Businesses Hit by Colfax BRT Construction Can Now Apply for Grants

For small businesses struggling to stay afloat during the disruptive, years-long BRT construction project that began last fall on East Colfax Avenue, help is on the way. Potentially.

Denver Economic Development & Opportunity has begun accepting grant applications from East Colfax businesses in need of assistance due to BRT-related hardship, part of a program titled the Business Impact Opportunity Fund. This is after conflicting and sometimes contradictory estimates were given by DEDO, the Department of Transportation & Infrastructure and Colfax Business Improvement District, all of which have had something different to say about grant applications since the program was announced a few months ago.

But now things are set in stone: The application portal will be open from today, February 18, to March 18. 

"During the global pandemic that took the world by surprise in 2020, the City of Denver, and specifically DEDO, acted swiftly to help small businesses weather the financial impact of the economic shutdown," says Frank Locantore, executive director of Colfax BID. "Those lessons, and the BIO Fund in particular, are the cornerstones for helping the Colfax small businesses today during the disruption of the BRT construction. We are hopeful that the grit and resilience that our businesses have demonstrated over the years, combined with the financial support from the BIO Fund, will help maintain the character of Colfax that the community adores."

Businesses with an annual gross revenue of under $100,000 will be eligible for a $7,500 BIO Fund grant from DEDO. Those with an annual gross revenue of over $100,000 will be eligible for a $15,000 grant. There will be multiple rounds of funding going forward, but this first round will focus on Segment 1 of BRT construction on East Colfax, which stretches from Grant Street to Williams Street. Future rounds will focus on later stretches of Colfax as BRT construction moves east over the next two and a half years, so businesses will only be eligible for single grant.

"Yeah, that seems a little paltry," says Michael John, the owner of the Satellite Bar at 308 East Colfax. A former bartender at the Satellite, he bought the vintage watering hole in January. "I know a lot of other businesses on Colfax have taken a significant hit, as well as the Satellite. Those amounts don't seem like they're going to help much."

On the positive side, John praises the representatives of DEDO and the Colfax BID he's been speaking with for months, calling them "kind, receptive and concerned."

"That being said," he adds, "the requirements to meet to be eligible for the grants are kind of stringent. There's a lot of stuff that we'll have to do to prepare our applications."

According to DEDO, businesses can expect to learn the outcome of their grant applications "about three or four weeks after" it stops accepting them on March 18. Winners of those grants will then receive their funds within five to ten business days after getting the news.

In October of 2024, DEDO announced that a total of $870,000 — drawn from the City of Denver's Investment Impact Special Revenue Fund in addition to Colorado's share of federal American Rescue Plan Act money — would be administered by its partner, Mile High United Way. Furthermore, that $870,000 would go "to the East Colfax Avenue corridor, offering stabilization grants and technical assistance to eligible businesses that may experience revenue declines resulting from the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) construction project."

But East Colfax businesses won't get all of that money. An unspecified share will be spent on "West Colfax Pedestrian Crossing & Transit Improvements: West Colfax Avenue from Irving Street to Sheridan Boulevard for construction occurring in Q3 and Q4 of 2024." No mention was made in October of any projects on West Colfax, where BRT construction is nonexistent.

"It's not a predetermined portion per se," says Shelby Morse, DEDO's director of communications and marketing, when asked about how much grant money will be awarded to East Colfax versus West Colfax. "But based on the number of eligible businesses in the West Colfax segment, that area is smaller. It will also depend how many businesses apply and meet eligibility."

DEDO has also instituted a program for free technical assistance to East Colfax businesses, as well.

"Businesses can submit a form to receive technical assistance even if they don’t apply for a grant, They would just need to meet the eligibility requirements for the program. It could be a number of things, depending on business need. A few examples include marketing and storytelling support, quickbook/bookkeeping courses and one-on-one business advising. These services are offered through Mile High United Way and their network of partners."

John doesn't need storytelling skills, though, as much as he needs a lifeline.

"I only took over the Satellite a month and a half ago," he says. "I work a lot of bartending shifts here, too, so it takes up all my time. Trying to figure out the grants in addition to all the other stuff that we have going on at the bar, that's just another challenge. I'm still just trying to catch a stride."

DEDO's application portal for small businesses impacted by BRT construction on East Colfax, including a full list of applicant requirements, can be found at the BIO Fund page of denver.org.