The Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF) is launching a new and bold initiative to support local small businesses as a key part of building a more resilient and thriving community.
According to a March 24 press release, CCCF is expanding its approach to community impact by investing in for-profit businesses that provide essential services, create jobs and contribute to long-term economic vitality. This work builds on the Foundation’s vision of a county where residents, nonprofits, businesses and governments are interconnected and well-resourced.
As part of this effort, CCCF is introducing a pilot grant program, Enterprise Growth Grants, which will provide funding to help local businesses overcome financial barriers to growth while delivering clear community benefit.
“Local businesses are essential to the fabric of our community,” said Betsy Dittenber, Executive Director of the Chaffee County Community Foundation, in the release. “Through this new initiative, we’re exploring how community philanthropy can play a role in strengthening the services, jobs, and resilience that our neighbors rely on every day.”
This new focus will work directly with key local partners such as the Central Mountain Small Business Development Center and be complementary to existing resources available to the local small business community. The Chaffee County Community Foundation is actively seeking donations and partnerships to seed and grow these new initiatives. We are exploring a range of innovative partnerships and initiatives designed to provide direct assistance to local, small businesses that are providing a defined community benefit. Tools being explored include offerings such as microloans, bridge grants, and business expansion grants, all funded through the generous charitable giving of our community.
The Enterprise Growth Grants pilot will make up to $35,000 available to for-profit local small businesses, with individual awards expected to range from $1,000 to $25,000. Funding is intended to support projects tied to the economic vitality of Chaffee County (jobs, services, etc.) that are facing financial barriers to growth. An ideal grantee is one who is operating a thriving small, local business that has an opportunity for significant growth in services.
Eligible uses of funding may include investments in equipment or infrastructure, expansion of services that meet community needs, or other improvements that enable businesses to better serve Chaffee County residents. Applicants must demonstrate that the primary benefit of the funding is to the community, with any private benefit to business owners considered incidental.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed by CCCF staff and board leadership. Businesses must be locally owned and operated, in good standing, and able to demonstrate both financial need and a clear, achievable plan for growth. This pilot program is part of a broader exploration of tools to support local economic resilience, including potential future offerings such as microloans and bridge funding. CCCF is working in partnership with organizations like the Central Mountain Small Business Development Center to ensure efforts complement existing resources and meet real community needs.
Visit chaffeecommunity.org/enterprisefund for full grant information. To learn more about the Enterprise Fund or to explore partnership opportunities, contact Betsy Dittenber at betsy@chaffeecommunity.org.