Boulder County Small Business Grants Program (2024)

A program implementing a $225,000 one-time competitive grant opportunity supporting small businesses in Unincorporated Boulder County impacted by the costs (including labor costs) of doing business in the County’s rapidly changing economic environment. The program also gives the County an opportunity to understand more about the many small businesses currently operating in Unincorporated Boulder County and the workers they employ.

This Program (2024) will accept applications beginning Monday, March 18, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. through Friday, April 19, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Applications will NOT be evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis. Rather, all applications submitted during the application period will be evaluated.
 

Boulder County has partnered with Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF) to administer the grant. CEF is expected to make grant award notifications and payments in June 2024.  Grant funds received through the program do not have to be repaid. However, this grant source should be noted as income and all taxes associated with the acceptance and/or usage of grant awards are the sole responsibility of the grantee. The grantee shall comply with all applicable federal, state, local laws, executive orders, rules, and regulations in connection with acceptance and/or usage of grant funds.

No. The Boulder County Small Business Grants/Changing Economic Environment Program (2024) is not a first-come, first-served grant program. Rather, it is a competitive application process. All applications submitted in completion, with all necessary documentation, will be equally evaluated by Colorado Enterprise Fund staff. Funding for the program is limited and it is likely that not all applicants will be awarded a grant.    

No. We encourage businesses in need to apply even if you have already received other County funding. If awarded, you may have to verify with program staff how the expenses you were requesting were not already supported by another funding source.

Employees (and their relatives) of Boulder County or Colorado Enterprise Fund and review panel member organizations having personal business interests in any applicant business will also render that business ineligible to apply under this program.

To determine if your address is within the eligibility area, please click here. 

Boulder County will provide a total of $225,000 in grants through this competitive grant program. It is anticipated that grant payments will be made in June 2024. Each business that is approved will receive up to a maximum amount of $5,000.

No.  The County recognizes the many challenges faced by small businesses impacted by our rapidly changing economic environment.  Though not required, the County suggests that awarded funds may assist businesses in:
•    Attracting and retaining a qualified, competitively compensated workforce
•    Reducing business debt 
•    Offsetting administrative costs of doing business
•    Replacement or repair of business equipment or infrastructure
•    Marketing to replace or retain customer or client base

No.  Application scoring will determine the amount of funds awarded up to $5,000/applicant.  It is likely the number of eligible applications will exceed available funds, and not all applicants will receive grants.

Complete applications will require applicants to provide their business license number and federal EIN, tax ID number, or Taxpayer Identification Number, as well as a modest amount of financial and other business information. Payroll records for one pay period in 2023 and in 2024 identifying the individual pay rate for all W2 employees will also be required.  Businesses will also be asked to identify their industry of operation (agricultural, retail/goods, retail/food & beverage, service, nonprofit, education, other).  Application is expected to take about 20 minutes to complete.

For-profit or nonprofit businesses in the Unincorporated Boulder County qualifying area (see exceptions below) that:  
•    are headquartered, and operating their primary business in the qualifying area 
•    were in existence before December 31, 2023, and are currently operating
•    hold an active sales or tax license at time of application
•    have between three to 15 (3-15) W-2 employees with at least one of those employees having made less than $19/hour in 2023 and in 2024. It does not need to be the same employee in each year.

Not eligible to apply:
•    Marijuana industry businesses 
•    Membership organizations such as clubs and Homeowner Associations (HOAs) 
•    Commercial banks 
•    Governmental entities  
•    Partnerships, Sole Proprietors and Single-Member LLCs without W-2 employees
•    Businesses employing more than 15 employees.

Only W-2 employees count as employees; individuals paid as 1099 Independent Contractors do not count as employees.
“Owners” of Partnerships, Sole Proprietors and Single-Member LLCs do not count as W-2 employees. Owners/shareholders of S-Corporations or C-Corporations that are paid as W-2 employees do count as W-2 employees for grant purposes.

No. You cannot change your application once it has been submitted. Prior to submission, you may save your application and come back to it.  Once it is submitted you will not be able to change your application.

The timeline for the grant program is as follows:
•    Grant application opens – Monday, March 18, 2024 – 9 a.m.
•    Grant application closes – Friday, April 19, 2024 – 5 p.m.
•    Grant notifications and payments – June 2024 

Yes, Nonprofit organizations meeting all other requirements are eligible to apply under this competitive grant program.