Boulder ARPA Small Business Grant Program

In response to the lingering effects COVID-19 has had on our community’s small businesses, the City of Boulder has created a competitive grant application process for small businesses, providing up to $5,000 of grant funding to assist with business-related costs incurred due to the COVID-19 economic disruption such as: rent/mortgage/utility payments; employee payroll; accounts payable and other fixed debt costs; and personal protection equipment (PPE). Under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the federal funds may only be used to cover costs that are necessary economic recovery expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency incurred no earlier than March 1, 2020.

The Boulder ARPA Small Business Grant Program will accept applications beginning Monday, June 6, 2022 at 8:00 AM through Monday, June 20, 2022 at 5:00 PM. Applications will NOT be evaluated on a first come, first served basis. Rather, all applications submitted during the application period will be evaluated.

Colorado Enterprise Fund will let applicants know if they have been selected to receive a grant. Grant notifications and payments are expected to be made in July 2022. The Boulder ARPA Small Business Grant Program is a grant program, and grant funds received through the program do not have to be repaid. However, this grant source should be noted as income and all taxes associated with the acceptance and/or usage of grant awards are the sole responsibility of the grantee, and the grantee shall comply with all applicable federal, state, local laws, executive orders, rules, and regulations in connection with acceptance and/or usage of grant funds.

No. The Boulder ARPA Small Business Grant Program is not a first come, first served grant program. Rather, it is a competitive application process. Applications will be accepted June 6, 2022 at 8:00 AM through June 20, 2022 at 5:00 PM. All applications submitted in completion, with all necessary documentation, will be equally evaluated by Colorado Enterprise Fund staff and a local review panel. All decisions of CEF and the evaluation review panel will be final. There may be additional communication with grant recipients to reflect federal reporting requirements. Funding for the program is limited and it is likely that not all applicants will be awarded a grant. 

No. We encourage businesses in need to apply even if you have already received other relief funding. If awarded, you may have to verify with program staff how the expenses you were requesting were not already supported by another relief funding source.

Information on the Boulder ARPA Small Business Grants Program (including eligibility, required information and the competitive process) can be found on the city’s COVID-19 Business Resources webpage.  Boulder-based small businesses  with between 2 and 49  employees, operating from a bricks-and-mortar location in the Boulder, Colorado city limits, are eligible to apply for a grant through the program. Sole proprietors and nonprofits are NOT eligible for this program. Publicly traded entities are not eligible and, because the source of funds arises out of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), marijuana industry businesses are also ineligible. The City of Boulder is offering a separate grant program for childcare businesses.  More information can be found on the City of Boulder's ARPA Child Care Business Grant webpage at: https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/boulder-arpa-child-care-business-grants.

Employees (and their relatives) of Colorado Enterprise Fund and review panel member organizations having personal business interests in any applicant business will also render that business ineligible to apply under this program.

To determine if your address is within Boulder city limits, click here.

No. A separate grant program for child care businesses is being offered by the City of Boulder.  More information about the Boulder ARPA Child Care Business Grant can be found on the City's COVID 19 Business Resources webpage . 

The City of Boulder will provide a total of $400,000 in grants through this competitive grant program. One-time grants in the amount of either $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000 will be awarded until all available funds dedicated to this program are exhausted. It is anticipated that grant payments will be made in July. Treasury guidance states that businesses awarded grants under this program should consider the awards taxable income. The city recognizes that funding is limited and notes that the number of applicants may exceed available funding, and it is likely that not all applicants will be awarded a grant. 

Uses of the funds will be determined by the applicant but are intended to help small businesses that have incurred economic loss or increased business expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  In accordance with federal guidance, businesses that are awarded grants under this program should consider the awards taxable income, and there may be additional federal reporting requirements regarding the use of awarded funds. 

No. All complete applications submitted to CEF on or before Monday, June 20, 2022 at 5 p.m. will be reviewed to determine eligibility and evaluated based on a scoring model that considers financial and other information provided by applicants including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business operations, financial need, intended use of funds, and other factors.  Application scoring will determine the amount of awarded grants under this competitive grant opportunity. It is likely the number of eligible applications will exceed available funds, and not all applicants will receive grants. 

Complete applications will require applicants to provide their City of Boulder 8-digit business license number and federal EIN, tax ID number, or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, as well as a modest amount of financial and other business information. Businesses will also be asked to provide information about the impacts of the pandemic on their business and proposed use of funding. Finally, the process will seek some information which will not be scored but aid in appreciation of access to recovery-related funding such as application and receipt of funds through the  federal Economic Injury Disaster Loan  (EIDL), Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)  and other loan and grant programs. Information provided on applications will remain confidential and be used for evaluation purposes only. The application is expected to take about 10 minutes to complete. 

The City of Boulder highly values businesses of all types and across all industries. The Boulder Small Business Grant Program is focused on support for small businesses  with 2 to 49 employees (sole proprietors are not eligible) that are headquartered in Boulder. Additional consideration will be given to businesses that provide community access to affordable and inclusive goods or services and women- or minority-owned businesses. Eligibility criteria and the scoring model reflect goals outlined in the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and City of Boulder  Citywide Retail Strategy.   

Small businesses or enterprises  (including LLCs, S-Corps, and other business types) that meet the following criteria are eligible for a grant award.  

• Be privately held and headquartered in Boulder
• Have a physical (brick-and-mortar) presence within the city limits of Boulder. To determine if your address is within Boulder city limits, click here 
• Established before January 1, 2020
• Have an active City of Boulder business license or proof of application (grants may be provisionally approved for businesses that have applied for a business license; however, grants will only be awarded to businesses with a City of Boulder business license)
• Be in good standing with City of Boulder  (current on all City fees, taxes, and utility payments or be on a payment plan with the City)
• Have between 2 and 49  full-time equivalent (FTE) employees (sole proprietors are not eligible)

The program’s selection criteria will consider a number of factors including, but not limited to: 

• Financial assessment 
• Status as a women- or minority-owned business
• Length of time operating in Boulder
• Described need and proposed use of funds as they relate to the direct impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

No. You cannot change your application once it has been submitted. 

The timeline for the grant program is as follows:

• Grant application opens – Monday, June 6, 2022 at 8 a.m. MDT
• Grant application closes – Monday, June 20, 2022 at 5 p.m. MDT
• Grant notifications and payments – July 2022

No, Nonprofit organizations are not eligible to apply under this competitive grant program.