Grant Opportunities
Provided through the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Skill Advance Colorado Grants are state funded programs geared to provide customized job training programs to grow a skilled workforce in Colorado. The programs goal is to increase transferable job skills that support both the company's economic competitiveness by re-training its workers in new skills, while enhancing the workers' resumes and long-term employment opportunities.
There are two sides of the Skill Advance Colorado Program:
Colorado First Customized Job Training Program
Colorado First is intended to support companies locating to or expanding in Colorado. It will provide funding to train net new positions. The grant may provide:
- Instructor's wages
- Curriculum Development
- The purchase of consumable training supplies
Colorado Existing Industry Job Training Program
Existing Industry funding is intended to provide assistance to established Colorado businesses to train their existing workforce in order to:
- Remain competitive
- Adapt to new technology
- Prevent layoffs
All grant applications for both programs must meet the following criteria:
- The Colorado FIRST and Existing Industry applications are accepted on a rolling basis starting in July through March.
- Maximum grant award of $2,800 per employee for the Colorado First grant and $2,500 per employee for the Existing Industry grant.
- Trainees must sign an attendance roster to certify their participation in grant funded training.
- All grant-funded training must be customized to meet the company's specific needs.
- Grant funded training must be for permanent, full-time, non-seasonal, non-retail positions in the state of Colorado, which have significant career opportunities and require substantive instruction.
- Training must be completed by Mid-May.
- Applicant companies must pay for a minimum of 40% of the total training costs. That can include in-kind, such as employee wages, while attending training.
- Grants will only be awarded to companies that meet a sustainable wage threshold: urban counties must pay at least $2.00 per hour more than the Colorado State required minimum wage, and grant applicants in rural counties must pay an average wage of at least $.50 per hour more than the Colorado State required minimum wage.
- An on-site visit of the applicant company may be required upon completion of an awarded grant, in most cases.
- A financial evaluation of the applicant company is required for Existing Industry only.
- Colorado First applications may be submitted every year.
- Existing Industry applications every other year. (FY25 Policies and Procedures)
For more information contact Amanda Corum, 719-549-3163, or Amanda.Corum@pueblocc.edu.