Resource Library

Colorado Enterprise Fund administers a loan program on behalf of the City of Commerce City for business loans of up to $500,000 if they have annual gross revenues under $2 million. Businesses can use their loans for working capital, equipment and inventory purchases, property improvements, business purchase and commercial real estate.

A coalition of values-driven businesses that advocate for policies supporting workforce and business growth.

This program commissions artwork for people to enjoy in publicly accessible areas inside and outside of state buildings

This credit enhancement helps small and medium-sized businesses in Colorado access loans that they would otherwise not get because they do not have enough collateral.

This federal program encourages long-term investments in designated low-income communities by giving investors tax incentives for investing in real estate projects.

The Colorado Startup Loan Fund provides loan capital to mission-based lenders to provide loans to Colorado entrepreneurs and small business owners needing capital to start, restart, or restructure a business, and those who are not able to obtain a loan from traditional lenders.

The Colorado Employee Ownership Office consultant can answer questions you may have about becoming an employee-owned company.

Available resources and educational programming to support Colorado business owners on their journey to becoming an employee-owned company.

This tax credit covers up to 50% of a qualified business’ conversion costs to employee ownership (up to $150,000.00). Check the program page to learn more about the recently expanded program.

This tax credit is an eight-year job creation incentive to support competitive, multi-state, or country relocation and expansion projects.

This grant helps small businesses expand internationally by funding international business development activities.

This program offers small businesses a free, one-hour consultation with a lawyer.

DreamSpring (formerly known as Accion) is an award-winning nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with a mission to increase access to business credit and provide loans to enable underserved entrepreneurs to realize their dreams. Founded in 1994 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, DreamSpring has grown to support entrepreneurs across the country.

This directory is Colorado’s most comprehensive database of certified minority-owned businesses.

This cash incentive is a five-year program for competitive business expansion or relocation projects.

The Colorado Green Business Network (CGBN) is a voluntary program that encourages, supports, and rewards organizations that make the move toward the goal of true, operational sustainability.

In 2022, the Colorado Green Business Network (CGBN) launched the Small Business Equity Fund (SBEF) grant program. The program provides funding to small businesses in disproportionately impacted communities interested in implementing energy efficiency upgrades. The Small Business Equity Fund currently focuses on Aurora and Commerce City, but we hope to expand to other communities in the future.

FRCC Workforce Solutions creates and delivers client-focused training solutions for businesses.

As entrepreneurs start or grow their businesses they may need a range of spaces, from a shared or part-time office space to an occasional meeting room in which to see colleagues and clients. Learn more about co-working and other meeting spaces available within Commerce City.

List of programs and funding provided by the State Office of Economic Development & International Trade.

Provides member services to engage, educate, and advocate for the business community and Commerce City.

Women entrepreneurs receive essential business counseling and training from this national network of community-based centers. Each center tailors its services to help navigate the challenges women often face when starting or growing a business.

Veteran and military entrepreneurs receive business training, counseling, and referrals to other SBA Resource Partners at a Veterans Business Outreach Center. Receive procurement guidance to better compete for government contracts. VBOCs also serve active duty service members, National Guard or Reserve members, veterans of any era, and military spouses.

Every person engaged in business in Commerce City must comply with the city’s licensing and tax laws. All businesses are required to obtain a general business license in order to comply with the city’s licensing and tax laws.

If you want to sell liquor in Commerce City, you will need to apply and obtain a liquor license consistent with the city’s revised municipal code of ordinances. L

To operate legally, marijuana businesses will need to follow the city’s regulations as well as those of the state.

The first step to registering your business in Colorado is to carry out a name search of all the businesses registered with the Colorado Secretary of State. You can easily do this using the online service the Secretary of State provides. This tool also provides information on trade names, corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, and trademarks filed in the State of Colorado. Most forms can be completed and paid for with a credit card online.

MyBizColorado is a great tool to help businesses file taxes and business documents with the state of Colorado: Secretary of State, Department of Revenue, and Department of Labor and Employment.

All forms of legal structure, except sole proprietors with no employees, must obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). The FEIN is your federal tax ID number.

CEF provides fair and flexible loans up to $500,000 to businesses unable to obtain financing from traditional sources.  Businesses can use their loans for working capital, equipment, acquisition, and commercial real estate.  As a non-profit community lender CEF also provides free business support and coaching to their clients.

