The Department of Local Affairs Colorado Resiliency Office (DOLA CRO) recently released program outcomes after closing out their three and a half year Resiliency Roadmap Program, which resulted in the creation of 842 jobs and formation of $9,386,882 in capital across rural Colorado. These metrics and other substantial outcomes have been captured in the final report to the U.S. Economic Development Administration who funded a portion of the Resiliency Roadmap Program.
The Resiliency Roadmaps were developed over a two-year process, as 16 regional coalitions worked with the CRO and their own consultants to develop regionally-aligned, actionable strategies to help Colorado's rural communities recover from the impacts of the COVID pandemic and become more resilient to future disruptions.
Then, in late 2023, DOLA CRO, in partnership with the Office of Economic Development and International Trade Rural Opportunity Office (OEDIT ROO), awarded $41,000 through the Rural Technical Assistance Program to each of the participating regional teams to advance a component of each team’s Resiliency Roadmap strategies. The grants are funding projects that benefit at least three partnering communities per team, ensuring a regional approach on top-priority strategies related to housing, recreation, workforce and economic development, transportation, community engagement, and brownfields remediation.
“These awards are the result of collaboration between many partners, including participating jurisdictions, local community organizations, and fellow state agencies to prepare rural Colorado economies against future unknowns,” said Maria De Cambra, DOLA’s Executive Director. “The Roadmaps program empowers local communities to make their regions more resilient on their own terms.”
In June 2024, the Roadmaps teams each provided a project update, with several teams already reaping the benefits, as described below.
Although the federal grant is now closed, DOLA and OEDIT will continue to take an active role in supporting the 16 regional Roadmap Teams and their communities. For example, the State is wrapping up a tour that has visited all Roadmap teams to share resources and discuss the regions' needs in advancing their local priorities.
Image description: OEDIT Director Eve Lieberman (front center) and Resiliency Program Manager Marguerite Harden (back right) poses with members of the Southeast Roadmap Team gathered in Ordway, CO, in April 2024.
In-Depth Studies and Plans
- Central San Juan High Alpine - The regional Roadmap team used its grant funding to contract a robust recreation mapping and study. The contractor, Mountain Studies Institute, will be collecting data through the remainder of the busy 2024 summer season before synthesizing the data into a report and final outdoor recreation/trail infrastructure usage “heat map.” This study will result in the prioritization and implementation of action items that will foster economic growth; building upon the existing county, municipality, and nonprofit staff that manage recreation, natural resources, and safety in the region. The Roadmap team estimates the direct creation of 48 jobs in multiple sectors, with indirect job creation expected to grow as resources improve and are well managed.
- Summit County - The Summit County Roadmap Team used its implementation funding to develop a comprehensive resource hub for small businesses in all stages of the business cycle through the creation of the Summit Economic Partnership. Summit County already offers start-up boot camps and works with partner entities on sharing ongoing educational opportunities. This project will help support businesses by mapping the opportunities and needs at each stage of their trajectory. This project will also create a stronger support network and more intentional connections, and inform programs and plans with the different business stages in mind.
- Southeast Colorado - The Southeast Team will invest in a feasibility study to determine whether Colorado’s highly-specialized marijuana growing facility infrastructure in Crowley County can be profitably adapted to support other indoor crops or uses. This project seeks to address impacts on the agriculture economy caused by climate change. This project is also designed to increase awareness and access to State resources for water planning and infrastructure to local farmers and industry businesses, and to identify opportunities for attracting higher education research and development activities that support local farming operational improvements around water use and conservation. This project is scheduled to begin August 2024 and continue through January 2025.
- Eagle Valley - The Eagle County Team used their award to support the Vail Valley Partnership (VVP) to begin a workforce mapping project and engage Mountain Careers to produce the Professional Worker Study. With workforce development identified as foundational to achieving any of the other Roadmap or economic resiliency priorities, the implementation funding supplements existing needs data by identifying the various components required to develop successful career pipelines to address those needs.
- Northern Colorado (Upstate) - Implementation funding was used to hire contractors to conduct research and develop concept designs for the Kersey Multimodal Downtown Connectivity Project, which will open up transportation options, business expansion and Main Street revitalization opportunities, and access to essential services for Weld County residents.The Town of Kersey has already purchased a right-of-way and an old downtown silo, and submitted a grant application for a $1.2 million Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brownfields grant to clean up associated hazardous materials to help move the project forward.
- Gunnison County - The Gunnison County Roadmaps Team, also known as the One Valley Leadership Council (OVLC), used a portion of the funding to hire two local consultant firms to outline a communication strategy and implement preliminary outreach strategies that will increase community engagement and diversify and expand community leadership. With the help of the reports produced by the consultants, the OVLC developed a 12-person civic engagement pilot program. In addition to gaining a shared understanding of the community’s primary audiences and priority communication objectives, the OVLC developed onboarding resources to facilitate efficient and effective orientation to the purpose, past accomplishments, and current priorities of the region. The team will develop a standing leadership program informed by the pilot, and has created a community engagement toolkit to make diving into various community ‘leadership’ roles and opportunities more approachable.
