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News from the Colorado Office of Just Transition
April 11, 2024
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Coal Transition Worker Programs
OJT Begins Roll-Out of Programs for Workers with Hire of First Coal Transition Navigator
With major coal plant closures now just two to three years away, the Office of Just Transition (OJT) will begin rolling out seven Pre-Closure Worker Support Strategies to help coal workers and their families find new opportunities to prosper. As part of this initiative, OJT has hired its first Coal Transition Navigator, Jennifer Pieroni. Jennifer will serve transitioning workers in the Yampa Valley. Like Kirsite McPherson, who manages OJT’s statewide community economic development work, Jennifer is based in Craig.
Jennifer has been extremely busy in her first two months, making connections and identifying partnerships to serve transitioning workers.
For more information about the Transition Worker Pre-Closure program, contact Jennifer at jennifer.pieroni@state.co.us.
For more information about community and economic development, contact Kirstie at kirstie.mcpherson@state.co.us.
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New SBDC Satellite Services to Support Business Development in Northwest Colorado
The regional Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has received funds from the CO Office of Economic Development and International Trade to hire a dedicated staff member to serve the area. The new office will serve Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties, supporting the creation and growth of small businesses as local communities look to diversify their economies and create new jobs.
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Community Assistance Programs
Northwest Colorado Development Council Receives OJT/OEDIT Phase II Grant Award
A Phase II grant award for $430,000 will fund the operations of Northwest Colorado Development Council (NWCDC), which represents three counties (Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt) in the farthest northwest corner of Colorado, as well as seven municipalities (the Cities of Craig and Steamboat Springs; the Towns of Hayden, Meeker, Oak Creek, Rangely, Steamboat Springs, and Yampa). With the funding, the NWCDC can continue to lead initiatives that are vital to the region's transition away from coal, including job creation, business startup and retention, and securing grant funding to support economic and community development.
"The grant from the Office of Just Transitions is a game-changer for us," said NWCDC Chairman Tim Redmond. "OJT's funding allows the Northwest Colorado Development Council to continue working together as a coal-transition region to diversify the regional economy in order to create new industries and new jobs."
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Community Assistance & Action Plan Implementation Spending
With the OJT and OEDIT Phase II Community Assistance Grant Program well underway, we wanted to update you on the program’s overall funding status. As you recall, the Colorado Legislature provided $30 million in OJT funding, with $15 million to support the implementation of the action plan and provide community assistance, and $15 million for transition worker assistance.
Community Assistance Grants
Of the $15 million provided for the Action Plan and Community Assistance, $11.46 million, or 75%, was designated for the Community Assistance Grant Program (Phases I and II). Of that, $6.2 million has been awarded by OJT for community-driven grant projects.
In addition to the Yampa Valley counties of Rio Blanco, Moffat, and Routt, funding is available to the West End of Montrose (towns of Nucla, Naturita, and Norwood), Pueblo County, and Fort Morgan County, as well as Delta, El Paso, Gunnison, La Plata and Larimer counties.
For more information on applying for community grant funding, read the Funding Guidance or contact Cassie Mason at cassie.mason@state.co.us.
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Other Community Support Programs
In addition to the grant program, OJT currently has earmarked over $563,000 of the funding for non-grant community support programs. Thus far, $309,910 has been encumbered for a number of projects including the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) mandated conversations about Tri-State’s potential community assistance, funding for an attorney to represent Craig and Moffat County during Tri-State’s current electric resource plan at the PUC, a grant writer pilot project in Region 10, and business retention and expansion technical assistance support in coal transition communities.
For more information about non-grant community support programs, contact Terri Livermore at terri.livermore@state.co.us.
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Just Transition Advisory Committee
JTAC Chair/Vice Chair Selected for 2024-2025
At its April 2 meeting, the JTAC elected Dennis Dougherty, Executive Director of the AFL-CIO, as Committee Chair for 2024-2025. Carl Smith, Legislative Director at the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), was elected Vice Chair.
Next JTAC meeting: June 19, 2024
JTAC Sunset Review
The Colorado Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform is currently conducting a sunset review of the Just Transition Advisory Committee as described in section 2-3-1203 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Analysis is performed to determine if the advisory council is necessary and should be continued or repealed. To provide input on this review, please visit: https://coprrr.colorado.gov/participate.
For more information on JTAC, refer to C.R.S 8-83-503.
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Other Funding Opportunities for Coal Communities
Upcoming State Grant Opportunities
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OEDIT Community Business Preservation Program is intended to help Colorado communities preserve the businesses that make them unique and are important to their residents.
- Grants of $10,000 to $50,000 per business in a selected community
- Application period: September 22, 2023 - January 19, 2024
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CDOT Revitalizing Main Street (RMS) enhances active transportation safety and strengthens the connection of people to main streets and central economic hubs.
- Grants of $10,000-$250,000
- Rolling Deadlines: April 24, 2024; June 26, 2024; August 28, 2024; October 30, 2024; December 18, 2024
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CDOT Office of Innovative Mobility (OIM) Grants: provides grants to private, public, non-profit, and local agencies to fund innovative mobility and electrification solutions in the state of Colorado.
- New Grant cycle to open in the Summer of 2024.
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CDOT Safe Routes to School: Infrastructure grants to improve the built environment for students to walk and bike to school.
- New Grant Funding Application period opens August 2024.
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DOLA Local Match Program supports local governments with matching funds to support federal IIJA Program grant applications.
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DOLA Main Street Program offers support for community-led downtown revitalization.
Federal Funding Opportunities
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Colorado Office of Just Transition
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
633 17th Street, Suite 1200
Denver, CO 80202 |
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