The Small Business Navigator is the first point of contact for new and existing business owners with questions about federal, state and local licensing requirements. The navigator also provides referrals to a variety of state and federal assistance programs and local small business training. The navigator also maintains a comprehensive database of federal, state and local regulatory and permitting requirements. Call the Small Business Navigator at 303-592-5920 with your start-up questions or email info@coloradosbdc.org.

RMMFI is a community creating economic and social mobility through entrepreneurship. The program provides access to education, mentorship, and microloans to traditionally underserved low-income individuals.

Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) offers a variety of services related to developing export opportunities for Colorado industry. These services include export counseling, tradeshows, foreign missions, incoming buyer delegations and trade-related education.

The U.S. Commercial Service is the lead trade promotion agency of the U.S. government. U.S. Commercial Service trade professionals in over 100 U.S. cities and more than 75 countries help U.S. companies get started in exporting or increase sales to new global markets.

The Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media stimulates and supports growth of all segments of the Colorado film and video industry. It actively promotes Colorado as a location for film making, commercial shoots and still photography.

The Colorado SBDC Technology Program (SBDC TechSource) is a multifaceted program maximizing the economic potential of Colorado companies through direct assistance to technology ventures as well as assistance in utilizing new technology available to business owners. The program is broken down into two distinct subprograms – Cyber: CYA and Commercialization.

Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) grants, mini-grants, waste diversion, and NextCycle incubator programs.

SCORE, a resource partner of the SBA, is an 11,000 member nonprofit volunteer organization with 300 chapters throughout the U.S. The program matches experienced volunteers with small businesses that need expert advice. Clients gain access to this knowledge base through one-on-one free mentoring sessions, workshops for individuals just starting out or those already in business and the Small Business Checkup Program for more established businesses.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) operates a statewide network of Workforce Centers (WCs), providing a number of free employer services, including: screening, referral, mass recruitment, affirmitive action hiring, roundtables, and layoff assistance.

The program provides free, unlimited consulting and business training, as well as online resources and events tailored to construction contractors and professional services consultants in the highway, bridge and infrastructure industry. If you’re just starting your business and want to explore opportunities with CDOT, or if you’re an experienced subcontractor looking to grow and expand your business, Connect2DOT has the expertise and resources to help.

Founded in 1990, Hispanic Contractors of Colorado (HCC) is a 501(c)6 nonprofit corporation and professional trade association. Its membership is compromised of general contractors, subcontractors, engineering/design firms, professional services companies, non-profit members in the construction industry, and public entities. The organization collaborates with other trade associations, including: ABC, AGC, CABPES, CCA, COMTO, IECRM, NECA, NUCA, and SMACNA. HCC's goal is to help small, diverse contractors understand how to do business with public entities and large corporations.

Rockies Venture Club connects and educates entrepreneurs and investors. It is one of the most active Angel groups in the country, fudning 25-30 companies annually.

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the only federal agency created specifically to foster the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in America. The Denver MBDA Business Center provides strategic business consulting services to minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs) with $500,000 or more in annual revenue. It helps those businesses secure opportunities and access to resources, generate employment, promote long-term economic growth and stimulate expansion. The MBDA assists MBEs in financing, planning, management, marketing and government and corporate contract opportunities.

The City of Commerce City Economic Development team offers business attraction, retention, expansion, entrepreneurship, small business, data/analytics, and land development support services including managing the City's business incentives program.

Modern youth apprenticeship connects students to opportunities and employers to talent.

AC-REP’s main mission is to champion the businesses of the Greater Adams County Region to enable our entire community to grow, thrive, and reach its full potential. By creating a network of community leaders and businesses, we strengthen our collective position and help people like you create new connections, in turn spawning new business opportunities.

This grant helps teams of Colorado-based advanced industries technology businesses and nonprofits develop new large-scale projects.

This grant helps Colorado-based advanced industries technology businesses who want to export or are currently exporting.

This tax credit encourages investments in advanced industries businesses by giving tax credits to investors.

The Colorado Business Resource Book is one of the most successful and comprehensive business books in the nation. This publication is made possible by the Colorado Business Development Foundation and the Colorado Small Business Development Center Network. Get involved and take advantage of the support, education and business information outlined in this book. The programs mentioned provide support across all of the major elements of starting a business.

Colorado Loans to Increase Mainstreet Business Economic Recovery created by HB-20-1413. This is a loan program that was created during the pandemic to assist those businesses impacted by the pandemic. Small businesses interested in getting loan ready can reach out today!

Since 1989, the North Metro Denver Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has been dedicated to helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper by providing free, virtual and in-person, confidential consulting and no- or low-cost training programs.

