Colorado Startup Loan Fund
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) — Business Funding & Incentives Division
Up to $150,000
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 5 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
State-backed startup loans for CO
A state-sponsored revolving loan fund that provides mission-driven capital to Colorado entrepreneurs who cannot access traditional bank financing — to start, restart, rebuild, or restructure a business. Created under Colorado HB21-1288, OEDIT seeds a network of nonprofit and CDFI lenders (including Colorado Enterprise Fund and CEDS Finance) who make loans under $150,000 plus microloans to small businesses statewide. As loans are repaid, the dollars revolve to fund new entrepreneurs. Lenders pair the capital with free business coaching and navigation support. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through the participating lenders.
- Funding type
- Loan
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $5,000 – $150,000
- Realistic amount
- Most awards are smaller working-capital and startup loans well under the $150,000 ceiling — microloans and loans in the low five figures to mid five figures are typical for the first-time and credit-challenged borrowers the fund targets.
- Deadline
- Rolling — applications accepted on an ongoing basis through participating lenders.
- Status
- active
- States
- Colorado
- Payment model
- loan
Who qualifies
- For-profit entity based in Colorado
- 25 or fewer full-time employees
- Less than $2,000,000 per year in gross annual revenue
- Typically serves borrowers who have struggled to secure conventional bank financing, need a smaller-than-average loan, or have not borrowed before
- Must apply through a participating OEDIT lender
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Working capital
- Inventory
- Equipment and assets
- Startup and launch costs
- Business restart/restructuring costs
Ineligible expenses
- Speculative real estate investment
- Personal (non-business) expenses
- Activities outside Colorado
How to apply
-
1
Confirm eligibility and pick a lender
Verify you are a Colorado for-profit with 25 or fewer employees and under $2M revenue, then choose a participating lender (e.g., Colorado Enterprise Fund or CEDS Finance) from OEDIT's network.
~2 hrs
-
2
Prepare loan application package
Assemble the lender's required documents — business plan or summary, financials/projections, owner background, and use-of-funds. CDFI lenders provide coaching to help complete this.
~6 hrs
-
3
Submit and underwrite
Submit to the lender; they underwrite using mission-driven criteria (character, capacity, cash flow) rather than strict bank scoring, and may offer business navigation support during review.
~3 hrs
-
4
Close and draw
On approval, execute the loan documents and receive funds. Free coaching continues over the life of the loan.
~2 hrs
This is debt, not a grant — but the participating CDFI lenders weigh character and cash flow over credit score, and bundle free coaching. If a bank already turned you down, that's exactly the borrower profile this fund is designed for; lead with your cash-flow story, not your FICO.
Deadline & timing
There is no fixed deadline. Borrowers apply directly to one of OEDIT's participating lenders (e.g., Colorado Enterprise Fund, CEDS Finance). Funds are available as long as the revolving fund has capital to deploy.
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