Governor Jared Polis and the Business Support division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced the Partner Outreach Program (POP) to connect Colorado entrepreneurs and small business owners to OEDIT programs.
A network of partners with expertise in serving rural, minority-owned and immigrant-owned businesses has been established to assist businesses across the state in accessing loans and funding to facilitate growth.
“Helping small businesses across the state with access to funding and technical assistance will help small businesses thrive and strengthen Colorado’s economy,” Polis said. “Small businesses drive our economy and with access to these experienced partners and their resources, Colorado will continue to be the best place in the country for anyone to start and grow a business.”
Several OEDIT programs specialize in aiding businesses that have struggled to secure loans, need smaller-than-average loans or have not borrowed money previously, including the Colorado Startup Loan Fund, CLIMBER, Colorado Credit Reserve, Cash Collateral Support and the Colorado State Small Business Credit Initiative.
“Small businesses make up 99.5% of Colorado’s economy. When small businesses have access to financing that meets their needs, they can take important steps to grow their revenues and create new jobs,” said Eve Lieberman, OEDIT executive director. “The Partner Outreach Program is an innovative program that responds to community needs and will expand our outreach efforts across the vast majority of the state. That means new opportunities for Colorado’s small businesses, including those that have historically encountered barriers to funding and support.”
To establish the POP network, six partners have been selected for their ability to serve diverse Colorado businesses, with a special emphasis on assisting those who have historically encountered barriers to business capital and loans. All partners have a track record as trusted community organizations committed to outreach and development to support small businesses in accessing capital.
The selected partners include:
- Black Business Initiative – Specializes in serving indigenous and Black communities in the Denver Metro area and San Luis Valley.
- Community Enterprise Development Services – Serves business owners in the Denver Metro, Fort Collins, Weld County, and Morgan County, with experience working with Ethiopian, Islamic, Korean, Somali, and underserved communities.
- Overwrite – Specializes in serving immigrant, migrant, Hispanic, Asian, Southeast Asian, African, and Black communities in the Denver Metro area and Colorado Springs.
- Prairie Rose – Serves Spanish-speaking communities in the Western Slope, Eastern Plains, and Durango communities.
- Startup Colorado – Serves the Eastern Plains and the San Luis Valley, with experience helping business owners in rural communities.
- Wezesha Dada Center – Operates in Denver, Pueblo, Eastern Plains, Aurora, and Colorado Springs, supporting immigrant, migrant, diaspora, refugee, and Black communities.