Colorado Technology Hub Development Grant
Program Summary
The State of Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) is pleased to accept applications for the Colorado Technology Hub Development Grant (THD Grant), a sub program under the Colorado Federal Fast Forward Program, which was approved through the Economic Development Commission (EDC) (established in C.R.S. 24-46-101 through 105) from Strategic Fund Long Bill funds that more generally provide limited funding support for initiatives led by nonprofit entities pertaining to key industries or regional development (C.R.S. 24-46-105), which must demonstrate the extent of the public benefits expected to result from the grant.
The EDC provides approval and oversight of the Colorado Technology Hub Development Grant Program; Program requirements and definitions are subject to change, and the EDC may require additional contingencies for Projects upon approval.
Questions and Answers
Question & Answer Period: Consortiums were directed to submit all questions during the Question and Answer period by the established deadline of February 7, 2024 in writing to fastforward@state.co.us and provide a reference to the page number and/or Application section in question. Responses to the questions received are included in the document linked below. Any other responses to questions that any Consortium may pose outside of this period will be considered informal and non-binding. Consortiums should refer to the Program Manual for formal guidance.
Funding Opportunity Description and Availability
This Program will seek to catalyze regional technology development by making place-based investments, positioning Colorado competitively nationally and globally, in diverse Colorado regions and ecosystems with assets and resources to drive increased business attraction, net new job growth, and workforce development with a focus on equity and inclusion.
Overview
Type: Grant
For: Consortia who participated in the TechHubNow! pitch session in May 2023 and did not receive an Economic Development Administration (EDA) Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) Designation or Strategy Development Grants
Amount: Up to $750,000 per consortium
Application period: open from February 1-March 15, 2024
OEDIT division: Business Funding & Incentives
The Colorado Technology Hub Development Grant Program Manual will be presented to and approved by the EDC on January 18, 2024 following a public comment period. The final version of the Program Manual is linked below.
Eligible Applicants are consortia who participated in the TechHubNow! pitch session in May 2023 that did not receive an Economic Development Administration Federal Tech Hub Designation, a Strategy Development Grant, or both. Individual new members to the consortia are allowed. If new members are interested in joining a Consortium, please reach out to fastforward@state.co.us to indicate your interest. Once a Consortium has completed an Expression of Interest, they will provide a contact where new members can reach out to indicate their interest in joining the Consortium, which will also be made available on the OEDIT Program Web Page.
List of Eligible Consortiums/Tech Hub Pitch May 2023 Participant List:
- Colorado Clean Range Advance Energy
- Cyber Hardening of Critical Infrastructure
- Ramp Advanced Manufacturing
- Security in Space
- AI/Machine Learning
Eligible consortium/consortium members must (pass/fail criteria):
- Consortium collectively has an operating budget greater than Grant award amount
- Be in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State (as evidenced by a Certificate of Good Standing)
- A consortium must be represented and its application must clearly identify a selected core technology area within or at the intersection of one or more of the key technology focus areas (KTFAs) listed below that the Tech Hub.
- The consortium must have participated in the TechHubNow! pitch session in May 2023.
- The consortium must not have won a Tech Hubs Designation or Strategy Development Grant from the EDA.
The KTFAs under this grant include those identified by EDA Tech Hubs and OEDIT strategic industries:
- Artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomy, and related advances;
- High performance computing, semiconductors, and advanced computer hardware and software;
- Quantum information science and technology;
- Robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing;
- Natural and anthropogenic disaster prevention or mitigation;
- Advanced communications technology and immersive technology;
- Biotechnology, medical technology, genomics, and synthetic biology;
- Data storage, data management, distributed ledger technologies, and cybersecurity, including biometrics;
- Aerospace and related technology in spacecraft manufacturing, electronics, cybersecurity, components, and software, new space technology, and those technologies that impact the space industry; and
- Advanced energy and industrial efficiency technologies, such as batteries and advanced nuclear technologies, including but not limited to for the purposes of electric generation; and
- Advanced materials science, including composites 2D materials, other next-generation materials, and related manufacturing technologies.
