State extends 3 COVID relief programs

DENVER — Three statewide COVID-19 relief programs will continue, thanks to passage of legislative authorization.

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade said that House Bill 1187 permits the extension of the programs. 

“These programs were established as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate the recovery of negatively impacted industries and businesses,” Patrick Meyers, OEDIT executive director and the state’s chief economic recovery officer, said in a written statement. “The extensions will allow these programs to provide even more economic support to businesses and communities across Colorado as they work to recover from the pandemic.”

Extended programs are:

• The Colorado Meetings and Events Incentive Cash Rebate Program, which provides pre-approved applicants with a 10% rebate between $3,500 and $10,000 against the eligible hard costs of hosting meetings and events. The program supports the retention and attraction of events such as business meetings, conferences, conventions, exhibitions, trade shows, consumer shows, festivals, and weddings. This program is extended from Dec. 31, 2022, to June 30, 2024.

• The Business Foundations Technical Assistance Program, which provides technical assistance and small grants to Colorado small businesses to help businesses legally establish themselves. The program provides three training sessions and a reimbursable grant of up to $1,200 per business to help apply the training. The program is extended from June 30, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2023, and extends the reporting deadline from Nov. 1, 2022, to Nov. 1, 2023.
• The Small Business Accelerated Growth Program, which develops and deploys tools to foster the growth of existing companies with 19 employees or fewer that have moved from the start-up stage into the second-stage or are on the verge of rapid growth or profitability. This program puts emphasis on businesses located in a state Opportunity Zone, Rural Jump-Start Zone, Historically Underutilized Business zone, Enterprise Zone, and tier one transition communities. Its participation deadline is extended from Dec. 31, 2022, to Oct. 31, 2023.

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