Financial Assistance & Incentives
Get access to capital, tax credits, and other forms of financial assistance to grow your business.
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The DDA seeks to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy technology in the downtown community. The desired outcome of this grant is to educate the community about energy consumption, while helping participants save money on energy efficiency and renewable energy installation and technology. The DDA will match 50% of project costs up to $2,500 per grant.
The Cannabis Business Technical Assistance program is an educational program focused on the foundations of business development in the cannabis industry. The curriculum is housed on a secure learning management system and includes educational videos, coursework, and more. These materials are accessible on-demand, so participants can work through the curriculum at their own pace. The educational program is free of charge, but requires that participants register for an account to begin. The Cannabis Business Office has partnered with Make Green Go! to create this Technical Assistance program. Make Green Go! has provided business development services to social equity communities since 2010. The organization has extensive experience in content development, user-friendly platforms, and a network of members and subject matter experts. The Cannabis Business Office is excited for this partnership to offer their curated content on our Technical Assistance platform.
Wheat Ridge Economic Development offers sales tax rebates to eligible Jefferson County businesses, encouraging investment, job creation, and economic expansion.
The SAGE Sustainable Business Accelerator Grant provides project-related, financial assistance on a reimbursement basis, of sustainability upgrades and services, that facilitate cost reductions and support resource conservation and environmentally friendly business operations. The program reimburses 75 percent of eligible project expenses up to $5,000 per business, per calendar year.
Xcel Energy's Energy Efficient Buildings Program encourages Colorado businesses to reduce energy consumption through energy audits, efficiency upgrades, and customized energy-saving strategies, resulting in lower utility bills and a smaller carbon footprint.
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a state tax incentive program administered at the county level by Jeffco EDC. Businesses located in these “Enterprise Zones” are able to claim tax credits for new hires, equipment purchases, and more. Find out if your located in an Enterprise Zone today by using our Interactive Address Look-Up Tool!
Xcel Energy's Economic Development Rate offers discounted electricity rates for qualifying businesses in Colorado, promoting economic growth, job creation, and overall community development.
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a state tax incentive program administered at the county level by Jeffco EDC. Businesses located in these “Enterprise Zones” are able to claim the EZ Investment Tax Credit. This credit allows businesses to claim a 3% tax credit for business personal property purchases.
Find out if your located in an Enterprise Zone today by using our Interactive Address Look-Up Tool by clicking on the link below!
The Job Training Incentive Grant provides financial assistance on a reimbursement basis, to encourage the hiring and training of a local workforce. The program reimburses up to $5,000 if hiring from an existing local workforce, or $6,250 if hiring a recent graduate from a Westminster institution. Qualifying applicant industries include: manufacturing, technology and innovation, financial services, aerospace/defense and business support services. Retail and restaurants are not eligible for this grant.
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a state tax incentive program administered at the county level by Jeffco EDC. Businesses located in these “Enterprise Zones” are able to claim the EZ New Employee Tax Credit. This credit allows businesses to claim a $1,100 per net employee hired during the tax year.
Find out if your located in an Enterprise Zone today by using our Interactive Address Look-Up Tool by clicking on the link below!
The Colorado Startup Loan Fund provides loan capital to mission-based lenders to provide loans to Colorado entrepreneurs and small business owners needing capital to start, restart, or restructure a business, and those who are not able to obtain a loan from traditional lenders. This is a revolving loan fund, meaning the dollars will be used to continue supporting new entrepreneurs as loans are repaid.
OEDIT has partnered with eight mission-driven lenders to provide micro loans under $150,000 to small business owners and entrepreneurs with capital from the Colorado Startup Loan Fund. By offering smaller-than-average loans with favorable terms and interest rates, the program seeks to make financing a possibility for entrepreneurs who might not qualify for or require a larger loan. These lenders have been selected for their abilities to work with business owners who are located in rural areas, may not be native English-speakers, have never carried a loan, lack the traditional assets required to secure financing, or have been previously unable to obtain a loan.\nThe fund will focus on:
- loan opportunities for existing businesses that are unable to qualify for traditional financing
- loan opportunities for new businesses that are unable to qualify for traditional financing
- loan opportunities for existing businesses who experienced financial losses or other impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic that may inhibit their obtaining capital through traditional sources
- increasing access to capital for underserved communities
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a state tax incentive program administered at the county level by Jeffco EDC. Businesses located in these “Enterprise Zones” are able to claim the EZ Job Training Tax Credit. This credit allows businesses to claim a 12% tax credit on eligible job training expenses.
Find out if your located in an Enterprise Zone today by using our Interactive Address Look-Up Tool by clicking on the link below!
The Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI) will ensure all Colorado workers have access to paid leave in order to take care of themselves or their family during life circumstances that pull them away from their jobs, like growing their family or taking care of a loved one with a serious health condition. FAMLI will start providing benefits to employees beginning January 1, 2024. Most eligible employees will receive up to twelve weeks of leave. Those who experience pregnancy or childbirth complications may receive an additional four weeks.
