STATEWIDE ~ In a joint effort, Governor Jared Polis, the Department of Local Affairs Colorado Resiliency Office (DOLA CRO), and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) have successfully completed their three and a half year Regional Resiliency and Recovery Roadmaps program. This program aimed to support rural communities in Colorado by providing technical assistance and funding to develop regional economic recovery strategies.

The results of this program have been impressive, with 842 jobs created and $9,386,882 in capital formed across rural Colorado. These metrics, along with other significant outcomes, have been documented in the final report submitted to the U.S. Economic Development Administration who provided funding for a portion of the Resiliency Roadmap Program.

Governor Polis expressed his satisfaction with the program's success, stating that "creating hundreds of jobs across rural Colorado is good for our communities, our economy, and our state." He also emphasized the importance of continuing to support small businesses that drive the state's economy.

Maria De Cambra, DOLA's Executive Director, highlighted the collaborative effort that went into this program. She acknowledged the contributions of participating jurisdictions, local community organizations, and fellow state agencies in preparing rural Colorado economies for future uncertainties. De Cambra also noted that the Roadmaps program empowers local communities to make their regions more resilient on their own terms.

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Eve Lieberman, OEDIT's Executive Director, commended Colorado for being one of the first states to implement a model of economic development planning that incorporates regional goals into statewide strategies. She believes that by supporting regional priorities and strategies, new jobs can be created and long-term economic growth can be fostered in communities across the state.

The Resiliency Roadmaps were developed over a two-year process involving 16 regional coalitions working closely with CRO and their own consultants. The goal was to develop regionally-aligned strategies that would help rural communities recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and become more resilient to future disruptions.

DOLA and OEDIT provided $41,000 through the Rural Technical Assistance Program to each of the participating regional teams to advance a component of their Resiliency Roadmap strategies. Although the federal grant has now ended, both agencies remain committed to supporting the 16 regional Roadmap Teams and their communities.

For more information on the Regional Resiliency and Recovery Roadmaps program, including the final report, visit their webpage. This successful program serves as a model for other states looking to support their rural communities in times of crisis.

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