Bridging the Seasons:
Financial Tools to Help Local Businesses Stay Resilient
Local businesses across the Estes Valley experience natural highs and lows throughout the year. Seasonal shifts can impact cash flow, staffing, and long-term planning, making access to the right financial tools especially important. To support our business community, we have compiled a list of trusted local, regional, and state resources designed to help businesses stay resilient, plan ahead, and navigate changing economic conditions with confidence.
These Financial Resources for Local Businesses may be accessed on the Chamber’s website, under the Economic Development tab, or by contacting the supporting team listed below, directly.
Local Resources
Bank of Estes Park Resources – Grow Estes:
https://www.bankofestespark.com/ Contact: Dwight Pfeiffer, Chief Credit Officer, 970-235-7025 dpfeiffer@bankofestespark.com
Grow Estes Advantage
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m0tQ4jCz5vkgfSIVHsKuN0J7k9Yi4KLZ/view?usp=sharing
Grow Estes Form (One page application) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Knkf1bB8uBXHJa4tuQSYifQiAQ9qI9ID/view?usp=sharing
Bank of Colorado Resources:
Bank of Colorado offers tailored lending solutions designed around each customer’s unique needs, cash‑flow cycles, and long‑term financial goals. We work closely with our customers and a range of trusted partner organizations- several of which are highlighted below-to ensure our borrowers receive the best financing options and the best overall outcome for their business.
https://www.bankofcolorado.com/locations/colorado/estes-park# Contact: Ben Van der Werf or Isaiah Johnson 970-586-8185
Larimer Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Resources:
Work 1:1 with a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) advisor to discuss your cash flow options. There are a few steps to get started:
- If you've never worked with the SBDC, go to Schedule a Session. You will create an account, answer some questions about your business and this is a one-time process.
- If you have worked with the SBDC before, Request a Follow Up and select one of the following advisors: Mike Bennett, Mike O'Malley, Mike Forney
Regional Resources
Upstate Colorado Resources:
Weld/Larimer Revolving Loan Fund: The Weld/Larimer Revolving Loan Fund (“RLF”) assists with the financial needs of companies expanding or locating in rural areas of Weld or Larimer County. Upstate Colorado Economic Development administered the RLF on behalf of both Weld and Larimer Counties.
https://upstatecolorado.org/weld-larimer-revolving-loan-fund/
State Resources & Opportunities
OEDIT/Office of Economic Development & International Trade Resources:
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) creates a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth.
https://oedit.colorado.gov/programs-and-funding?f%5B0%5D=i_am_looking_for_%3Aloans
The Colorado Revolving Loan Fund provides loans that help small to medium-sized Colorado businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans range from $5,000 to $750,000. These loans are intended to provide startup and working capital that will help create and retain jobs across the state of Colorado. The maximum interest rate is 10%, and the expected average interest rate of these loans is 4%. Loans may be character-based and may have terms up to 20 years based on the type of loan. This fund prioritizes socially and economically disadvantaged businesses and non-profits. We will work with community-based organizations to reach people and extend effort to assist and qualify these types of businesses including using non-traditional underwriting criteria such as character-based lending and providing bi-lingual support where possible. These loans are funded by the US Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration and is administered by these Colorado-based nonprofit lenders:
B:Side Fund (formerly Colorado Lending Source): Explore a variety of flexible lending solutions tailored for small businesses. As a non-profit with a 30-year legacy, we specialize in Small Business Administration loans in addition to inclusive Direct Lending options, serving diverse industries across Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Contact: Kyle Klabunde 720-514-1178 Or Marie Peters, Fund Director mpeters@bside.org 303-657-0010 https://www.bsidefund.org/get-started
Colorado Enterprise Fund Alan Ramirez, Director of Strategic Lending alan@coloradoenterprisefund.org (303) 860-0242 https://www.coloradoenterprisefund.org/
Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado
Additional OEDIT Support
Cash Collateral Support https://oedit.colorado.gov/cash-collateral-support
This credit enhancement helps small and medium-sized businesses in Colorado access loans that they would otherwise not get because they do not have enough collateral. Program Manager: CHFA (Colorado Finance & Housing Authority). The Cash Collateral Support program helps small and medium-sized businesses in Colorado access loans that they would otherwise not get because they do not have enough collateral. This credit enhancement uses small amounts of public resources to encourage private lenders to loan money to businesses. The program provides a cash deposit as collateral for a business loan or credit facility when the business cannot meet the lender’s collateral requirements. One of the goals of this program is to support employee ownership business transitions and financing for employee-owned businesses.
Colorado Credit Reserve program helps businesses that typically struggle to get access to a bank loan. The program helps lenders make loans by establishing a loan loss reserve account with the lender as additional security. To get a loan through this program, the borrower pays a fee of 1% of loan principal, which we match. Borrower and program fees fund the loan loss reserve.
Each participating lender: makes the underwriting decisions, sets the terms, services the loan.
We financially support the Colorado Credit Reserve Loan. The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority manages the program. In its first 10 years, this program gave more than $24 million in small business loans. In 2010, Colorado changed the program to increase reserve funds for loans made to:
- women- and minority-owned businesses
- businesses in enterprise zones
- rural businesses
Program Manager: CHFA (Colorado Finance & Housing Authority) https://oedit.colorado.gov/colorado-credit-reserve This credit enhancement is for businesses that typically struggle to get access to a bank loan.
CLIMBER Loans These loans provide up to $250 million in working capital loans to Colorado small
businesses negatively impacted by adverse economic conditions. The CLIMBER (Colorado Loans to Increase Mainstreet Business Economic Resiliency) Loan Fund provides up to $250 million in working capital loans to Colorado small businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic and ongoing economic struggles. It is promoting small businesses resiliency, creating and saving jobs, and helps to support the Colorado economy. Lenders, community development financial institutions (CDFIs), credit unions, and nonprofit lenders can participate and provide loans for their small business customers needing financial assistance. Small businesses with 1 to 99 employees that were financially stable before the pandemic
but now need help to survive may apply for working capital loans between $10,000 and $500,000. Below-market interest rates and a one-year deferred payment option make the program a secure recovery option for small businesses. https://climber-colorado.com/