Rural Jump-Start Program

Rural Jump-Start Program

Funds rural Colorado start-ups with matching grants and tax-related growth support.

Colorado's Rural Jump-Start Program, administered by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), supports new businesses relocating to one of approximately 35 designated rural counties by combining a matching cash grant with a multi-year tax relief package. The program is explicitly limited to businesses that are not already operating in Colorado; existing Colorado businesses are not eligible. The grant component and tax benefits are intended to incentivise new private-sector economic activity and job creation in rural areas of the state.

The matching grant provides up to $15,000 for businesses locating in standard designated rural counties, or up to $25,000 for businesses locating in Just Transition communities — counties such as Delta, Gunnison, Moffat, Montrose, Morgan, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, and Routt that are transitioning away from coal-dependent economies. The tax relief package runs separately from the grant and provides qualifying businesses and their employees with relief from certain state and local taxes for a defined period. The grant program is open through June 30, 2028; the associated tax benefits extend through December 31, 2030.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no fixed deadlines. The program is administered in partnership with local economic development organisations in the designated counties, and businesses are encouraged to engage with their county's local economic development partner as a first step. OEDIT's Rural Affairs team manages the programme at the state level. Interested businesses should verify that their target county is on the current list of designated Rural Jump-Start counties, as designation status may change, and should confirm grant and tax eligibility criteria with OEDIT before committing to a relocation decision.