U.S. Air Force Academy And City Of Colorado Springs Win 2026 DAF Community Partnerships Award - 10/29/26

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Representatives from the Air Force Academy and the City of Colorado Springs accepted a 2026 Department of the Air Force Community Partnerships Award for their Monument Creek Watershed and Habitat Restoration Services Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA), Oct. 26 during a ceremony in Tampa, Fla.

"What a great day for the Air Force Academy and our partnership with Colorado Springs," said Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Paul D. Moga. "The receipt of the Community Partnership Award highlights our shared commitment to mitigating critical encroachment risks while restoring vital wetlands and habitats. Together, we are protecting military readiness, safeguarding vital infrastructure, and conserving our natural landscape. This achievement is another outstanding example of the enduring partnership between the Academy and Colorado Springs."

The award recognizes the Academy and the City of Colorado Springs Stormwater Enterprise for their collaboration in the Achieving Cost Benefits and Developing Innovative Approaches category. The agreement protects a federally threatened species’ habitat, while preserving access to essential training lands.

“Colorado Springs is proud of our longstanding partnership with the U.S. Air Force Academy, and this national recognition is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together,” said Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade. “Through this innovative agreement, we are protecting critical waterways and wildlife habitat, supporting military readiness, and making responsible use of taxpayer dollars. I want to thank our City Stormwater Enterprise team and our partners at the Air Force Academy for demonstrating how collaboration can deliver meaningful results for our community and our nation. That spirit of partnership is part of the Colorado Springs Advantage; working across organizations and sectors to accomplish more together than any of us could alone.” 

The agreement allows the Academy to achieve a 28.5 percent cost savings and reduces administrative and overhead expenses. The partnership also supports the restoration of critical waterways across Academy grounds.

The working relationship began in 2020 with a formal memorandum of understanding and expanded into a series of IGSAs. This record of regional cooperation was instrumental in establishing the Pikes Peak Sentinel Landscape designation, highlighting the broader significance of regional partnerships in supporting military readiness and environmental conservation.