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Funding Resources
Jefferson County is one of the nation's leaders in creating new, technically sophisticated small businesses. Spin-off technologies from the Denver Federal Center, Colorado School of Mines, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have fueled a host of new companies. Small business start-ups and expanding businesses in Jefferson County can access several financial resources. Local Bank Lenders Most local banks also offer U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan Programs for funding the long-term needs of small businesses with shorter financial histories. The banks can make loans that are guaranteed up to 90 percent by the SBA. For a list of bank lenders in Jefferson County that are Jeffco EDC investors, click here. Colorado Housing and Financing Authority The Colorado Housing and Financing Authority (CHFA) provides a variety of business financing programs, primarily for small- to medium-size firms. The programs are funded through issuance of taxable or tax exempt bonds, from other CHFA borrowings, or from CHFA's own internal resources. Programs available to Jefferson County companies include:
Programs that involve community-based funding are designed to help local businesses that may not qualify for conventional bank financing. Colorado Enterprise Fund - Loans up to $250,000 Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute-Loans up to $60,000 Small Business Administration-Loans up to $35,000 Government Financing Programs Offered in Colorado Private Activity Bonds help Colorado manufacturing businesses 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 $10 million. For additional information, call Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation at 303-202-2965. SBA Certified Development Companies SBA Certified Development Companies (CDCs) are private/public sector nonprofit corporations that are set up to contribute to the economic development of a community or region by providing long-term financing programs for small businesses. The program makes loans available for acquiring land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and for building, modernizing, renovating or restoring existing facilities and sites. Loan amounts range from $50,000 to $1 million. There are three CDCs serving Jefferson County companies:
Venture Capitalists invest money in growth-oriented companies, usually in exchange for stock and management involvement. An important strength of the Denver-Rocky Mountain region is the availability of venture capital. There is a large amount of entrepreneurial activity in the Denver area, and a substantial venture capital community has been created to serve it. According to a national survey of venture capital spending by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Front Range of Colorado has taken a proportionate and steady share of venture capital funding. For a list of the larger venture capital firms in Denver, click here. A resource for meeting venture capitalists exists through the Rockies Venture Club (RVC). RVC provides an open forum where emerging businesses can network with qualified funding sources. Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC) Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC) are financial institutions created to make equity capital and long-term credit available to small, independent businesses. The National Association of Small Business Investment Companies keeps a directory of all the SBICs. Angel Investors Angel Capital Networks are organizations that bring together entrepreneurs in need of capital and potential investors. For more information on Colorado Angel Investors, visit Gaebler. Federal Awards Programs There are several Federal Awards Programs designed to strengthen and expand the competitiveness of U.S. small high-technology research and development businesses in the federal marketplace through financial grants and other services. Some of these programs include:
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