Invest in Northwest Colorado

Northwest Colorado faces a defining moment. Generations of families built livelihoods around coal mines, but our rural communities now face massive job loss and economic uncertainty with the sunsetting of coal. The closure of four coal mines and coal-fired furnaces at two power plants in Northwest Colorado jeopardizes nearly 2,800 coal-related jobs and 22% of the regional gross domestic product. This economic decline also means a loss of millions in tax revenue that funds schools, hospitals, public safety, and other essential services.

Faced with this generational transformation, a community-led transition plan was developed that would meet the multi-dimensional needs of coal-impacted communities in Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt Counties in Northwest Colorado. The plan supports five key pillars:

  • Economic Diversification
  • Workforce Development
  • Affordable Housing
  • Access to Child Care
  • Regional Transportation

Path Forward


A key initiative of the Northwest Colorado Resiliency and Recovery Roadmap transition plan was to establish a rural hub, inspired by the Aspen Institute’s Rural Hub Model. The Northwest Colorado Innovation Center emphasizes economic diversification by nurturing the following sectors:

  • Renewable Energy
  • Value-added Agriculture
  • Manufacturing
  • Aviation/Aerospace
  • Health Care
  • Business Services and Technology
  • Outdoor and Cultural Heritage Tourism
  • Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development

Vision for Northwest Colorado Innovation Center


The concept for the Northwest Colorado Innovation Center (NCIC) emerged from nearly two years of research, community engagement, and consensus-building with stakeholders from the three counties. Their collection vision gave birth to NCIC, a 501(c)(3) established in 2024, that will serve as the region’s anchor for entrepreneurship, small business, economic, community, and workforce development, and regional collaboration.

  • Renewable Energy
  • Value-added Agriculture
  • Manufacturing
  • Aviation/Aerospace
  • Health Care
  • Business Services and Technology
  • Outdoor and Cultural Heritage Tourism
  • Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development

Building Blocks in Motion

 

Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E)


The NCIC BR&E Program provides in-person business consulting and conducts business visits to support business starts and expansion or prevent closures with a focus on Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, where there is a gap in these services. This program ensures rural companies overcome barriers like capital access, market shifts, and workforce shortages. A survey of coal transition workers indicates that 33% would like to start a business and want business coaching.

 

Workforce Training Program


NCIC is designing a workforce development program to train, upskill, or reskill a multi-generational workforce from high school students to coal transition workers, offering industry-recognized certifications and stackable microcredentials in partnership with workforce partners, colleges, and employers.

 

Business Attraction Program


NCIC will market Northwest Colorado as a competitive location for new employers. Activities include maintaining a regional website, digital campaigns, and responding to site selector RFPs. New business attraction diversifies the economy, increases the tax base, and creates new jobs.

 

Microlending Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)


The Northwest Catalyst Capital is a microlending revolving loan fund that will provide $5,000 to $15,000 low-interest loans for entrepreneurs and small businesses lacking access to traditional financing. Limited access to capital is one of the primary barriers to starting and growing businesses, and BIPOC and women-owned businesses have greater challenges in obtaining financing. Additionally, borrowers will receive business training to improve outcomes and minimize defaults.

 

Business Incubator Network


Using a “hub and spoke” model, the Innovation Center in Craig will link incubators in other coal-impacted communities to share programming and financial support to meet people where they are. The incubator network will support startups with space, business coaching, and access to capital across the three counties.

 

Community Development & Regional Facilitation


NCIC strengthens the region by supporting place-based investments in major infrastructure and economic development projects. This includes grant writing, program management, and regional facilitation to coordinate joint action and policymaking, and convening stakeholders across sectors to align coordinated action.

 

Why Your Investment Matters

 

Northwest Colorado Innovation Center represents more than a building—it is a regional lifeline. By supporting this initiative, you will:

  • Prevent long-standing poverty from taking root in a coal-impacted region
  • Help workers transition into stable, well-paying careers and stay in their communities, and prevent the outmigration from rural Northwest Colorado
  • Provide entrepreneurs and small businesses with the resources they need to succeed and create new jobs
  • Attract new employers to invest in our region to diversify the economy
  • Stimulate job creation and tax replacement
  • Address community priorities such as housing, childcare, and transportation
  • Strengthen the entire region’s resilience for decades to come

Download the NCIC Fundraising Brief to support our transformation.

 

Thank You to our Investors