Colorado Employee Ownership Office
The Colorado Employee Ownership Office establishes a network of technical support and service providers for businesses considering employee ownership structures. The office brings together partners including employee-owned businesses, attorneys, lawmakers, financial and accounting professionals, rural leaders, and other employee ownership organizations.
Employee-owned businesses promote a higher quality of life for employee-owners including higher wages, less turnover, access to better benefits, and job security. For the business owner, they get the benefit of a more engaged workforce, a guaranteed succession plan, and a way to attract and retain top talent. Learn more about employee ownership.
In April 2019, Governor Jared Polis established the Colorado Employee Ownership Commission. The commission consists of experts who are invested in helping Colorado become a leader for employee ownership.
Within the next 10 years, thousands of business owners in Colorado plan to leave their business. Employee ownership, paired with business strategy, creates sustainable economic opportunities.
To further understand the employee ownership landscape in Colorado, the office actively looks for opportunities to connect with business owners. In 2021, we produced a documentary to tell the stories of 5 employee owned companies. In 2022, the office partnered with the Exit Planning Institute to release the Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report, (PDF) and Quicklook Brochure, (PDF) to provide insight into how prepared Colorado businesses are to transition ownership, including selling to employees.
Interested Business Owners:
Learn more from our Introduction to Employee Ownership Toolkit
Request Employee Ownership Consulting to identify your first steps
Sign up for the Employee Ownership Peer Network to hear from an employee-owned company about their experience
Learn about our funding opportunities in the programs section below
Colorado Employee Owned Companies:
Register your company as a Colorado Employee Owned Company
Check the box on that form to join our Employee Ownership Peer Network to serve as a mentor and/or network with other employee-owned companies in the state
Colorado Employee Ownership Service Providers:
Complete the Service Providers Registration to be considered as a vetted service provider and referred to our clients
Programs and Funding
Employee Ownership Tax Credit
This funding will be available to Colorado-headquartered businesses to cover up to 50% of a qualified business’ conversion costs for use on their state income taxes. Applications are open and accepted on a rolling basis.
Employee Ownership Grant
This grant provides funds to offset transition professional technical services costs for Colorado businesses converting to an employee ownership structure.
Employee Ownership Peer Network
Network with Colorado Employee Owned Companies to hear first hand about how employee ownership affects a business.
Colorado Employee Owned Company Registration
Register your business as a Colorado Employee Owned Company if you are already a business with at least 20% of the company owned by workers of the business.