SBDC to use transition dollars to fund local office

Gov. Jared Polis and the Office of Economic Development & International Trade announced a plan this week to use coal transition funding to establish a Small Business Development Center satellite office in northwest Colorado.

“The (Small Business Development Center) helps local businesses grow, creates jobs and supports economic growth,” Polis said. “We are thrilled to expand these services in northwest Colorado, helping local communities diversify their economies and create new opportunities for people to save money.”

John Bristol, executive director of the Routt County Economic Development Partnership, applauded the news Thursday. The new office will serve Routt, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties by supporting creation and growth of small businesses as local communities look to diversify their economies and create new jobs.

“The satellite office would add resources to help support business development in those communities, which is great,” Bristol said. “It would increase in-person business counseling and add the ability for somebody that has an idea to access counseling services, to get immediate support with writing a business plan, or find the access to capital or other technical resources.”

He thinks the satellite office ultimately will bring more business and economic diversity to northwest Colorado communities like Hayden and Craig.