Resources & Partners
Colorado SecureSavings Program
The Colorado SecureSavings Program requires businesses with more than five employees in Colorado to provide employees access to a retirement plan. This can be the State provided plan or a plan of your choosing. All employees who are at least 18 years old and have earned wages in Colorado for at least 180 days are eligible and will be automatically enrolled in the program. Once enrolled, employees will have 30 days to either opt out or to customize their contribution amounts, investment options, and beneficiaries.
Colorado Resource Network
Colorado Resource Network helps older Coloradans and their caregivers locate information, connect with service providers and obtain assistance in areas that are important to them. This resource was created through the Justice for All project which is funded by The Kresge Foundation, Public Welfare Foundation and Open Society Foundations, and is administered by the National Center for State Courts. The State Justice Institute provided additional funding to complete the first phase of development. Colorado’s Justice for All project is a collaborative partnership of the Access to Justice Commission, the Colorado Judicial Department and the Colorado Bar Association.
Climber Loan Fund
The CLIMBER (Colorado Loans to Increase Mainstreet Business Economic Recovery) Loan Fund is a statewide program that will provide up to $250 million in working capital loans to Colorado small businesses through 2024. It will promote small businesses recovery, save jobs, and help support the Colorado economy.
Small businesses with 1-99 employees that were financially stable before the pandemic but now need help to survive may apply for working capital loans between $10,000 and $500,000. Below-market interest rates and a 1-year deferred payment option make the program a secure recovery option for small businesses.
Business Foundations Technical Assistance Program
The Business Foundations Technical Assistance program provides technical assistance and small grants to Colorado small businesses to help businesses legally establish themselves. The program includes 3 required training paths for businesses to complete and receive a certification. Once completed, businesses may be eligible to apply for small grants of up to $1,200. At the end of the 3 training paths, participants will receive a certificate of completion after we review your uploaded documents.
Alliance Business Assistance Center
The Alliance Business Assistance Center is an alliance of private, public, and non-profit resource providers joined together under one roof to support and help local businesses start, grow, and thrive.
What we offer:
- All services are free Services in English and Spanish
- Meeting space
- Collaborative work space
- WiFi and use of laptops on site
- Startup and business growth consulting and assistance
- Business workshops
- Business grant and loan information
- Business site selection and local demographic data reports
Walk-ins welcome. Call 720-674-3547 or email to schedule an appointment.
OEDIT Cash Collateral Support
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. The program provides a cash deposit as collateral for a business loan or credit facility when the business cannot meet the lender’s collateral requirements.
Lenders can apply for up to 25% of the loan amount or $250,000, whichever is less, in collateral to support business loan applications. The maximum loan size for this loan is $10 million.
Colorado Business Resource Book
The Colorado Business Resource Book is one of the most successful and comprehensive business books in the nation. The publication is made possible by the Colorado Business Development Foundation and the Colorado Small Business Development Center Network. Since its inception in 1998, more than 210,000 copies of the Colorado Business Resource Book have been distributed to entrepreneurs across Colorado and the nation.
Entrepreneurs can purchase a copy of the book or browse the content on the book’s website.
Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center
Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) helps small businesses grow with federal, state and local government contracts. Its procurement counselors provide no-cost support in determining suitability for government contracting, securing necessary registrations, identifying bid opportunities, teaming or joint venture arrangements, certifications, proposal techniques and review, researching procurement histories, reviewing contract terms and conditions, government contract performance issues, networking and business development, preparing for audits and more.
Connect2DOT
Connect2DOT is an innovative program partnership between the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network designed to help small businesses in the transportation industry become more competitive and successful in bidding and contracting with CDOT and other local transportation agencies.
In addition to free, unlimited consulting and free or low-cost business training, Connect2DOT provides online resources and events tailored to construction contractors and professional design, architecture and engineering firms.
Mi Casa Resource Center
Mi Casa Resource Center educates, trains, and supports youth and adults on their path to success in education, employment, and business ownership. It does this through nationally recognized programming for jobseekers, entrepreneurs, and youth taught by highly-qualified staff who are experts in their fields.
Recognizing there are many factors that impact a person’s path to economic prosperity, Mi Casa’s holistic approach provides wrap-around services to address potential barriers to success. It treats everyone as unique individuals, considering their strengths, challenges, and personal vision of success when helping them identify and achieve their goals.
Colorado Enterprise Fund
Colorado Enterprise Fund provides business consulting services and connects budding small businesses and entrepreneurs to relevant resources. Their loans vary in size from a few thousand dollars to $1,000,000 and they have assisted more than 2,900 Colorado small businesses and counting.
Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute
RMMFI provides a holistic approach to business development that includes education, mentorship, access to capital and community connections. It supports low-income and under-resourced entrepreneurs (making less than 80% of the area median Income) as they work to start or grow their business.
RMMFI’s main education programs are a four-week Business Idea Lab, a 12-week Business Launch Boot Camp, a monthly workshop series and an 11-week Thrive Business Accelerator. In all of these programs, entrepreneurs are also connected to mentors and coaches who can help them with their specific business needs.
RMMFI offers character-based loans (meaning it doesn’t look at credit scores, immigration status, history of incarceration, etc.) ranging from $250 to $75,000. It takes a capital meets capacity approach, so it makes sure that entrepreneurs taking loans from it are also supported by its education and mentorship.