Colorado’s small businesses don’t have the luxury of waiting out Washington dysfunction.
They operate on thin margins, tight timelines and a level of uncertainty that has only grown – amid a sluggish economy, shifting federal priorities and policy decisions that continue to ripple through rural states like ours. Now, they’re facing something even more immediate: a federal funding delay that is threatening one of the most effective support systems they have.
The Colorado Small Business Development Center network – serving all 64 counties through 14 local centers, including Fort Lewis College in Durango – has yet to receive more than $2.25 million in already-approved federal funding for 2026.
Colorado did not get what other states already have, and those consequences are already being felt.
The SBDC network has begun reducing services. Without action, furloughs, layoffs and even closures of local centers – many in rural communities – are on the table.
And that should concern anyone who cares about the local economy, because SBDCs are not bureaucratic middlemen. They are where business actually happens.
They are where contractors learn how to hire seasonal workers legally. Where a child care provider gets help navigating licensing and finances. Where an entrepreneur tests whether a business idea is even viable before risking everything.
Where a small retailer figures out how to market on a zero-dollar budget.
They are where someone sits down, one-on-one, with an expert and asks: “Can I make this work?”
Across Colorado, SBDCs provide no-cost, confidential advising, plus low- or no-cost workshops on everything from federal employment law and wage requirements to marketing, financing and exit planning. They support businesses at every stage – from startup to succession – through a network of roughly 300 experts and more than two dozen local access points.
In 2025, Colorado SBDCs helped drive more than $75 million in capital formation, supported over $31 million in sales growth, and created or retained more than 1,500 jobs statewide.
That impact matters because small businesses account for roughly 99.5% of businesses in Colorado – more than 700,000 businesses employing 1.2 million people. In rural communities, they are the economy.
The Southwest SBDC, based at FLC, is a prime example. It serves multiple counties and tribal communities, offering hands-on advising and training tailored to the realities of doing business in this region.
On May 6, it will host its 14th annual Southwest Colorado Small Business Conference in Ignacio – bringing together entrepreneurs, industry experts and community leaders for a full day of practical training, networking and idea-sharing. It’s called Small Business, Big Future. Learn more and register at tinyurl.com/29fhchhj.
That future becomes a lot harder to reach if the support system behind it disappears.
This is why the entire Colorado congressional delegation – Democrats and Republicans alike – has called on the Small Business Administration to release the funding immediately. Sen. Michael Bennet, joined by Sen. John Hickenlooper and six members of the House, including Rep. Jeff Hurd, warned that further delays will “leave lasting damage on the state’s economy” – a state already contending with a roughly $1 billion budget shortfall tied to HR1, compounded by a slowing economy and broader geopolitical instability.
Our lawmakers are right.
Hurd also deserves credit for advancing policies to strengthen rural economies. His bipartisan Made in America Jobs Act, passed by the House this week, would help communities attract manufacturing, build infrastructure and create jobs domestically – particularly in economically distressed areas.
It’s a practical step toward economic resilience.
But it stands in stark contrast to what’s happening now.
Because while Congress has approved – and even increased – funding for SBDCs, the Trump administration is holding it back, already forcing cuts on the ground.
This affects the restaurant trying to survive the offseason. The startup trying to launch. The family business trying to keep employees on payroll. The entrepreneur wondering whether to take the risk at all.
Some of those people voted for President Donald Trump. Many did not. All of them are being hurt the same way.
If the administration truly supports small businesses, then this is the moment to prove it.
Release the funds.
Before “Small Business, Big Future” becomes a promise we failed to keep.
