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.
Northwest Colorado Innovation Center Builds Momentum for the Region’s Future
The Northwest Colorado Innovation Center (NCIC) continues to build strong momentum as the region advances transformative projects designed to strengthen economic diversification, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and long-term resiliency across Northwest Colorado. In recent months, NCIC secured a $1.05 million HUD Congressionally Directed Spending grant to support the construction of a new 10,000-square-foot workforce training and innovation center at the future Craig Business & Industry Park. Thank you to Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper for securing the CDS grant for Northwest Colorado.
The facility is envisioned as a one-stop shop for hands-on workforce training and entrepreneurial support. The Innovation Center will also serve as a hub for a regional incubator network. NCIC also received a $250,000 grant from the Just Transition Fund to support regional capacity building for the Northwest Incubator Network, expanding support systems for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and innovation-driven economic growth throughout the region.
In addition, NCIC was awarded a $99,500 USDA Rural Business Development Grant to support Northwest Catalyst Capital, NCIC’s revolving loan fund focused on helping small businesses and entrepreneurs access flexible capital and technical assistance.
Adding to this momentum, NCIC was recently accepted into the highly competitive International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Capital Investment Accelerator program—an exclusive national initiative designed to help communities strengthen strategies for capital formation, investment readiness, and transformative economic development projects.
NCIC extends its sincere appreciation to our Senators, USDA, the Just Transition Fund, El Pomar, and past supporters: AT&T, CHFA, Office of Just Transition, Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Dept of Local Affairs, local member communities, and other partners. Together, these investments demonstrate growing confidence in the region’s collaborative leadership, innovative vision, and commitment to creating new opportunities for businesses, workers, and future generations.
Rangely Boat Ramp Grand Opening
The Town of Rangely opened its new boat ramp on the White River on May 15 with an official dedication attended by community members and visitors. The new ramp is called River’s Edge East at Rangely, located near Camper Park, and it represents a significant enhancement to river access for residents and visitors alike.
“We’re thrilled to open this new boat ramp and give our community and visitors even better access to the beautiful White River,” said Jonah Bollinger, Town Manager. “This project strengthens our outdoor recreation offerings and supports local tourism and economic growth.”
The project, conceived by former Town Manager Peter Brixius and Town Engineer, Planner, and Recreation Development Coordinator Jocelyn Mullen, was funded through a $396,225 Colorado Office of Just Transitions grant awarded in 2023, with additional support from several federal and state partners, including River Restoration Organization of Carbondale, Bolton Construction of Meeker, Rangely Public Works, and Rivers Edge West. Congratulations to Rangely for executing this impactful economic development project.
Opportunity Zone Designations
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) is actively seeking public input on which Opportunity Zone 2.0 eligible US Census tracts should be nominated for official OZ 2.0 status. This is a competitive process where the State can only nominate 25% of eligible distressed Census Tracts for the Opportunity Zone designation. OZs are federally designated areas that provide tax incentives to encourage private investment and economic development in underserved communities.
To engage in this process, please review the following tools:
OZ 2.0 Designation Input Form allows interested parties to advocate for which OZ 2.0 eligible census tracts should be nominated for OZ 2.0 status. Submissions are due by June 30, 2026.
OZ 2.0 Designation Index provides a preliminary score of all OZ eligible tracts based on three tiers of State Strategic Priorities: a tract's need and capacity for the creation of market-rate housing; economic need; and economic opportunity.
The Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Program (OEGP) funds organizations and projects that improve access, representation, meaningful participation, and quality experiences for youth and their families in the Colorado outdoors. Grants of up to $100,000 are available to support non-profit organizations, for-profits, schools and school districts, federally-recognized tribes, and local governments.
Grant projects decrease barriers to the outdoors for traditionally-excluded youth, provide responsible recreation experiences, create conservation opportunities, and support job and career training for low-income, racially and ethnically diverse youth, LBGTQ+ youth, the disability community, and/or American Indian and Native youth.
CHFA's Small-scale Housing Technical Assistance program helps catalyze small-scale affordable housing developments by providing access to an affordable housing consultant and pre-development grant assistance.
Potential small-scale projects, of 25 units or less, may apply for affordable housing planning and development technical assistance (TA) services and pre-development grants to further their work.
25 units or less
For sale or for rent
New construction, acquisition/rehab, or preservation
Grant for direct expenses available.
Round 2 Technical Assistance applications are due in June 2026. For more information>
Boundless Futures Foundation EmpowHer Grant
The Boundless Futures Foundation supports female business-founders and mission-aligned nonprofit organizations through its two grant-making programs that provide financial and leadership resources for female founders who leverage their businesses for both growth and good.
The EmpowHer grant is open for female founders 22 years of age and older with businesses registered and operating in the United States. An applicant’s business must make a clear social impact, be a registered for-profit entity, be earning revenue, and not be more than five years old. Businesses that are eligible for an EmpowHer grant address one of the following social issues through their product or business model:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that it is making $27.7 million in grants available through the Rural Business Development Grant Program (RBDG). This program provides funding for business and community initiatives that promote economic growth and job creation. Applications of less than $100,000 are considered more competitive.
Eligible applicants can include rural cooperatives, state government agencies, towns, and communities, nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher learning, and federally recognized Tribes. Individuals and for-profit businesses or organizations are not eligible to apply.
The deadline June 15, 2026 only applies to Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) applications, and June 30, 2026 applies to the remainder of the applicants. For more information>
USDA Community Connect Grant Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development invites grant applications to build community-oriented, high-speed internet networks for people in rural areas under the Community Connect Grant Program.
The program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband service in rural, economically challenged communities where service does not exist. Award recipients must agree to provide high-speed internet service at community-serving institutions free of charge for up to two years. These institutions include schools, libraries, fire stations and other public safety sites.
Eligible applicants include state and local governments, federally recognized Tribes, nonprofits, for-profit corporations and limited liability companies. Applications must be submitted electronically no later than June 29, 2026 at 11:59 a.m. EST.For more information>
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Agrivoltaics Grant
The Colorado Department of Agriculture operates the Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Grant Program to promote multifaceted uses of agricultural land. Agrivoltaics are the integration of solar energy generation facilities with agricultural activities.
The Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Grants are intended to investigate the advantages, additional costs, and compromises of agrivoltaics systems. Funded projects include the construction of multiple new agrivoltaic arrays that showcase various panel technologies and applications with different cropping systems. Additionally, the program funds outreach campaigns, research studies, the retrofitting of a traditional solar array for grazing, and economic modeling projects.
The application window for Fiscal Year 2026-27 is open now through June 15, 2026. Visit this link to view an informational webinar about the grant requirements and application process. For more information>
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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