Thank You Veterans!
Training Opportunities & Events

Winter Startup Celebration with local entrepreneurs in Summit County
November 11 | 5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Beaver Run Resort, Breckenridge | Get free tickets here
Join OpenSnow's Joel Gratz to celebrate our local entrepreneurs and business owners who have graduated from the Summit Biz Bootcamp program powered by CO.STARTERS. Together, we want to inspire others to connect and support each other as they launch or grow their own initiative or business in Summit County. Be a part of building and cultivating our entrepreneurial ecosystem and meet some of the most dynamic local business leaders and innovative entrepreneurs in Summit County.

Grand County Economic Summit
November 12 | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | River Run Resort in Granby | More info and register here
2020 and 21 have been challenging for mountain employers. Join us to understand the data behind "why" and learn ways to adapt your business.

Steamboat Springs Chamber Economic Summit
November 12 | 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Colorado Mountain College | More info and register here
The Steamboat Springs Chamber and the Economic Development Council present the 27th Annual Economic Summit focusing on Economic Health. This event will deliver practical, thought-provoking, and timely content in the form of an economic checkup using self-diagnosis to prepare for the future. The summit will evaluate local demographics and economic measures and consider the effect of housing on the economy, as well as look at the future of work and the development of talent and leadership pipelines.

How Investments in Outdoor Recreation Build Resilient Economies, Jobs and Communities
November 16 | 11 a.m. | Register here. Join the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) and the Oregon State University Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy (CORE) to talk about how, in the midst of today's intersecting societal challenges, outdoor recreation and the outdoor recreation economy provide a unifying path forward to support healthy and resilient economies, communities, and environments around the United States.

Hiring in a Post-Covid Environment
November 17 | 9 - 10 a.m. | Free - Register here. Offered by Central Mountain SBDC & West Central SBDC. Having trouble finding or retaining employees? Are your current employees feeling disengaged? Join us as we dive into hiring challenges in a post-COVID environment with HR specialist, Courtney Berg. Learn where and how to find employees in this current market, how to engage and empower your teams so they feel compelled to stay, and so much more.

SmartStart: How to Start a Business
November 17 | 12 pm - 2 pm | Free - Register here. Region 10 West Central SBDC, Northwest SBDC & Central Mountain SBDC. Thinking about starting a business in Western Colorado? Starting a business takes more than being great at something or having a good idea. Come and learn what is required by state and local officials to get started and the ins and outs of running a successful business. This 2-hour webinar provides an overview of everything you need to know to start and grow your business.

Career Development Incentive Program Information Session
Dec. 1 | 3:30 p.m.| Register here. The CWDC and CDE are hosting an information session about the Career Development Incentive Program (CDIP). The webinar will inform schools and districts about the CDIP program and how it can support closing postsecondary credential attainment gaps, as well as how the money can be used to continue to develop programs. The session will also include discussion of a pilot program with CareerWise for developing independent study programs for students to earn credentials. 
Funding & Technical Assistance

Deadline: November 21 | More info here. The grant provides funding to Colorado businesses that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and did not receive meaningful access to federal loans and grants. Eligible businesses will receive a minimum of $1,500 and a maximum of $10,000. This grant is intended to cover expenses that have not been covered by other federal funding.

Colorado Revolving Loan Fund
The Colorado Revolving Loan Fund provides loans that help small to medium-sized Colorado businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans range from $5,000 to $750,000 and are intended to provide startup and working capital that will help create and retain jobs. This fund prioritizes socially and economically disadvantaged businesses and non-profits. These loans are funded by the US Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration and is administered by these Colorado-based nonprofit lenders:
  • B:Side Fund (formerly Colorado Lending Source)
  • Colorado Enterprise Fund
  • Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado

EPA Recreation Economy for Rural Communities Planning Assistance
Deadline: November 22. The Recreation Economy for Rural Communities planning assistance program helps communities identify strategies to grow their outdoor recreation economy and revitalize their Main Streets. A planning team will help communities bring together local residents and other stakeholders to decide on strategies and an action plan to grow the local outdoor recreation economy. Eligible applicants include local governments and nonprofit organizations.

A.V. Hunter Trust: Funds for Human Services Programs in Colorado
A.V. Hunter Trust supports a wide range of nonprofit organizations that benefit the citizens of Colorado. The current focus of the Trust is on small organizations in rural or underserved communities throughout the state. The Trust provides support to nonprofit organizations offering community and human services to those in need, including the disabled, youth, seniors, and the indigent.

COVID Recovery Funding Guide
DOLA's Division of Local Government created this funding guide to help local governments navigate the funding sources available to help with COVID recovery through the American Rescue Plan and Colorado's 2021 State Stimulus Plan. The funding sources are organized by categories of funding need and government source (federal, state).

Colorado Community Revitalization Grant
Application period: thru December 1, 2022. The Colorado Community Revitalization Grant provides gap funding for projects in creative districts, historic districts, main streets or neighborhood commercial centers. This grant will support creative projects that combine creative industry workforce housing, commercial spaces, performance space, community gathering spaces, child care centers, and retail partnerships for the purpose of economic recovery and diversification by supporting creative sector entrepreneurs, artisans, and community non-profit organizations.

Transportation Demand Management Grant Funding
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Office of Innovative Mobility (OIM) is now accepting applications for two statewide transportation demand management (TDM) funding opportunities. A total of $440,000 in funding is available to support creative trip reduction projects and programs, in line with OIM’s mission to reduce the congestion on our roads and the pollution in our air. For application materials and more information about these grants, visit CDOT's website.

Innovative Affordable Housing Strategies Planning Grant Program
Third Funding Round Deadline: December 6| More info here. Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs. Colorado municipalities and counties are eligible. The Planning Grant Program has approximately $6.8 million in funding available to local governments to help them understand their housing needs and adopt policy and regulatory strategies to qualify for the Incentives Grant Program. Planning Grants can fund data collection (e.g., housing needs assessments) paired with strategic policy and regulatory updates to remove barriers and incentivize affordable housing at the local level. 

Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program
Deadline: December 1 | More info here. Supports the expansion of broadband Internet access, connectivity, and digital inclusion. Examples of supported activities include the purchase of broadband Internet access service or any eligible equipment, or to hire and train information technology personnel; to facilitate educational instruction and learning, including through remote instruction; to operate a minority business enterprise; or to operate a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.
Northwest Colorado Council of Governments
Economic Development District | www.nwccog.org/edd