Advancing Strategy and Development of Regional Branding and Marketing
- East Central Colorado - The East Central Council of Governments (ECCOG) Roadmap used its implementation funding to develop a cohesive regional brand identity to support tourism. The project will include new welcome signage for each community, a new website and social media promotions, and other advertising to draw visitors to Colorado's Central Plains. The intent is to welcome new guests and potentially new residents and businesses to this rural area, and to support existing local businesses and create new opportunities for the future. Working with a consultant, the team is in process of building a brand guide, expected to be finished this summer. This work created a part-time position, with the goal to create three more part-time positions as the project progresses and marketing needs develop. The branding project is one of three projects in process, including a housing needs assessment and a Brownfields initiative. The team is hopeful that this will empower participating communities to advance more strategies from the Roadmap Plan.
- Mesa County First Responders - The Mesa County Roadmaps Team will use the funds to improve way-finding signage for the businesses in the Town of De Beque as a starting point for economic growth and job creation in the region. The Town also invested in its recreation infrastructure to increase participation in town events with the addition of an accessible sidewalk near a newly installed grilling area in the town’s park. These improvements are part of a broader plan to grow the town’s outdoor recreation opportunities.
- Northeast Colorado - Develop and complete a "Return to Rural" regional marketing campaign for site selection to tell the story of the region and the experience of living in it. The campaign is intended to attract businesses by highlighting the authentic stories that make the community unique. Business, resident, visitor attraction, and capital formation will be tracked over time by the Roadmaps Team of county economic developers and will continue implementing its marketing development action plan. The team noted a newfound sense of unity among the group resulting from this project, forging a clear path and fresh energy toward regional collaboration for future projects.
- Northwest Colorado - The Northwest Colorado Development Council (NWCDC) and its 10 member communities used its implementation grant funding to create an economic development website to grow and diversify the economy in the three-county region to replace the financial loss from the coal transition. To support existing businesses, start-ups, and dislocated energy workers, the website provides information about state, regional, and local resources, incentives, and workforce training programs at local community colleges.
Mini-Grants Program
- Western San Luis Valley - The Western San Luis Valley Roadmaps Team launched a competitive mini-grants program, bringing critical financial support promoting job creation and retention, entrepreneurship, and capital formation directly to local entrepreneurs and small businesses in the region. To date, 27 local businesses have already contributed in the creation of at least five full-time jobs and four part-time jobs. Five jobs have been retained, and an additional $44,794 has been invested by the owners beyond the grant funding.
Broadband
Clear Creek County - The Clear Creek Roadmaps Team used the full grant award as match funding for the Capital Project Funds from the Colorado Broadband Office. The Town of Nederland and Gilpin County were awarded funding to extend broadband to rural areas in Gilpin County as well as unincorporated Boulder County communities. The investment will result in broadband access for 2,725 addresses in communities classified as unserved or underserved, fostering educational, economic, and healthcare access while promoting digital inclusion.
Expanding Human Capacity
- Montezuma County - This grant directly funded a Roadmap Coordinator to continue Roadmap implementation work with partner organization, Montezuma Leadership Network (MLN). The position aims to aid entrepreneurs, startups, and existing businesses through networking and resources, and to aid in protecting investments made to support workforce development, particularly related to hard skills such as understanding financials or grant writing provided through MLN to local leaders.
- Roaring Fork Valley - The implementation funding was used to hire the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition (WMRHC) Program Director position dedicated to advancing housing-focused projects and ultimately impact job creation and capital formation in the region. In addition to serving as a regional data hub to inform policy and increase understanding of the region's unique housing challenges, the Coalition seeks to preserve existing affordable housing and support local workforce in remaining in the community. The coalition manages a deed restriction program and is developing a rental funds program and an accessory dwelling units program.
- Costilla County - After the tragic loss of the previous Costilla County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) Executive Director to COVID-19, this award enabled the hiring of a new economic development director for one year to focus on implementing the team’s strategy of expanding the county’s limited human and financial capacity, beyond core services. The new director started his position April 1, 2024. Top priorities for this role are expanding the management and operation of the Sangre de Cristo Heritage Center in San Luis; exploring solutions to expand the agriculture and food economy, which has declined in the area; and expanding local business with a focus on small manufacturing and job creation. The team is optimistic that it will be able to identify and secure resources to sustain the CCEDC and help local businesses with startup funding through grants and loans designed for underserved communities.
- South Central Council of Governments - The South Central Council Of Governments’ (SCCOG) Roadmap Team used the full grant award to contract with professional staffing services. Roadmaps objectives were designed to address the high poverty levels in the county and the high rate of the county's working population who live outside the county and often have long commutes. Contracting with local economic development experts will allow the team to:
- Administer a Brownfields grant from the EPA to study and remediate properties that potentially have contamination from toxic materials.To date, seven properties have been identified and approved by EPA for Brownfield sites.
- Continue the development of an industrial park on the south side of Walsenburg. The Walsenburg Industrial Park opened on June 1st with the Springs Truck Driving School as the anchor tenant.
- Continue the housing development project for the county. The implementation project has already resulted in the plans for the construction of 22 single family homes.