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Rural Tourism Entrepreneurship Scholarship

Scholarship Summary

This scholarship pays for tourism entrepreneurs and small businesses to attend a Small Business Leading Edge Training. If you receive this scholarship, the Colorado Tourism Office will reimburse you for the full tuition fee.

The Small Business Leading Edge Training helps entrepreneurs start and operate a small business through courses that teach a foundation of finance, marketing, and management.

Leading Edge classes meet once a week over 10 to 15 weeks, as a five-day intensive bootcamp or as a nine-month extended coaching program. Leading Edge courses have 36 hours of intensive training taught by state-certified instructors. Classes vary by location.

  Due to COVID-19, we postponed applications from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023. Check back for updates or sign up for Colorado Tourism Office email updates.

Overview

Type: Scholarship

For: Rural tourism entrepreneurs and small businesses

Application deadline: Rolling

OEDIT division: Colorado Tourism Office

To apply for this scholarship, you need to be a start-up entrepreneur or current business owner working in the tourism industry in rural Colorado. Rural is defined as counties with less than 50,000 people.

If you have questions about eligibility, contact the program manager.

 Applications are postponed to June 30, 2023. Please sign up for Colorado Tourism Office email updates to stay informed on this program.

Applications for this scholarship have a rolling deadline, meaning Colorado Tourism Office staff will review applications as we receive them. Please go to the Colorado Small Business Development Center website and fill out the application directly on their website.

We will notify you about scholarship status within five business days after you submit your application.

Application materials

The questions below are only a reference and do not include all of the information you need to include in the application.

  • How did you hear about this course?
  • What is your business or business concept?
  • What is your tourism-related occupation?
  • What do you hope to gain from this course?
  • Why should you be selected to receive a scholarship?

Scholarship recipients will enroll in a Small Business Leading Edge Training and pay the full tuition fee. After you meet graduation requirements, the Colorado Tourism Office will send you a reimbursement check for 100% of your tuition fee. 

Graduation requirements include:

  • no more than two unexcused absences from the training series
  • at least five hours of one-on-one consulting
  • a completed business plan

Program Manager

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