Two Southeast Colorado Communities Receive Grants Under the Rural Ready Program

DENVER – Today, the Rural Opportunity Office within the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced the recipients of the Rural Ready seed grants. Ten recipients across rural Colorado have each been awarded a $2,500 seed grant to support local economic development initiatives.

“Rural communities are the heartbeat of Colorado, and our Rural Ready Seed Grants are an investment in Colorado’s future. By putting resources directly into the hands of local leaders and organizations, we’re ensuring that every corner of our state has the opportunity to thrive,” said Governor Polis.

“The Rural Ready program is a critical component of our efforts to support long-term resilience in rural Colorado. By providing these seed grants and access to specialized training, we are empowering local organizations to drive economic growth and vitality in their local communities while protecting what makes their regions unique,” said OEDIT Executive Director Eve Lieberman.

The recipients of the $2,500 Rural Ready seed grants are:

• City of La Junta Creative Main Street (Otero County)

• Clear Creek Economic Development Corporation (Clear Creek County)

• Main Street Steamboat Springs (Routt County)

• One Delta County (Delta County)

• Rangely Area Chamber of Commerce (Rio Blanco County)

• San Juan Development Association (San Juan County)

• San Luis Valley Development Resource Group (Alamosa County)

• Sedgwick County Economic Development Corporation (Sedgwick County)

• Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development, Inc. (Prowers County)

• Town of Simla (Elbert County)

To qualify for funding, each of these organizations participated in the Rural Ready curriculum, a new online, self-paced learning platform that provides a high-level overview of economic development best practices tailored to rural areas. Funding will support economic development initiatives that participants identify as a result of their participation in the program.

“The Rural Ready curriculum helps ensure that local leaders and economic developers across our state are speaking the same language and building a shared understanding of best practices. This alignment is key to supporting the best possible outcomes for our rural communities as they work toward long-term resilience,” said Rural Opportunity Office Director Meridith Marshall.

About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado’s economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.

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