Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Colorado Revolving Loan Fund provides loans that help small to medium-sized Colorado businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans range from $5,000 to $750,000. These loans are intended to provide startup and working capital that will help create and retain jobs across the state of Colorado.

Colorado Small Business Development Center

A guide to start-up success, the Colorado Business Resource Book has been distributed to entrepreneurs across Colorado and the nation since 1998.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

International Trade Readiness for Small Businesses online training course provides a peek into resources available through our partners at the World Trade Center Denver to reach international markets.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Bid Advance Response Program is a 6-month mentoring program to help small minority- and women-owned businesses understand and win government bids. This highly-competitive program consists of group-based training and one-on-one guidance to prepare small businesses wanting to enter or expand their market into government contracting opportunities.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Strategic Fund Job Growth Incentive is for business expansion or relocation projects for which Colorado is in competition with at least one other state and the company has received a commitment of local government funding that matches any requested state government incentives. The incentive provides a cash payment over five years to companies that create and maintain new permanent jobs in Colorado.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Skill Advance Colorado Job Training Grant (formerly the Colorado First and Existing Industry Grant) helps businesses and nonprofits create customized job training for employees.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

To learn more about the benefits and employee ownership options, the Employee Ownership Office has produced an introductory course. This is a free online course available on demand and accessible to Colorado-headquartered small business owners interested in investigating employee ownership.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Colorado Employee Ownership Office establishes a network of training, support, education, and consulting for businesses considering employee ownership structures. The office brings together partners including employee-owned businesses, attorneys, financial and accounting professionals, and other employee ownership organizations.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Advanced Industries Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant helps Colorado-based advanced industries technology businesses develop and commercialize advanced technologies that will be created or manufactured in Colorado. Projects can receive up to $250,000. This grant award maximum can be lifted for projects that impact more than one advanced industry.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Advanced Industries Export Grant helps Colorado-based advanced industries technology businesses who want to export or are currently exporting. This grant is for small- and medium-sized businesses. It reimburses for international business development and marketing costs. Businesses can apply for up to $15,000 and up to 50% of the approved expenses.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Minority Business Office provides free one-on-one consulting services to help businesses understand all of the certifications available to minority- or women-owned businesses. Consultants can also help businesses make the most of certifications by helping them market themselves.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The tax credit gives businesses a Colorado state income tax credit equal to 50% of the FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) tax paid by the business per net new job for each calendar year in the credit period.

The tax credit is performance-based. If a company underperforms in job creation or wages, the company will not receive the total credit amount.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Cash Collateral Support program helps small and medium-sized businesses in Colorado access loans that they would otherwise not get because they do not have enough collateral. This credit enhancement uses small amounts of public resources to encourage private lenders to loan money to businesses.

Colorado Department of Revenue

A program from the State that offers a 50% tax rebate up to $250,000 for employers who implment an alternative transportation program.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Colorado Credit Reserve program helps businesses that typically struggle to get access to a bank loan. The program helps lenders make loans by establishing a loan loss reserve account with the lender as additional security.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Venture Capital Authority (VCA) supports access to venture capital for Colorado's entrepreneurs and startup businesses. The VCA is currently a partner in five active funds, and businesses interested in funding should visit the funds' websites for more information.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

The Employee Ownership Tax Credit is available to current Colorado-headquartered businesses and their employees to provide an incentive to establish or expand eligible employee ownership structures: employee stock ownership plan, worker-owned cooperative, employee ownership trust, LLC membership, phantom stock, profit interest, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights, stock options, or synthetic equity.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

To advance opportunities for recycling in Colorado, the state legislature passed the Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) Act of 2007. This established a grant program to help create or expand existing recycling programs, and to provide rebate opportunities for Colorado businesses and organizations that are actively providing recycling services.