Supporting Small Businesses Across Colorado: Polis Administration Awards 40 Digital Marketing Grants

Governor Polis and the Business Support division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) recently announced the 40 recipients of the digital marketing grant that is distributed through the Small Business Accelerated Growth Program. This grant awards small businesses in Colorado $5,000 to help business owners across the state establish an online presence with a focus on social media and website best practices.

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“Small businesses help Colorado’s economy thrive and programs like this help support their continued success. I am thrilled to announce the 40 grant recipients from every corner of our state from La Plata County to Morgan County,” said Governor Polis. “As a businessman, saving small businesses money is a top priority.”

The Digital Marketing and Online Presence training course supports small business owners by teaching them the fundamentals of online marketing allowing them to promote their products and reach new customers. Business owners learn a variety of ways to establish an online presence, including best practices to increase website traffic, improve user experience and develop e-commerce websites to help their businesses grow. 

A total of $200,000 in grant funding has been distributed to 40 small business owners across the state. Among the recipients, 67.5% identified as woman-owned, 45% identified as minority-owned and approximately 22% of business owners came from rural communities.

“We are pleased to support so many women- and minority-owned small businesses across the state,” said OEDIT Executive Director Eve Lieberman. “This latest round of grant recipients showcases the work we are doing to ensure that we are reaching communities that have historically faced barriers to business funding. We are proud to support our entrepreneurs which have successfully reached so many women and minority-owned small businesses.” 

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The Digital Marketing and Online Presence training course is one of three training programs offered through the Small Business Accelerated Growth Program which helps small businesses across Colorado grow and improve their business plans through free training, education and consulting. Small businesses can apply for any of the three online training programs which include: access to capital, market research and digital marketing and online presence.

After completing the seven-week training course, 40 participants were selected to receive grant funding to make changes based on strategies learned from the program. The Small Business Accelerated Growth Program was created by SB21-241, sponsored by Senators Rhonda Fields and Jeff Bridges and Representatives Naquetta Ricks and Lindsey Daughtery. The program is implemented in partnership with the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network.

“Our SBDC experts are excited to help businesses navigate the world of digital marketing. Small business owners learn everything from establishing a social media presence to understanding the best ways to increase website traffic, and building an e-commerce experience. The lessons taught in this course equip business owners with the tools to operate in a 21st century environment and find the right customers,” said Marcia McGilley, Executive Director, Aurora-South Metro SBDC.

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The 40 grant recipients announced today include: 

Registration for the second round of the Digital Marketing and Online Presence training course is open now through August 20, 2023. Eighty participants from the second round of training will be selected to receive Digital Marketing and Online Presence grants of $5,000 each. Interested businesses can learn more about the Small Business Accelerated Growth Program at https://oedit.colorado.gov/growth and sign up to receive email notifications as future rounds open for applications.

About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade: