{"id":74066,"date":"2019-08-20T20:10:47","date_gmt":"2019-08-21T02:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/southern-ute-tribe-and-ignacio-receive-economic-investment-from-state\/"},"modified":"2019-08-21T02:10:47","modified_gmt":"2019-08-21T02:10:47","slug":"southern-ute-tribe-and-ignacio-receive-economic-investment-from-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/southern-ute-tribe-and-ignacio-receive-economic-investment-from-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Southern Ute tribe and Ignacio receive economic investment from state"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Gov.
Gov. Jared Polis gives his opening remarks Tuesday during an event at Ignacio Community Library announcing the 2020 recipients of the state economic development program.<\/span>Shannon Mullane\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

IGNACIO \u2013 Gov. Jared Polis and state officials announced Tuesday at Ignacio Community Library that the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and town of Ignacio will receive economic development assistance as part of a statewide program.<\/p>\n

The town and the tribe will participate in the 2020 Rural Technical Assistance Program, offered by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, or OEDIT. The program provides economic development resources and strategies for rural communities across the state. OEDIT accepted Ignacio into two programs, and the tribe will take part in a small-business development program.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year\u2019s awardees really have set big, bold goals for their communities and have demonstrated the experience and drive and ability to deliver on those goals,\u201d Polis said. \u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to seeing the impact that you make.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tribal Council members, Ignacio town trustees, small-business owners, Growth Fund leaders and others packed into the second floor of the library to hear Polis\u2019 opening statement and Betsy Markey, executive director of OEDIT, announce the 2020 Rural Technical Assistance Program recipients.<\/p>\n

In his opening statement, Polis emphasized supporting clean and renewable energy, cutting red tape around rural broadband development and making changes to increase health care savings. He highlighted the state\u2019s commitment to fund the water plan and to bring financing and technology to farmers and ranchers.<\/p>\n

\"Betsy
Betsy Markey, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, announces that Ignacio and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe are 2020 recipients of the Rural Technical Assistance Program on Tuesday at the Ignacio library.<\/span>Shannon Mullane\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

These areas are some of the building blocks of the economic ecosystem, Markey said. For the RTAP program, the goal is to assist those communities in accomplishing their economic goals, she said.<\/p>\n

Polis said RTAP is one way local communities can take control of their own destinies. Through the program, communities can leverage state partnerships and resources to take economic development into their own hands, he said.<\/p>\n

RTAP developed out of the Colorado Blueprint, a 2011 community-driven, statewide strategy to spur Colorado\u2019s economy. The strategy focused on business development and job growth. In 2015, Colorado Blueprint 2.0 created the RTAP initiatives, according to the 2018 annual evaluation report<\/a> for the program.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see tremendous drive and determination in greater Colorado communities, but there\u2019s a critical gap in their access to resources and capital that brings ideas to fruition,\u201d wrote Jill McGanahan, communications manager for Colorado OEDIT, in an email. \u201cRTAP provides that access to the resources and subject matter experts that put rural ideas and innovation on equal footing with our urban areas.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, RTAP accepted 18 rural community applicants into seven core programs that focus on developing tourism, outdoor recreation, entrepreneurship, coworking spaces, film festivals and community identity.<\/p>\n

\"Gov.
Gov. Jared Polis speaks about statewide economic development efforts Tuesday at the Ignacio Community Library.<\/span>Shannon Mullane\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe will participate in the Certified Small Business Community program, offered by the Colorado Small Business Development Center.<\/p>\n

The program helps rural communities attract and retain entrepreneurs and small businesses. Recipients receive up to $30,000 to complete an action plan and up to $10,000 in coaching from the Colorado SBDC network. The certification gives recipients access to statewide promotion through SBDC and OEDIT to attract entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n

The town of Ignacio will be part of two programs: the Community Placemaking initiative and the Creativity Lab of Colorado.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s exciting,\u201d said Marcia Vining, Ignacio library director and one of the writers for the Community Placemaking application. She hopes to see more community members get involved in developing the town\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the community is creating it, you don\u2019t lose those things that the community values,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ll just build on the good that\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Creativity Lab of Colorado program offers a community guide for nurturing creative projects; innovation and entrepreneurship with the help of the Creativity Lab of Colorado, a public-private nonprofit; and partnership with Colorado Creative Industries and other community partners. Ignacio took its first steps toward developing a creative district<\/a> through Colorado Creative Industries this year.<\/p>\n

The Community Placemaking program helps communities create a \u201csense of place.\u201d The program is guided by the Colorado OEDIT, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs and Community Builders, a community planning nonprofit. It offers advisory sessions and a two- to three-day workshop designed to help communities develop local assets and a placemaking strategy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIgnacio does get kind of written off,\u201d Vining said. \u201cI think it will start to shine and will have its own identity.\u201d<\/p>\n

smullane@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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