Ineligible organizations include (pass/fail criteria):
- Consortia that did not participate in TechHubNow! pitch session in May 2023
- Comment Period on Manual: December 14, 2023 - January 05, 2024
- EDC Review/Seek Approval of Application: January 18, 2024
- Application Open: February 1, 2024
- Written Questions Due (optional): February 7, 2024
- Answers to Questions Published on Program Webpage: February 14, 2024
- Expression of Interest Deadline: February 16, 2024
- Application Deadline: 11:59 PM Mountain Standard time on March 15, 2024
- OEDIT Review of Application for Completeness and Minimum Qualifications: March 16-19, 2024
- OEDIT sends materials to Review Committee: March 20, 2024
- Committee Reviews and Scores Applications: March 20 - 27, 2024
- Tech Hub Pitches with Review Committee & Pitch Scoring: March 29, 2024
- April EDC Board Book Deadline and OEDIT Staff Memo: April 8, 2024
- Award Recommendations at EDC Meeting: April 18, 2024
Applications are now closed. Award recipients will be announced at the April meeting of the Economic Development Commission.
A Consortium must obtain, complete, and submit an Application electronically using the Application on the OEDIT Program Webpage. Only one (1) Application will be accepted per Consortium. As a part of the Application, you will identify a nonprofit organization or fiscal agent who will be the primary contact and party responsible for ensuring Programmatic and financial reporting is complete and for ensuring that all of the funds are spent in accordance with the Grant Agreement.
Deadline for Applications: Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. MST on March 15, 2024. It is the Consortium’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials are submitted to OEDIT by the established deadline. OEDIT may amend, cancel or withdraw this Application at any time.
Any technical issues with the Application that inhibits the ability to submit the Application (such as a technical glitch) should be reported to OEDIT through the email address provided here: fastforward@state.co.us. Please provide screenshots of the issue as needed and provide at least 48 hours in advance of the Application deadline for OEDIT staff to respond and resolve the issue.
Review and Selection Process: The selection committee will include an EDC Member and a diverse group of industry experts with geographic distribution. All proposals will be evaluated and ranked based on the responses to Application questions, a presentation to the selection committee, and the proposal’s alignment with the grant principles (See Rubric). Once the selection committee has scored, reviewed Applications and pitches, the selection committee will provide recommendations to the EDC for review and approval. EDC will approve award amounts with discretion to partially fund or not fund a request. Award amounts will be based on the availability of funds and an itemized budget for the Consortium's Grant award request.
| Criterion Categories | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Strategic Development & Vision | 20% |
| Economic Ecosystem & Innovation Support | 40% |
| Sustained Economic Development & Implementation Preparedness | 40% |
| Criterion Categories | Sub-Criterion Categories | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Development & Vision | Strategic Alignment | 33% |
| Long-Term Vision | 33% | |
| Adaptability and Flexibility | 33% | |
| Economic Ecosystem & Innovation Support | Innovation Ecosystem Support | 30% |
| Place-Based Development | 30% | |
| Manufacturing Modernization | 10% | |
| Commercialization Focus | 10% | |
| Public-Private Partnerships | 20% | |
| Sustained Economic Development & Implementation Preparedness | Community Support and Inclusivity | 40% |
| Job Creation and Retention | 40% | |
| Budget, Timeline & Capacity to Implement | 20% |
All proposals will be evaluated and ranked based on the responses to Application questions and the proposal’s alignment with the grant principles. Award amounts will be based on the availability of funds and an itemized budget for the Applicant's Grant award. The total amount available for all Applications is $2 million with a maximum award amount of $750,000 per Consortium. The EDC has the discretion to partially fund a request.
Publication of this announcement does not obligate the EDC to award any specific grant or to obligate all or any part of available funds and the granting of any award is subject to the availability of funds at the time of award.
Depending on demand under this announcement, the EDC may exercise its discretion to adjust the total amount available to ensure funds are used to maximum effect.