Northwest Colorado Development Council (NWCDC) is an intergovernmental agreement between Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt Counties and their seven communities to collaborate on regional economic development. NWCDC's mission is to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, workforce development, economic prosperity, and diversification through sustainable, community-led development.
NWCDC's Economic Impact
NWCDC works with communities and companies to grow and diversify the regional economy. Its project pipeline of 28 projects in health care, light manufacturing, renewable energy, value-added ag, outdoor recreation, small business, child care, affordable housing, aviation, and nonprofits sectors could potentially generate the following economic impacts:
$2.36 billion in capital investment
783 direct jobs
NWCDC is also working with entrepreneurs and existing small businesses through a business retention and expansion (BR&E) program. In 2024, ERC Fellow Sasha Nelson met with 34 entrepreneurs and businesses, and year-to-date, she has had seven BR&E meetings.
Northwest Colorado Innovation Center
Bringing More Resources to Northwest Colorado!
The NWCDC established the Northwest Colorado Innovation Center (NCIC), 501c3, to provide wraparound transition services during the coal transition and inject new capital into our regional economy. The Innovation Center will be a space where various partners such as NWCDC, Colorado Office of Just Transition, and others can collaborate and coordinate the delivery of transition services to help our communities, small businesses, and workers.
The newly seated NCIC Board of Directors met on February 14th to approve its bylaws and other policies and to elect a slate of officers and committee members. The Board also approved a resolution to seek federal funding for a new microlending revolving loan fund (RLF) that will be housed at the Innovation Center.
The RLF will provide low-interest loans to help entrepreneurs and small businesses get started and grow. A needs analysis report shows a high demand for a local revolving loan fund in the three-county region. In addition to providing low-interest financing to fund working capital, inventory, machinery/equipment, feasibility studies/energy audits, training, licenses, preconstruction costs, and marketing that create new jobs or retain existing jobs, NCIC and its partners will offer business and financial management consulting to optimize the borrower's success.
Opportunity Expos
The Colorado Office of Just Transition (OJT) and the Northwest Colorado Development Council (NWCDC) along with other partners are hosting regular Opportunity Expos, starting in Craig and traveling throughout Northwest Colorado. The events will provide information, resources, consulting, networking, and workforce solutions to help energy workers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.
The next Opportunity Expo in Craig is on March 11th from 5 PM to 6:30 PM at the Craig Chamber of Commerce. Email Sasha Nelson for upcoming Opportunity Expos.
EDCC Regional Economic Development Forum
The Economic Development Council of Colorado (EDCC), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing economic prosperity throughout the state, invites you to attend their annual Regional Economic Development Forum showcasing Northwest Colorado on March 5, 2025, from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at CNCC Craig Campus. In partnership with CSU Extension, REDI@CSU, and CSU’s Urban-Rural Connections Food Systems Regional Summits, the one-day forum features Eve Lieberman, Executive Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade; Kate Watkins, State Demographer, Colorado Department of Local Affairs; and Nicholas Sly, Vice President, Economist, and Denver Branch Executive, Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
The EDCC Regional Economic Development Forum will bring together economic development professionals, the business community, education and workforce development leaders, and elected officials to:
Gain a deeper understanding of the northwestern Colorado regional economy
Learn about successful economic development initiatives
Explore valuable resources and tools such as workforce development, innovation, and community revitalization
Connect with key economic and workforce development stakeholders
Contribute to the future of Northwest Colorado’s regional economy by participating in interactive discussions and contributing your valuable perspectives
We encourage you to register early to secure your spot at this important event.
Freight Rail Tax Credit Listening Tour
March 4, 3-5 pm, Craig Chamber of Commerce
Executive Director Eve Lieberman of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) will be in Craig on Tuesday, March 4th, from 3-5 PM at the Craig Chamber to host a listening session on the upcoming Freight Rail Tax Credit. Businesses that are currently or wish to use rail and might be interested in accessing the tax credit are invited to attend this meeting. Community partners such as elected officials, chamber/EDO partners, and city and county administrative staff are also invited.
The purpose of this listening session is to gauge interest in the Freight Rail Tax Credit, present information, answer questions about the application process, and discuss how we can best work together so your communities can maximize this opportunity.
