Opportunity Now Colorado

Grant Program

Introducing Opportunity Now Colorado – an $85 million grant program catalyzing transformative change for Colorado’s workforce.

HB22-1350 Grant Program funded through the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)

We are taking a bold new approach to workforce development in our state to meet Coloradans where they’re at in their lives.

Governor Jared Polis

Opportunity Now provides $85 million in grant funds to create or expand innovative talent development initiatives across the state of Colorado.

Program Goals

1

Meet key talent needs in regions throughout all of Colorado

2

Incentivize collaboration between education and industry

3

Match Coloradans with in-demand jobs that pay living wages

Opportunity Now catalyzes regional industry and education collaboration to unlock economic mobility for Coloradans.

Two bubbles, one representing Industry and one representing Education. The Industry bubble includes Corporations, Public Sector, and Small Businesses. The Education bubble includes Workforce, K-12, and Higher Ed. “Opportunity Now Applicants” is the space between the two bubbles.

Employers have a need to increase their workforce in hard-to-fill, critical positions and create more pipelines for living wage careers

Deep regional partnerships are necessary to create ecosystems of talent that meet industry needs

Education & training providers are critical to building tomorrow’s workforce and creating pathways to in-demand career opportunities for learners 

Opportunity Now’s $85m in grants are designed for organizations and partnerships at various stages of development, from early-stage pilot programs to established, evidence-based programs.

Planning

Up to $50k

Seed

$500k-1m+

Scale

$1m+

Phase 2 LOIs open July 2023

Join our mailing list to stay up to date on future application windows.

Sign Up

Opportunity Now is looking for solutions that support employers, workers, and students.

Applications should demonstrate

Goal Alignment

How is the program meeting employer needs and enhancing economic mobility for Coloradans?

Partnerships

What industry and regional partnerships has the program developed?

Proof Points

How will the program be an innovative or a scalable opportunity?

Implementation Plan

How will your plan be implemented and why is this feasible?

Regional Demand

How does the program serve communities to meet regional talent development needs?

Program Impact

What outcomes will be tracked to evaluate the success of your initiative?

Looking for detailed criteria & eligibility?

Applicant Resource Packet