Colorado Enterprise Fund, in partnership with Boulder County, is now accepting applications for a small business grant program for awards up to $7,000.
**The application window closed as of 5:00 PM MDT, February 19th, 2021.
The objective of the Boulder County Small Business COVID-19 Grant Relief Program is to provide additional financial assistance to Boulder County small businesses considered to be especially hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please be sure to read this page in its entirety, including the list of FAQs at the bottom of this page, to understand eligibility and the application process.
To be considered, applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and must have submitted a complete online application to CEF on or before 5:00 p.m. MDT on Friday, February 19th, 2021. If you have questions on eligibility, the application, or something else, please email: bouldercountygrants@coloradoenterprisefund.org.
Grant Details & Eligibility:
- Per state legislation, ONLY restaurants, bars (including breweries, wineries, distilleries), caterers, movie theaters, and gyms or recreation centers are eligible to apply.
- Business must provide evidence of at least 20% revenue loss since March 26, 2020, as a result of the restrictions imposed on the business due to the COVID-19 pandemic, except if the business began operating on or after Jan. 1, 2020, and on or before March 26, 2020.
- Business began operation before March 26, 2020.
- This grant opportunity is available for businesses:
- Operating before Jan. 1, 2020, with annual receipts of less than $2.5 million for the 2019 calendar year, OR
- For a small business that began operating on or after Jan. 1, 2020 and on or before March 26, 2020, with annual receipts of less than $2.5 million in the 2020 calendar year.
- Businesses with annual receipts greater than $2.5M are eligible to apply and will be considered if Boulder County is unable to distribute all available funds to businesses with annual receipts less than $2.5M.
- Businesses must be in good standing with the State of Colorado.
- Businesses must operate in Boulder County, including any city or town in Boulder County and the unincorporated areas of the county.
- Business must be in compliance with current public health orders.
Note: Small businesses that have applied for funding from the Colorado Arts Relief Program are NOT eligible to apply to this new Boulder County Small Business Relief Program. Please see https://oedit.colorado.gov/colorado-arts-relief-grant for more information about the Arts program.
For more information on resources available to Boulder County businesses, visit the Boulder County COVID-19 Resources page.
Boulder County Grant Program FAQs
The following types of businesses are eligible for relief payments:
- Restaurants
- Bars (includes establishments like a Winery, Brewery, Distillery, etc.)
- Caterers
- Movie Theatres
- Gyms & Recreation Centers
A detailed list may be found on page 4 of the signed legislation. https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2020b_001_signed.pdf
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The applicant business has operated under severe capacity restrictions required by a local or state public health order at any time during 2020.
- Minimum 20% revenue loss (compared against 2019 receipts) OR is a business opened between Jan. 1 and March 26, 2020
- Currently operating within Boulder County.
- Commitment to operate in Colorado for the next six months after receiving an award
- Valid business license within the city or town that you operate
- City of Boulder
- Town of Erie
- City of Lafayette
- City of Longmont
- City of Louisville
- Town of Lyons
- Town of Nederland
- Town of Superior
- Business is in good standing with Colorado Secretary of State
- Cannot also apply for or receive funding from “Arts Relief Program” (also established in SB20B-001) https://oedit.colorado.gov/colorado-arts-relief-grant#:~:text=The%20Colorado%20Arts%20Relief%20Fund,Arts%20Relief%E2%80%94Business%20and%20Organization
- Qualifies as a “Small Business” by meeting the following criteria in the bill:
- Headquartered and operating in Colorado
- Minimum of one full time employee or a sole proprietorship
- Less than $2.5 million in annual revenue/receipts
The legislation creating the program sets forth tiered relief payment caps, based on the business’ receipts (sales or revenue) from 2019, in the following fashion. However, these tiers may be formulaically adjusted downward based on total dollars allocated to each eligible entity:
- Receipts less than $500,000 may receive a $3,500 maximum payment
- Receipts greater than $500,000 but less than $1 million may receive a 5,000 maximum payment
- Receipts greater than $1 million but less than $2.5 million may receive a $7,000 maximum payment
Businesses must provide the following:
- Evidence that the business is headquartered in and doing business in Colorado within the appropriate local government area.
- NAICS code indicating an eligible industry.
- Attestation of an intent to continue operations within the state for at least the next six months.
- For businesses that began operation prior to 1/1/2020, evidence of at least a 20% reduction in revenue since March 26, 2020 due to restrictions. This is not required for businesses that began operations between January 1, 2020 and March 26, 2020.
- 2019 Federal Tax Return (if started prior to 2020)
- Interim 2020 profit and loss or statement of revenues through September 2020 or later. The starting date for the report may be January 1 or March 26 (April 1 is ok).
- For businesses starting operations between January 1, 2020 and March 26, 2020, a profit and loss or statement of revenue from the date operations began THROUGH 12/31/20.
- Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State
- Attestation that the business has not applied for Arts funds through the Colorado Arts Relief Program
- Attestation that the business is in compliance with all public health orders.
- Attestation that the business is either a sole proprietorship or has at least one full-time employee.
If you are unsure of your operating license status or need to apply or renew for a license please use the following resources based on your operating jurisdiction in Boulder County:
- Town of Lyons Business Licenses: https://www.townoflyons.com/254/Business-License | (303) 823-6622 | email: licensing@townoflyons.com
- City of Louisville Sales Tax and Licensing Division: https://www.louisvilleco.gov/local-government/government/departments/finance-and-utility-billing/sales-tax-licensing-division | 303-335-4514 | email: SalesTax@LouisvilleCO.gov
- City of Longmont Sales and Use Tax License: https://www.longmontcolorado.gov/departments/departments-e-m/finance/sales-and-use-tax | 303-651-8672 | email: sales.tax@longmontcolorado.gov
- Town of Erie Business License and Sales Tax Information: https://www.erieco.gov/1444/Business-Licenses https://www.erieco.gov/136/Sales-Tax-Information | 303-926-2700 | email: www.erieco.gov
- City of Boulder: https://bouldercolorado.gov/tax-license | 303-441-4192 | email: salestax@bouldercolorado.gov & LicensingOnline@bouldercolorado.gov
- Town of Nederland: https://nederlandco.org/working/doing-business/ | 303-258-3266
- City of Lafayette: https://www.lafayetteco.gov/119/Sales-Tax-Information https://lafayette.munirevs.com | 303-661-1224 | email: support@munirevs.com or salestax@lafayetteco.gov
We are unable to make exceptions. The State legislature is in session, you may want to consider contacting your representatives. Here is a link to find yours: https://leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator