A total of 59 Estes Valley businesses have received more than $2.1 million in disaster recovery grants through the efforts of the Larimer Small Business Development Center (SBDC), working in conjunction with the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation (Estes Park EDC).
The grants awarded to Larimer County businesses represent more than 60 percent of the total dollars awarded statewide, said Mike O’Connell, director of the Larimer SBDC.
The $2.1 million in grants averaged over $35,000 per successful business applicant.
“This grant money helped these local businesses survive, and continue to employ more than 200 full-time and 300 part-time employees,” O’Connell said.
The Larimer SBDC and Estes Park EDC jointly communicated the grant availability and opportunities, and helped businesses navigate the application and documentation processes required. This grant initially supported businesses impacted by the September 2013 flood, and was later expanded to include the 2012 High Park fire. Weld County’s Upstate Colorado organization also played a crucial role by performing a detailed financial analysis of all statewide applications.
“Recover Colorado” grants are administered statewide by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).
About Front Range Community College
FRCC offers nearly 100 degree and certificate programs from locations in Boulder County, Larimer County, Westminster, and Brighton, and online.
FRCC is a member of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), the state’s largest system of higher education, with 13 colleges across Colorado serving more than 151,000 students annually. CCCS is a vital statewide pathway to individual achievement and economic vitality. Further, CCCS institutions provide an accessible, responsive learning environment that facilitates the achievement of educational, professional, and personal goals by our students and other members of our communities, and each fosters an atmosphere that embraces academic excellence, diversity, and innovation.
