Northwest Colorado Development Council (NWCDC) is an intergovernmental agreement between Moffat and Routt Counties and seven other 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 established a 501c3 rural development hub called Northwest Colorado Innovation Center (NCIC) to serve as its official fiscal agent. NCIC's mission is to support entrepreneurs, small businesses, and workers in the tri-county region of Northwest Colorado. Through business coaching, incubation, workforce training, and its Northwest Catalyst Capital microloan fund, NCIC helps launch and grow businesses that drive regional prosperity.
Innovation Center Launches Apprenticeship Program
Northwest Colorado employers are invited to help build the next generation of skilled workforce by participating in the Northwest Colorado Innovation Center's (NCIC) new Registered Apprenticeship initiative. NCIC will soon launch a multi-employer and multi-sector apprentice program, in partnership with the Colorado Apprenticeship Hub. NCIC received a Colorado Apprenticeship Incentive Grant to establish new registered apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships provide a proven, earn-while-you-learn model that allows businesses to train employees to their exact standards, improve recruitment, and strengthen their long-term workforce pipeline. Our first registered apprenticeship will train HVAC technicians, an in-demand career with an average annual salary of $72,000 in the Yampa Valley. Subsequent registered apprenticeships will be in construction, manufacturing, and business sectors.
By mentoring an apprentice, HVAC companies can reduce recruitment costs, increase productivity over time, and play a direct role in developing local talent equipped with the technical and safety skills today’s industry demands. HVAC companies can also access state or federal tax credits to offset training costs.
If you are an HVAC employer interested in supporting an apprentice—or simply want to learn more about how the program works—we encourage you to reach out to NCIC's Project Manager, Christine Rambo, by emailing christine@northwestcolorado.org. Please share this opportunity with other HVAC companies.
Northwest Colorado Welcomes New Town Managers
Two towns in Rio Blanco County are starting 2026 with new managers at the helm! The Northwest Colorado Development Council and the Northwest Colorado Innovation Center look forward to partnering with the town managers of Meeker and Rangely to support continued growth, collaboration, and economic opportunity across the region.
Jonah Bollinger Named Rangely Town Manager
Rangely welcomes Jonah Bollinger as its new town manager. Jonah brings experience in finance, private equity, affordable housing, and business leadership, with a track record of strengthening organizations, improving efficiency, and planning for long-term success. He and his wife recently relocated from Tennessee with their two young children to be closer to extended family and drawn by Rangely’s strong sense of community and family values.
Jonah is eager to work with residents, staff, and local leaders to preserve what makes Rangely special while supporting thoughtful progress.
Margie Joy Named Meeker Town Manager
A familiar face takes on a new role, as the Meeker Board of Trustees appoints Margie Joy to assume the duties of the town administrator beginning in March.
Margie moved to Meeker in 2006 with her husband, Leif Joy, who grew up in Meeker. She was the former community relationship manager for the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA). Prior to CHFA, Margie worked at Pioneer Medical Center for 15 years, where she ran the community outreach and Pioneers Healthcare Foundation work. She served on numerous boards, including the NCIC Board of Directors
Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS)
for Fiscal Year 2027
Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are accepting Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) requests for Colorado projects in Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27). The CDS process is an opportunity for state and local government entities and nonprofits to request funding from members of Congress for specific projects in their home states. Last year, the CDS process resulted in over$140 million in funding for projects across Colorado.
Two information sessions, where organizations will have the opportunity to ask questions about the CDS process, will be held:
For more information about the application process, including project eligibility, budget, and timeline, please see the FY27 CDS Frequently Asked Questions Document. To apply, please see Senator Bennet’s and Senator Hickenlooper’s joint CDS request form. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 27th at 5 PM MST. Learn more>
Community Project Funding Deadlines Approaching
Congressmen Neguse and Hurd will be accepting requests for Community Project Funding (CPF) in March. CPF allows House of Representatives members to request direct federal funding for specific, high-impact, community-based projects in their districts. Included in annual appropriations bills, this process targets investments for infrastructure, public safety, and non-profits.
Congressman Joe Neguse extended his CPF deadline to 11:59 p.m., Thursday, March 5. Click on this link for more information on his CPF process.
Congressman Jeff Hurd has different deadlines for his CPF funding requests. Communities in his district should email: RepHurdAppropriations@mail.house.gov or call 202-225-4676 for more information.
Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI)
CSCI will provide funding and technical assistance to advance community-based climate resilience in US communities or regions that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This program prioritizes funding for communities that include historically disinvested populations at increased risk to climate-related impacts. Funding priorities include projects focused on: climate change vulnerability, equity, nature, readiness to increase climate resilience, and capacity building.
The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps U.S. agricultural producers enter into value-added activities that generate new products from raw agricultural commodities, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income through enhanced product value and market reach. These grants support either:
Planning activities up to $50,000 (e.g., feasibility studies, business and marketing plans)
Working capital needs up to $200,000 (e.g., processing, packaging, advertising, inventory, and salaries)
Eligible applicants include:
Agricultural producers (including harvesters and steering committees)
Agricultural producer groups
Farmer- or rancher-cooperatives
Majority-controlled producer-based business ventures
Applicants must demonstrate that they own and produce more than 50% of the raw commodity and will retain greater revenue from the value-added product than from the raw commodity alone. The application window is open and will close April 15, 2026 1:00 p.m. EST. Learn more>
Colorado Circular Communities Fund Mini Grants
Do you have a project that supports a circular economy? A circular economy is an industrial and economic model that eliminates waste by keeping products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible and out of our landfills. The Colorado Circular Communities (C3) program provides three tiers of funding based on the project’s budget, scope of work, and anticipated effect on building a circular economy in Colorado. Mini Grant awards are up to $50,000 for projects that can be completed quickly with contract terms shorter than six months.
Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, equipment and supplies, signage, outreach/education, event space fees, marketing/promotion for outreach events or workshops, repairs, and contractual labor expenses directly related to the project execution. Purchases must directly relate to actions and goals that will be completed within the contract timeframe.
Eligible applicants include municipalities, tribes, counties, and cities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, public and private schools. Applications are continuously open and may be submitted directly through the website. Please visit this link to access the application, Mini Grant Guidelines, and for more information>
CLCT’s Colorado State Grant Database
CLCT's Colorado State Grant Database is a maintained grant database that is updated every two weeks. There are currently 42 active state grant opportunities in the database. Please note they have transitioned to a new platform that will require you to create an account or log in to an existing account in order to view the database. Sign up for the newsletter to receive comprehensive upcoming grant notifications. Sign up here>
Grant Database, Resources, Tools, and Tips
Watch a short tutorial by clicking on the photo above, which walks you through the grant resources found on the www.northwestcolorado.org website. NWCDC developed a full complement of resources to help you find and write an effective grant. Learn how to navigate the grants database, access the grants toolkit for templated content, join the monthly Grants Workgroup to hear from funders, or hire a professional grant writer from our Grants Collective. More about these resources at the bottom of this newsletter. Click on the thumbnail above or this link.
Grants Database and Other Grants Resources
To help our communities identify grants to support their initiatives, NWCDC hosts links to numerous federal, state, and regional grants databases on the NWCDC website.
Grants Toolkit
In an effort to make grant writing as painless as possible, NWCDC 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 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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