Training Opportunities & Events
The Future of Work
Offered by Colorado Workforce Center. The world of work is changing, propelling some to greater heights while leaving others behind. Globalization, advances in technology, demographic shifts, and other factors leave many wondering whether we, as a society, are ready to face the many challenges tomorrow’s economy will bring. This event will look at ways that rural communities and businesses in Northwest Colorado can better understand and prepare for these trends.
Economic Outlook for 2021 and Beyond: How Long is the Road to Recovery?
Offered by the Vail Valley Partnership and Vail Symposium. Join us for a presentation from Dr. Richard L. Wobbekind which will address the current position of the national and state economies in the context of the COVID-19 economic shutdown last spring. Furthermore, he will consider how far we are away from a full recovery, what the post-COVID-19 economy looks like and how Colorado will fare in the “new normal.”
American Rescue Plan
Grand County REBUILD Program
Starts April 6 | 10-week session | Tuesday, April 6 - Thursday, May 9 | 4:30 - 6:00 pm
Location: Live Video Zoom sessions
Offered by Grand County Economic Development
Register Here. Grand County Economic Development is excited to announce the launch of CO.STARTERS REBUILD; a program designed to help businesses create new opportunities and REBUILD better. This live-facilitated, 10-session program will help you refocus your business, stabilize it, and build toward long-term recovery. Working with a dedicated group of like-minded peers, you’ll cover topics relevant to the current COVID-19 challenges in a series of ten 2.5-hour sessions.
Summit Biz Bootcamp powered by CO.STARTERS
Starts April 14 | 10-week Business Acceleration Program | Wednesdays from 5-7:30 pm
Sessions: April 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26, June 2, 9, plus a celebration. Apply HERE.
Location: Virtual meetings (with the possibility of in-person meetings in the future once it’s safe to do so)
Offered by Summit Prosperity Initiative, with support from USDA REDI, FMI (Freeport McMoran), Startup Colorado. Features nine interactive sessions that focus on business fundamentals and the keys for business growth, including financial planning, marketing and business logistics, as well as guest speakers and support through mentors and coaches. The 10th session is the celebration that will be held later in the summer.
DreamBuilder Entrepreneur Training Program
Starts April 7 | 13-week session |Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. -7 p.m. (includes office hours)
Location: Virtual | Offered by Clear Creek County Economic Development Corporation
Register Here. DreamBuilder is a program for emerging entrepreneurs, offering online courses that teach women the skills and knowledge to start or grow their own business. Courses are interactive, convenient for your schedule, and available in both Spanish and English. Best of all, they're free! Learn the step-by-step framework for launching your own small business. Best for entrepreneurs ready to start their own business or those who already own a business and want to develop their skills in a variety of areas, or are in various stages of exploring growth. Join other women in Clear Creek County as we lead you through the DreamBuilder program
Webinar on Rural Resilience and Economic Development
Offered by the National Association of Development Organizations. Many rural regions and small metros were still recovering from the Great Recession when the COVID-19 pandemic struck last year. And in places that had made progress, a lot of economic gains were wiped out as businesses closed, jobs disappeared, and entire industries reorganized. Now, as rural places seek to recover from these setbacks, communities are in a position to reset and create a strong foundation for the future, one rooted in resilience and creative ways of doing economic development.
Downtown Colorado Inc. Knowledge Marketplace
April 1 : Downtown Programming Clearinghouse
April 8: Telling Your Story: Marketing 3-4-5™
April 15: Small Town Entrepreneurship + Access to Capital
April 22: Repurposing Downtown: Small Scale Manufacturing
April 26: The State of Colorado: Demographics for Colorado + the San Luis Valley
Main Street Now 2021 Conference
Main Street America will host the virtual Main Street Now conference from April 12-14, 2021. Sessions will focus on recovery and resilience, equity and inclusion, and small business and entrepreneurship.
Virtual Funder Roundtables
Offered by the Community Resource Center. This free three-hour session will provide participating grantseekers with the opportunity to connect with up to six funders throughout the morning. Nonprofits will sign up for a time block to introduce themselves with funders of their choice in a small group breakout with other organizations from the Heart of Colorado.
Funding & Technical Assistance
Shuttered Venue Operators Grant & Restaurant Revitalization Fund Grants expected to open in April
You can begin preparation NOW. It can take up to two weeks to complete some of the preparation steps so if you are considering applying for the SVOG or the RRF, the Colorado SBDC has compiled a list of tips to help you prepare: SVOG Prep Tips | RRF Prep Tips
2021 AARP Livable Communities Challenge
Deadline: April 14. The American Association of Retired Persons’ (AARP) Community Challenge provides grants to fund quick-action projects to help communities become more livable for people of all ages. Applications are accepted for projects for public spaces, housing, transportation, civic engagement, coronavirus recovery, diversity, inclusion, and more. Eligible applicants include 501(C)(3), 501(C)(4), and 501(c)(6) non-profit organizations, government entities, and other types of organizations (considered on a case-by-case basis).
EDA Build to Scale Program
Economic Development Administration Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The FY 2021 Build to Scale program fuels tech-based economic development in regional economies and is comprised of two competitions, the Venture Challenge and the Capital Challenge. The Venture Challenge seeks to support high growth entrepreneurship, accelerate company growth, and scale proven entrepreneurship support models. The Capital Challenge increases access to capital in communities where risk capital is in short supply by providing operational support for early-stage investment funds, angel capital networks, or investor training programs. Eligible applicants include cities, counties, and other political subdivisions of states.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants
Deadline: May 18 | More info here. The purpose of the Challenge Grants program is to strengthen the institutional base of the humanities by enabling infrastructure development and capacity building. Awards aim to help institutions secure long-term support for their core activities.
USDA Rural Development Grant Opportunities
Rural Energy for America Program - Deadline: March 31. This program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements.
Value-Added Producer Grant Program - Deadline: March 22. This program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.
Newman's Own Awards Program: Support for Organizations Serving Military Members and Veterans
Deadline: April 22. More info here. Newman's Own, Fisher House Foundation, and Military Times are joining together in presenting $200,000 in grants to recognize nonprofit organizations that improve quality of life for service members, veterans, and their families. Applying organizations will be evaluated on their innovative quality of life improvement plans.
The Home Depot Foundation: Community Impact Grants Program
Deadline: rolling through Dec. 31. More info here. Provides support to nonprofit organizations and public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve their communities. The Program focuses on support for organizations that serve veterans in local communities, as well as organizations that serve vulnerable and underserved communities. Grants of up to $5,000 are made in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services.
Comcast RISE Grant Program
Deadline: May 7. The Comcast RISE program will initially be available for Black business owners. Beginning November 28, 2020, all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) business owners will be eligible to apply for Comcast RISE. Comcast RISE was created to invest in the success of these critical businesses by providing valuable and practical support. Applications close May 7th.
Community Heart & Soul Seed Grants
Community Heart & Soul announced its new Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program, a funding opportunity for small cities and towns nationwide. The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program provides startup funding of $10,000 for resident-driven groups in communities with populations of 2,500 to 30,000 to implement the Community Heart & Soul model. The Community Heart & Soul model engages the entire population of a town in identifying what they love most about their community, what future they want for it, and how to achieve it. More info and apply HERE.