Primarily comprised of Commerce City’s Latino business owners, this organization provides information and assistance to small business owners through workshops and presentations on a variety of topics including employment, insurance, and other business matters.

CMBO offers bilingual consulting services to minority, veteran, and woman-owned businesses. Specifically, the consultants share information on available state, federal and local business certifications and their benefits. The CMBO then advises business owners on how to market as a certified business when bidding for government contracts. Local consultations are held virtually and at the Commerce City Small Business Resource Center, 7270 Monaco St

SBA offers a variety of loan programs for specific purposes. Ask your local business bank about the SBA loans they currently provide.

Funding to support companies using technologies developed in proof of concept grants and other early stage start-ups that have created viable products that meet a market need and that can be created or manufactured in Colorado and exported globally.

A variety of small business financing products to help small businesses thrive in today’s economy. Loan products can be structured as either an interest-based loan or an Islamic-compliant murabaha (riba-free)

CHFA provides fixed-rate financing for small business loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. Loans may be used for working capital, equipment purchases, business expansions and real estate acquisitions.

Offers small businesses access to attractive, fixed-rate, long-term financing for real estate and equipment expansion projects.

Adams County offers businesses a loan of up to $50,000 for up to five years if they have annual gross revenues under $2 million. Businesses can use their loans for working capital, equipment and inventory purchases, property improvements, business purchase and commercial real estate

Offers state income tax credits to businesses that create new jobs and/or invest in economically distressed areas of the state. Enterprise zone tax credits can be earned on investments, job training, hiring of new employees, research and development, the rehabilitation of vacant buildings, and the purchase of commercial vehicles.

Help Colorado manufacturing companies fund capital expenditures for acquisitions or expansion and for purchasing equipment through the issuance of tax-exempt bonds. Project size should be at least $1 million and cannot exceed $20 million. Only $10 million of the project is tax exempt. Commerce City receives an annual bond allocation for this program. Contact the city’s economic development division for more information about this financing tool.

A statewide manufacturing assistance center that encourages the strength and competitiveness of Colorado manufacturers. Manufacturer’s Edge executes onsite technical assistance that provides coaching, training, consulting, collaboration-focused industry programs, and leverages government, university and economic development partnerships.

Established to provide seed- and early-stage capital to businesses. The minimum and maximum investment size generally ranges from $100,000 – $3.375 million.

RMTAC administers grants for manufacturers who want to more effectively compete in global markets.

Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) offers a variety of services related to developing export opportunities for Colorado industry. These services include export counseling, tradeshows, foreign missions, incoming buyer delegations and trade-related education.

The USEAC aims to help increase export sales for Colorado businesses by leveraging their global network of 165 offices in 82 countries around the world as well as a multitude of local and national partners.

A resource for businesses that provides comprehensive international trade services and key global contacts to facilitate and expand trade and international business throughout Colorado.

Anyone wanting to sell goods or services to the State of Colorado must promote their goods and services to individual State entities and actively search for opportunities on ColoradoVSS and other solicitation websites. The State Purchasing Office is a valuable resource that helps guide businesses through the procurement process. ACCESSColorado is the program for active and prospective suppliers.

Colorado PTAC (now APEX) assists Colorado companies with finding, obtaining and performing local, state and federal government contracts.

The City of Commerce City routinely issues bid requests for qualified and experienced firms to provide professional services for capital improvement programs and other projects. Interested companies can sign up to receive a text message or email notification when new bid requests are issued.

Rocky Mountain e-Purchasing System connects local government agencies and vendors. Find Bids, RFPs & solicitations for cities in Colorado and Wyoming.

The Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. See if your business is located in an eligible HUBZone in Commerce City.

The Adams County WBC provides free candidate recruitment services for all Adams County Business owners, including job postings, prescreening, customized hiring events and on-the-job training.

The Skill Advance Colorado Job Training Grant (formerly the Colorado First and Existing Industry Grant) helps businesses and nonprofits create customized job training for employees. This training develops Colorado's workfoce, builds workers' trasferable skills and improves their resumes and long term employment opportunities, and helps Colorado businesses remain competitive.

The Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) Accelerator Program is a free, 12-week program offered twice a year in each of our communities. This program offers a unique combination of immersive business training, mentorship, and access to an extended professional network. Anyone with a dream to start or grow a business or nonprofit is encouraged to apply.

Mi Casa Resource Center advances economic opportunity for Colorado’s women, immigrants, and other under-resourced communities through bilingual career training, small-business development, and financial coaching.