Upcoming Event
Free Newsletter
Ten rural Colorado organizations receive $25,000 economic development grants
ColoradoBiz Staff //June 24, 2026//
Rabbit Ears Motel, Steamboat Springs, courtesy of Deposit Photos.
Rabbit Ears Motel, Steamboat Springs, courtesy of Deposit Photos.
Ten rural Colorado organizations receive $25,000 economic development grants
ColoradoBiz Staff //June 24, 2026//
In Brief:
- Colorado OEDIT awarded $25,000 in Rural Ready grants
- Ten rural organizations received $2,500 each
- Grants support projects from Rural Ready curriculum
- Eve Lieberman emphasized long-term rural resilience
DENVER — The Rural Opportunity Office within the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade has awarded $25,000 in Rural Ready seed grants to support local economic development efforts in rural communities across the state.
Ten organizations each received a $2,500 grant after completing the Rural Ready curriculum, an online training program focused on economic development practices for rural communities.
“The Rural Ready program is a critical component of our efforts to support long-term resilience in rural Colorado,” said OEDIT Executive Director Eve Lieberman. “By providing these seed grants and access to specialized training, we are empowering local organizations to drive economic growth in their communities.”
Grant recipients include:
- 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)
Funding will support economic development projects identified by participants through the Rural Ready 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,” said Meridith Marshall, director of the Rural Opportunity Office.
The Rural Ready curriculum is a self-paced online training program that provides an overview of economic development strategies tailored to rural communities.
s
