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Funding & Technical Assistance
NWCCOG Regional Grants Navigator
NWCCOG has a Regional Grants Navigator on staff to assist with identifying appropriate grant opportunities, reviewing grants prior to submission, or helping to gather letters of support. Feel free to reach out to him for assistance: Jonathan Godes, NWCCOG Regional Grants Navigator - jgodes@nwccog.org.
Federal Opportunities
Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grants
Deadline: April 1 | Details here. USDA Rural Development. The RISE Grants program provides support to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters, and maximize the use of local productive assets in low-income rural areas. Grant funds may be used to build or support a business incubator facility, provide worker training to assist in the creation of new jobs, train the existing workforce with skills for higher-paying jobs, and develop a base of skilled workers and improve their opportunities to obtain high-wage jobs in new or existing local industries.
State Opportunities
Energy Code Adoption and Enforcement Grants
Deadline: March 1 | Details here. Colorado Energy Office. Supports local governments with adoption, implementation, and enforcement of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code and the state’s model electric ready, solar ready, or future model codes to be developed.
Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Funding
Deadline: March 14 | Details here. The next round of Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) funding, which is a program designed to help rural communities comprehensively diversify their local economy and create a more resilient Colorado, opens up on February 14th, 2024, and closes on March 14, 2024. The most successful applications to this program are those from counties with less than 50,000 people, and from communities with fewer than 25,000 people. Projects that will be funded include plans, construction, programs, and capacity building. Projects should fall into one or more of the following categories: Job creation and retention; Capacity building; Economic resilience; Supports entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Colorado Creates Grant
The Colorado Creates Grant 2024 (FY25) will open March 1 through May 29. This grant provides two years of funded general operating support for arts nonprofits in Colorado. Grant awards are flat amounts based on your organization’s cash operating revenue for your most recently completed fiscal year. If you have questions, please email Emma Acheson at emma.acheson@state.co.us.
More Housing Now Initiative
Deadline: April 1 | Details here. This is a funding set-aside through the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance (EIAF) program for local governments to adopt land use and other strategies to increase opportunity for affordable and attainable housing development.
Main Street LIVE
Deadline: April 1 | Details here. This is a funding set-aside through the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance (EIAF) program for place-based development, redevelopment, and housing on downtown Main Streets that are critical to a robust and active economy, local government fiscal health, and sustainable and strategic growth development patterns. Main Street LIVE will fund planning, design and engineering, and construction of Main Street public infrastructure and facilities as Livability Investments for Vibrant Economies. This grant program aims to reinvest in our core main street downtowns and enhance long-term sustainability, support the development of housing, and attract workforce to create a more vibrant and livable commercial core.
Crime Prevention through Safer Streets Grant Program
Deadline: March 1 | Details here. Offered through the Office of Adult and Juvenile Assistance (OAJJA). The goal is to allow the department and local governments to evaluate and design safer streets and neighborhood models that discourage crime, revitalize community image, and establish place-specific crime prevention strategies that account for geographic, cultural, economic, and social characteristics of the target areas.
Other Funding & Technical Assistance Opportunities
Assistance to Firefighters Grants
Details here. Motorola Solutions. The grants can provide funding for two-way radio equipment, two-tone
voice pagers, and investments in personnel accountability.
Walmart Spark Good Local Grants
Applications are accepted quarterly during the following periods: March 1 to April 15, May 1 to July 15, August 1 to October 15, and November 1 to December 31, 2024 | Details here. Walmart’s Spark Good Local Grants aim to address the unique needs of the communities where Walmart operates. Grants support a variety of organizations, such as animal shelters, elder services, and community clean-up projects. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations; state or local government entities, including law enforcement or fire departments; K-12 public or nonprofit private schools, charter schools, and higher education institutions; and churches or other faith-based organizations with a proposed project that benefits the community at large, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, and clothing closets.
