Several investments recently made in the Region’s communities for tourism, creative industries, housing

Several of the region's communities have recently received substantial investments from state and local funding sources in the way of grants for a variety of projects to enhance the economic vitality of their communities. The stories below describe how they are using the funds to enhance tourism, creative arts, and housing.

Success Story

Partnership in Summit County creates Summit Biz: Training program for entrepreneurs and business owners The Summit Prosperity Initiative (SPI), a partnership in Summit County created to enhance economic prosperity has created the Summit Biz Program to provide business training for entrepreneurs looking to start a business and business owners looking to grow their business. Since…

Partnership in Summit County develops training program for entrepreneurs and business owners

The Summit Prosperity Initiative (SPI), a partnership in Summit County created to enhance economic prosperity has created the Summit Biz Program to provide business training for entrepreneurs looking to start a business and business owners looking to grow their business.  Since September of 2020, five cohorts have been held with 44 graduates from the program.

Partnership and capacity building at work to support older adults in Eagle County

Golden Eagle has provided 36 units of housing for low-income older adults since 1986. NWCCOG has helped secure a USDA Housing Preservation Grant to fund improvements to this housing development over the years since 2009, resulting in over $180,000 in funds.

Partnership and capacity building at work to support older adults in Eagle County

Golden Eagle has provided 36 units of housing for low-income older adults since 1986. NWCCOG has helped secure a USDA Housing Preservation Grant to fund improvements to this housing development over the years since 2009, resulting in over $180,000 in funds.

Partnership and capacity building at work to support older adults in Eagle County

Golden Eagle has provided 36 units of housing for low-income older adults since 1986. NWCCOG has helped secure a USDA Housing Preservation Grant to fund improvements to this housing development over the years since 2009, resulting in over $180,000 in funds.

Red Cliff Broadband Program

Cliff never felt so far from civilization as when cell phones and broadband be-came standard tools for living and working. Town doggedly pursued broadband to bring the modern era to it’s citizens for close to a decade, and didn’t get far until NWCCOGs program came along. After nearly 4 years of assistance from NWCCOG and…

Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) is designed to retain or keep existing businesses in a community and provide assistance for businesses to expand.  BRE is a core function of any economic development program.  Addressing workforce needs, access to capital, providing tax and non-tax incentives, assistance with infrastructure, land and buildings, and providing technical assistance are all part of the BRE process.  This page will serve as a toolbox for businesses, local governments, nonprofits, and any other organizations in our region that might benefit from tools to use for business retention and expansion efforts.

One tool NWCCOG is employing is to send out quarterly bulletins with useful information on BRE strategies and tools.

BRE Bulletins

December 2019: Workplace Culture: A Valuable Employee Retention Tool September 2019: Employee Turnover is Expensive – highlights a recent news article in the Vail Daily regarding the impact employee turnover has on an organization

BRE Topics

Employee Ownership Network – Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) – Housed in the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Employee Ownership Network brings together subject matter experts such as employee-owned businesses, attorneys and economic development experts to promote employee ownership in Colorado. Employee-owned businesses promote a higher quality of living for the employee-owners themselves – including higher wages and a longer job tenure — and secure greater economic stability for the communities.   Great for Business, Great for Workers: Strategies that Boost Worker Prosperity and Meet Business Needs – a report by the International Economic Development Council Development Research Partners. Hiring, retaining workers difficult with limited housing available: New Study by Trust for Community Housing in the Telluride Region – The worker-housing problem is documented in this study which says that local employers reported 833 people lost their jobs due to housing problems and, at a cost of $5,200 to replace an employee, that meant a total cost of at least $4.3 million to replace workers who leave.