co-creating improved decision-making processes and green infrastructure deployment with communities and regulators," said Dr. Thomas.

This work will rely on sensor networks that measure real-time water quality. Dr. Matthew Ross, Assistant Professor of watershed science at CSU, noted that "funds from this grant will allow us to amplify the impact of our monitoring network that we built to monitor the health of the Poudre."

If recognized as a top contender among 15 competing Phase 1 teams, Virridy has the potential to secure a Phase 2 award of up to $5 million.

Quotes from Partners

Jill Oropeza, Sr. Director of Integrated Sciences & Planning at the City of Fort Collins: "This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to rethink our current clean water regulatory strategies."

Julie Baxter, Water Resources Manager, City of Steamboat Springs: "It's an honor for our city to be part of this groundbreaking NSF-funded project."

Lindsey Marlow, Executive Director, Friends of the Yampa: "We are excited to collaborate on this NSF-funded project, bringing environmental stewardship to the forefront."

Hally Strevey, Executive Director, Coalition for the Poudre River: "At CPRW, we're thrilled to be part of this transformative initiative."

Contact: Alex Johnson, Chief Strategy Officer, Virridy