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a state tax incentive program administered at the county level by Jeffco EDC. Businesses located in these “Enterprise Zones” are able to claim the EZ Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Tax Credit. This credit allows businesses to claim a $1,000 tax credit for each employee enrolled in an employer-sponsored health insurance program. This credit can only be claimed for the first two years a business is located in an EZ.
Find out if your located in an Enterprise Zone today by using our Interactive Address Look-Up Tool by clicking on the link below!
The Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) Program provides funding that promotes economic development through the management of materials that would otherwise be landfilled. Funds are available to support recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, source reduction, and beneficial use/reuse. Grants and rebates are overseen by the Pollution Prevention Advisory Board and its corresponding Assistance Committee.
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a state tax incentive program administered at the county level by Jeffco EDC. Businesses located in these “Enterprise Zones” are able to claim the EZ Research and Development Tax Credit. This credit allows businesses to claim a 3% tax credit on increased R&D expenditures.
Find out if your located in an Enterprise Zone today by using our Interactive Address Look-Up Tool by clicking on the link below!
The Employee Ownership Tax Credit is available to current Colorado-headquartered businesses and their employees to provide an incentive to establish employee stock ownership plans, worker-owned cooperatives, and employee ownership trusts. The tax credit covers up to 50% of a qualified business’ conversion costs for use on their state income taxes. To participate in the program, the applying business must be existing in Colorado for at least one year prior to starting their employee-ownership conversion and applying for the tax credit.\nIn June 2021, Governor Polis signed into law HB 21-1311, (PDF). The bill provides $10 million annually in tax credits to fund professional service costs of conversion to employee ownership.The program makes employee ownership conversions more accessible for businesses throughout Colorado. The program and funding are available for the next 5 years, closing on January 1, 2027.
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a state tax incentive program administered at the county level by Jeffco EDC. Businesses located in these “Enterprise Zones” are able to claim the EZ Commercial Vehicle Tax Credit. This credit allows businesses to claim a 1.5% tax credit on commercial vehicle purchases.
Find out if your located in an Enterprise Zone today by using our Interactive Address Look-Up Tool by clicking on the link below!
Jeffco EDC, in partnership with RMMA, recently created an FTZ for Jefferson County. FTZs are secured, designated locations in or near a U.S. Customs Port of Entry where foreign and domestic merchandise is generally considered to be in international commerce and outside of U.S. Customs territory. As a result, activated businesses in an FTZ can reduce or eliminate duty on imports and take advantage of other benefits to encourage foreign commerce within the U.S. For more information on Jeffco’s FTZ, please visit our FTZ page below.
In order to maintain flexibility, the AEDA Economic Impact Fund exists to provide financial assistance for special projects on a case-by-case basis. While this program does not have specific project qualifications, match funding requirements or funding limits, applications are heavily scrutinized to ensure public benefit and that the scope of the project is in alignment with AEDA’s economic development mission.
The Small Business Capital Projects Grant Program provides project-related, financial assistance on a reimbursement basis, to encourage the growth and retention of existing Westminster businesses. The program reimburses 10 percent of the costs of real property improvements or tangible property purchases up to $5,000 per business, per calendar year. New businesses may be considered for approval with an active Westminster business license and submittal of a current business plan.
Lakewood’s incentives are considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure there is clear public benefit to justify the incentive. Each incentive package is tailored to best fit the project it is supporting, including both expansion and relocation projects. Criteria that is examined includes: job creation, capital investment, public benefit, removal of blight and community investment. Contact Economic Development staff to discuss your expansion or relocation project.
Wheat Ridge Localworks offers the Business Improvement Loan Program to support Jefferson County businesses with low-interest loans, helping finance property improvements, equipment upgrades, and business expansions.
The Small Business Scholarship Program provides reimbursement of business training expenses to licensed Westminster entrepreneurs and small business owners/employers with 50 or fewer employees. The program reimburses 50 percent of the cost of tuition, fees, and required materials, up to $1,000 per business, per calendar year, after successful completion of courses. New businesses may be considered for approval with an active Westminster business license and submittal of a current business plan.
Funding available to help women-owned, minority-owned and/or rural-based science and technology businesses access private resources for assistance with SBIR/STTR proposal development. Grant awards will be up to $1,000/business. Funding is limited and will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Preference will be given to businesses that have not received this grant in the past as well as those that are using service providers headquartered in the State of Colorado. Businesses must be a science and technology venture based in Colorado that is women-owned, minority-owned and/or located in rural Colorado to be eligible to apply.
This program incentivizes businesses to locate in designated zones within Jefferson County, promoting economic growth and job creation through financial and infrastructure support.