Yampa River Fund: Grants for Water Supply Protection, Wildlife Habitat, Recreational Opportunities
Deadline: April 1 | Details here. The Yampa River Fund is accepting applications for projects to local organizations that are working on protecting the water supply, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities provided by the river. Projects that address these issues are critical to enhancing water security for communities, agriculture, the economy and the natural environment in the Yampa Valley. Grants may be used for three types of projects: water leases from reservoirs, stream restoration activities and infrastructure improvements. Eligible applicants include state and local government entities, public districts and irrigation entities, mutual ditch companies, homeowners’ associations and nonprofits.
AARP Community Challenge Grants
Deadline: March 6 | Details here. Provides small grants to fund quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages—especially those age 50 and older. In 2024, the AARP Community Challenge will accept applications for three grant opportunities: Flagship Grants of $500 to $50,000 focus on improving vibrant public places, transportation and mobility, housing, digital connections, community resilience, and community health and economic empowerment. Capacity-Building Microgrants of $2,500 plus additional resources support bike audit, HomeFit modification, and walk audit projects. Demonstration Grants, usually in the range of $10,000 to $20,000, support projects that encourage the replication of promising efforts in digital connectivity to prepare and respond to disasters, equitable engagement to reconnect communities divided by infrastructure, and housing choice design competitions. Nonprofit organizations and government entities may apply. Other organizations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Laura Jane Musser Fund: Rural Arts Initiative and Environmental Initiative
Deadlines: March 7 for the Rural Arts Initiative; March 14 for the Environmental Initiative. Rural Arts Initiative grants range up to $12,000. Environmental Initiative grants range up to $8,000 for planning and up to $35,000 for implementation. The Rural Arts Initiative provides general operating support to nonprofit arts organizations in rural communities to develop, implement, or sustain exceptional artistic opportunities for adults and children in the areas of literary, visual, music, and performing arts. The Environmental Initiative assists public and nonprofit entities to initiate or implement projects that enhance the ecological integrity of publicly owned open spaces, while encouraging compatible human activities. The goal is to promote public use of open space that improves a community’s quality of life and public health, while also ensuring the protection of healthy, viable, and sustainable ecosystems.
Startup Colorado: Entrepreneur Grant Program
Details here. This grant awards $2,500 to startup founders and small business owners seeking access to education, technical assistance, and networking opportunities.
Startup Colorado: Community Funding
Details here. Entrepreneur meetups, workshops, and startup weeks are integral to building a vibrant startup ecosystem. Startup Colorado supports events of all shapes and sizes across the state. Whether you’re a business support organization launching a networking power hour or a community organizer welcoming remote workers into the community, this opportunity is for you. Apply for a community funding sponsorship of up to $2,500 to elevate your startup events and networking initiatives.
Mary Kay Ash Foundation: Domestic Violence Shelter Grant Program
Deadline: April 30 | Details here. The Mary Kay Ash Foundation’s Domestic Violence Shelter Grant Program awards grants to shelters across the country providing critical, life-saving services to women and children seeking safety from an abusive situation.
Foundation for Financial Planning: Funding to Promote Pro Bono Financial Planning
Deadline: April 30 | Details here. The Foundation for Financial Planning (FFP) provides annual grants to community-based and national nonprofit organizations for programs linking volunteer financial planners to people in need. U.S.-based nonprofits that share FFP's commitment to helping underserved people achieve better financial stability and capability are eligible to apply.
Resources
Colorado Economic Sentiment Survey
The Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) is excited to invite you to participate in the Colorado Economic Sentiment Survey, an initiative by OEDIT and the Colorado Secretary of State. Your insights and perceptions are invaluable in shaping the future of our state's economic landscape. This survey aims to understand the perspectives of business leaders, economic development representatives, and individuals who work in Colorado regarding the current economic climate. Your responses will be kept confidential and will only be used for the purposes of analysis. Your input is crucial in our collective efforts to enhance the economic well-being of our beautiful state. Let's work together to ensure that Colorado remains a state that supports economic opportunity, growth, and prosperity. The survey will take approximately 8 minutes. TAKE THE SURVEY HERE
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