Location: Craig Chamber of Commerce, 775 Yampa Ave., Suite 103, Craig
Date: March 4th from 3-5 pm.
Value-Added Producer Grant Supports Ag Producers
The USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter value-added activities to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income. Maximum Grant Amount: Planning Grants $75,000; Working Capital Grants: $250,000.
What can you use the VAPG funds for:
Examples of planning activities include:
Conducting feasibility studies
Developing business plans
Developing marketing plans for the proposed value-added product
Examples of working capital expenses include:
Processing costs
Marketing and advertising expenses
Some inventory and salary expenses
Electronic applications will be accepted via the VAPG application portal by April 17, 2025, until 9:59 p.m. Mountain Time.
Colorado REDI Grant Funds Economic Development
Colorado Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) grant provides $100,000 with a20%-50% match to help rural communities diversify their local economy. Projects that will be funded include plans, construction, programs, and capacity building. All applications must create and retain jobs - either direct or indirect. Projects should fall into one or more of the following categories:
Capacity-building - Under special circumstances, the Department of Local Affairs will consider funding local economic development capacity. Staff must be tied to a specific outcome, project, and timeline, which contributes to goals of job creation, business attraction/retention, and economic resilience.
Economic resilience - Economic resilience is the ability of a community’s economy and systems that support the economy to withstand disruption and thrive in the face of change.
Supports entrepreneurial ecosystems - Entrepreneurial ecosystems provide trainings, networking opportunities, and infrastructure to support local entrepreneurs. REDI will open on February 12, 2025, and close on March 12, 2025. Applicants have two years to spend the funds. Learn more>
Housing Development Grant Fund
Created by the Colorado state treasury, the Housing Development Grant Fund (HDG) is administered by the Division of Housing (DOH)., This fund consists of monies appropriated to the Colorado Affordable Housing Construction Grants Fund by the General Assembly. HDG provides funds for acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction through a competitive application process to improve, preserve, or expand the supply of affordable housing, to finance foreclosure prevention activities in Colorado, and to fund the acquisition of housing and economic data necessary to advise the State Housing Board on local housing conditions. Funding availability is determined after earlier rounds are finalized. Reach out to your DOH regional representative if you're interested in this grant program. Letters of interest are due March 17th for the May 1 application cycle. Learn more>
DOLA Local Planning Capacity Grant Program
The DOLA planning grants support local governments in implementing their housing goals, including efforts to streamline or incentivize affordable housing developments and achieve Prop 123 commitments. All interested applicants will need to schedule a pre-application meeting with Program Manager Robyn DiFalco to discuss your proposed project. Only local governments who have filed a Prop 123 commitment are eligible for this funding. The grant is intended to help governments expedite development review, permitting, and zoning of affordable housing. The top priority for funding award decisions is to support local governments’ efforts to implement the new fast-track requirements. The Grant opens February 14, and is due Friday, March 14. Learn More
Grants Database and Other Grants Resources
To help our members sort through the massive volume of grants from state, federal and philanthropic funders, NWCDC is maintaining a Grants Database, curated to support our priority areas: clean energy, economic development, transportation, affordable childcare, and community development. The database is hosted on the NWCDC website. NWCDC Grants Manager Emily O'Winter has prescreened these grants for relevancy. The database is a living document that we will be updating constantly as we find new resources that support our Roadmap strategies. For technical support, you can click this link to email Emily O'Winter.
Grants Toolkit
In an effort to make grant writing as painless as possible, NWCDC Grant Manager Emily O'Winter has created a Grants Toolkit, which includes templated responses for the most often asked grant questions, as well as data sources. Browse the Grants Toolkit now for core language and other resources.
Northwest Colorado Grants Collective
Looking for more support? The Northwest Colorado Grants Collective is a partnership with the Northwest Colorado Development Council and the Yampa Valley Community Foundation to create a list of grant professionals to increase grant writing and management capacity for regional nonprofits, local governments, and businesses interested in hiring grant writers to support developing proposals for federal, state, and local grants. Check out the Grants Collective
You are receiving this email newsletter from the Northwest Colorado Development Council (NWCDC) because you are a member or a partner or have signed up for more information. The NWCDC is an intergovernmental agreement between Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt Counties and their seven communities to collaborate on regional economic development.
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