The Venture Capital Authority (VCA) supports access to venture capital for Colorado's entrepreneurs and startup businesses. The VCA is a political subdivision of the state and a Special Purpose Authority like the Public Employees' Retirement Association. The VCA is neither an agency of the state nor subject to administrative direction by any agency or department of the state. The VCA is governed by a board of directors that partners with professional fund managers to deploy its capital and OEDIT staff provides administrative support to the VCA.
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.
To get a loan through this program, the borrower pays a fee of 1% of loan principal, which we match. Borrower and program fees fund the loan loss reserve.
Each participating lender:
- makes the underwriting decisions
- sets the terms
- services the loan
50% tax rebate up to $250,000 for the implementation of alternative transportation programs by an employer. Contact West Corridor for more information at the link below.
The Business Face-Lift Grant Program provides project-related, financial assistance on a reimbursement basis for eligible improvements in the Historic Westminster area (geographically bounded — must be located south of 80th, north of 68th, west of Federal, and east of Sheridan). The program reimburses 50 percent of eligible property improvements up to $5,000 per business, per calendar year. New businesses may be considered for approval with an active Westminster business license and submittal of a current business plan.
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.
This program supports the revitalization of Wheat Ridge business districts, offering incentives and resources to attract new businesses and enhance existing establishments in Jefferson County.
The Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit is an eight-year job creation incentive to support competitive, multi-state, or country relocation and expansion projects. 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.
As a benefit to Jefferson County’s businesses, the county has eliminated its portion of the business personal property tax (BPPT) to show the business community that it values their business and understands that decreasing the overall tax burden will yield more jobs and capital investment. Jefferson County is the first county in Colorado to eliminate its portion of this tax. For more information, contact us or visit our Jeffco BPPT Elimination page below.
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.
The maximum interest rate is 10%, and the expected average interest rate of these loans is 4%. Loans may be character-based and may have terms up to 20 years based on the type of loan.
This fund prioritizes socially and economically disadvantaged businesses and non-profits. We will work with community-based organizations to reach people, and extend effort to assist and qualify these types of businesses including using non-traditional underwriting criteria such as character-based lending and providing bi-lingual support where possible.
The Opportunity Zone (OZ) program provides a federal tax incentive for investors to invest in low-income urban and rural communities through favorable treatment of reinvested capital gains and forgiveness of tax on new capital gains. Jeffco has five designated zones. For a map of the Jeffco zones, please visit our OZ map page below.
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.
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.
Employee Ownership is a pathway to attract and retain top talent and create a built in succession plan for your business. The Colorado Employee Ownership Grant is available to Colorado-headquartered small businesses interested in adding a broad-based employee ownership structure to their business. The grant reimburses fees paid for professional services required to transition the business to a Colorado Employee-Owned Business. The professional services covered by this grant include accounting, legal, business valuation, and business transition services.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR and STTR enable small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation's R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated, and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.
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.
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal incentive that rewards employers for hiring individuals from targeted groups, promoting workforce diversity and economic inclusion. Employers receive tax credits, reducing their tax liability and supporting disadvantaged job seekers.
The Commercial Reinvestment Program provides grant funding to encourage businesses and property owners to further invest in their properties. This matching grant encourages business and property owners to make improvements that will positively impact the Lakewood Community. The program opens on an annual basis and grants are awarded as funding allows.
The Business Safety & Security Program provides grant funding to help business owners create or update safety features on the business property. Goals of this program are to create safe environments for business owners and their customers and to reduce calls for service. The program opens on an annual basis and grants are awarded as funding allows.
The Adaptive Reuse Program provides grant funding to business and property owners in order to overcome barriers in the redevelopment of vacant buildings. The goal is to create activation and eliminate blight through the reuse of vacant buildings. The program opens on an annual basis and grants are awarded as funding allows.
WBLI will provide funding to help with the start-up costs of developing work-based learning programs, including training dollars that could be used in partnership with institutions of higher education or other training providers. WBLI provides financial reimbursements of up to $10,000! Rural and/or small businesses are eligible to earn additional incentives of $100. Applications are now open and will be collected on a rolling basis and funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis until funds run out. The program runs through May 2024.
- 50% match up to $4,000 per grant
- Eligible projects include (but are not limited to):
- Energy Audits
- Website Design
- Marketing Consulting
- Architectural Consulting
- 50% match up to $15,000 grant funding for business improvements
- Eligible projects include (but are not limited to):
- Facade Improvements
- Exterior Lighting
- Blight Improvement
- Exterior Painting
The Colorado Manufacturing Sales and Use Tax Exemption allows Colorado manufacturers to claim an exemption on sales/use tax on purchases to be used in the manufacturing process. This includes:
- Ingredients and component parts
- Property brought into Colorado temporarily for testing, modification, or inspection
- Gas, electricity, and other fuels
- Machinery and machine tools
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