Rural Development

SelectUSA gives rural Colorado a presence on the international stage

When economic development organizations travel to the annual SelectUSA Investment Summit, they find something unique in the world of international conferences: an audience of more than 1,200 business investors from approximately 70 international markets looking to invest in the United States. It’s the highest-profile event in the country dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment and the only one hosted by the US government.

Rural Jump-Start program helps start new businesses in economically distressed regions

For those living in rural Colorado, or those intrigued by that lifestyle and looking for a change of scenery, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) offers the Rural Jump-Start Program for new businesses to launch or move their business from out of the state to rural, economically distressed areas of Colorado.

OEDIT’s Rural Technical Assistance Program and Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry help rural communities tap into the outdoor recreation economy 

Colorado has a lot to offer in terms of outdoor recreation and industry service providers, and for these reasons, manufacturers find the state a welcoming place to prosper while enjoying the quality of life Colorado communities provide. As rural communities seek opportunities to diversify their economies, the outdoor recreation industry should be considered. Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry accounts for $9.6 billion in consumer spending annually and contributed 120,000 direct jobs in 2020.

SheFly Selects Gunnison, Colorado to Establish Company Headquarters

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced today that SheFly, a women-owned, early-stage outdoor clothing company, has selected Gunnison, CO for its company headquarters.

SheFly pants include a patented zipper design. In addition to the regular zipper fly that allows women to take the pants on and off, a second zipper extends from beneath the first zipper to the back of the waistband. This design allows women to unzip only as far as needed to maximize privacy on the trail, in the woods or anywhere else nature calls.

Extraction Production to begin in Grand Junction

Those traveling through Grand Junction and the surrounding area in the next few weeks may run into some not-so-native creatures. The feature film production of Extraction is underway in the Grand Mesa.

Extraction is an action-driven horror film about an elite squad of soldiers who must extract a vaccine from a quarantine zone inhabited by deadly creatures. Filming starts August 1 with both student filmmakers and veterans supplementing a professional cast and crew.