Rural Strategies Lab Empowers Colorado Communities to Diversify and Strengthen Local Economies

DENVER – Today, the Rural Opportunity Office within the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced 15 new participants in the Rural Strategies Lab, including communities in Eastern Colorado, the San Luis Valley and the Western Slope. Rural Strategies Lab initiatives provide education, personalized guidance and strategic planning support so participating rural Colorado communities can develop strategies that diversify and strengthen their economies.

"Rural Colorado is home to some of our state's greatest ideas and strongest communities, and my administration is committed to making sure every corner of Colorado has the tools to build a stronger, more diverse economy. By welcoming 15 new communities into the Rural Strategies Lab, we're helping local leaders in Eastern Colorado, the San Luis Valley, the Western Slope, and beyond turn their vision for economic growth into a real, actionable plan," said Governor Polis.

"We know that rural Colorado is full of brilliant ideas and dedicated entrepreneurs, but the time and capacity to scale those visions can be a challenge. The Rural Strategies Lab is about more than just resources; it's a partnership that empowers local leaders with the specialized tools and strategic guidance they need to turn their unique vision for their community into a thriving economic reality," said OEDIT Executive Director Eve Lieberman.

Rural communities have strong ideas, unique assets, and dedicated local leaders, but often have limited time, capacity or resources to move projects forward. The Rural Strategies Lab is designed to help bridge that gap by connecting community leaders, economic developers, local governments, chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations, and regional partners with the tools, guidance and expertise needed to plan and implement economic development initiatives.

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"Our goal with these initiatives is to help communities move from planning to action. By aligning regional strengths with actionable strategies, we're setting the stage for long-term prosperity. It is inspiring to see these 15 communities take this next step, and we are proud to support them as they build a more resilient and diverse local economy," said Rural Opportunity Office Director Meridith Marshall.

Areas of focus within the Rural Strategies Lab include business development, the creative industries, outdoor recreation, tourism, and workforce development. The goal of these initiatives is to foster regional alignment on local strengths and priorities, identify business attraction and expansion opportunities, and prepare communities to access state resources.

The programs and participants announced today include:

Call Yourself Creative

A do-it-yourself program that helps communities organize successful Colorado Creative Districts.

• Alamosa
• Cañon City
• Delta

Global Business Development Bootcamp

A full- or half-day workshop helps participants identify regional strengths and develop a business retention and expansion plan.

• Colorado River Valley Development Resource Group
• Logan County Economic Development
• PuebloPlex
• San Luis Valley Development Resource Group
• Morgan County Economic Development

Global Business Development and Talent Innovation are built on the same principle: data should drive strategy. The two teams are working together in communities that requested both training sessions to develop a comprehensive program that gives rural leaders everything they need in one session.

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Talent Innovation

This action planning session will engage community and neighboring counties to understand how to identify and leverage existing resources, co-develop business-led talent goals, and connect with local partners as an "easy button" to enhance existing efforts. This session leverages county-level talent information to inform local collaboration.

• East Central Council of Governments
• PuebloPlex
• San Luis Valley Development Resource Group

The Colorado Tourism Office within OEDIT recently announced four new participants for the Destination Blueprint Program, an 11-month program that provides tourism planning and implementation support for Destination Marketing/Management Organizations (DMOs).

About the Rural Opportunity Office

The Rural Opportunity Office (ROO) supports Colorado's rural communities, economic development offices, business support organizations, and small businesses by connecting them to relevant OEDIT, State and partner programs to work toward a resilient future. The office consists of a director and Rural Opportunity Representatives that serve rural communities across all of Colorado. Each representative lives within the region of the state that they support.

About the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado's economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.

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