Rocky Ford Announces Expanded Partnership for Economic Resilience

Description: If You Would Like To Volunteer for Music at The Junction or Other Community Development Projects Contact Marty Lee at (719) 469-0373. (Image Courtesy of growrockyford.org)


Published: 06/28/2021
Byline: Hart

ROCKY FORD ANNOUNCES EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC RESILIENCE
 
June 28, 2021– ROCKY FORD, CO – The City of Rocky Ford announces an expanded partnership with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Small Town Project (a local 501C-3 non-profit Economic Development organization), Downtown Colorado, Inc., Ogallala Commons, Southeast Colorado Economic Development District (SCEDD), the Colorado Workforce Center, and local companies to provide equipment and opportunities to Rocky Ford citizens.
 
The City of Rocky Ford and Small Town Project have been spearheading initiatives for community and economic development as part of the 2020 Colorado Challenge Accelerator Program with Downtown Colorado, Inc. (DCI) with support from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA )and USDA Rural Development. As this program continues to gain momentum, the City has expanded training and resources available to entrepreneurs, property owners, and real estate professionals. Most recently, the City completed due diligence and marketing material to promote fourteen vacant opportunity spaces in the community.
 
The Development Readiness Initiative Training, a strategic downtown marketing process, will help investors understand opportunities and will help the City identify potential investors and uses for the downtown spaces. Out of this process, Rocky Ford is able to highlight opportunities for investment in underutilized and currently vacant parcels or buildings. Opportunity listings can be found at www.growrockyford.org.
 
If you are interested in investment opportunities or would like to include a property in the opportunity listings please contact Marty Lee, Rocky Ford Economic Development to learn more about the process. 
 
The Rocky Ford Economic Partners will continue to build diverse training and professional development options around Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, Workforce Training and Upskilling, Development Readiness, and Building and Construction Trades. 
 
The next training will focus on information technology (IT) Training through the Small Town Project. This training for residents is an eight week course that comes with certification. Funding for this series of training comes partially from a DOLA Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) grant that will allow Rocky Ford to provide licensing for 10 computer software licenses for the first class as well as other expenses. This grant will also cover scholarships for four young entrepreneurs to become a part of the Entrepreneurship Club hosted through Ogallala Commons.
 
The City of Rocky Ford is dedicated to building a stronger sense of place and sustainable job economy that supports job growth and opportunities for the community to invest and grow.
 
The City is actively reaching out to local companies, business leaders, non-profits, and other Economic Development organizations to develop and implement a sustainable job training and certification program to benefit employers across the Southeast Region of Colorado.
 
The City of Rocky Ford has established a broad working group that brings expertise, training, and identifies resources to support potential entrepreneurs, property owners, accessing information technology, and helps employees upskill for enhanced work opportunities in the future.
 
Join the City in Celebrating the People of Southeast Colorado and in Fundraising for Grow Rocky Ford and SECO News at The July 3rd Music at The Junction at The Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds in Rocky Ford, Colorado.
 
The Return of the Music at the Junction Concert Festival is Made Possible through the Support of the People of Southeast Colorado.
 
The Hard Work of Great Volunteers, Sponsors, and Participants is Restoring and Modernizing Southeast Colorado's Classic Concert Festival Experience. Join the People of Southeast Colorado in Thanking The 2021 Music at The Junction Sponsors and Volunteers.
 
If You Would Like To Volunteer Contact Marty Lee at (719) 469-0373


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