During the Wednesday night City Council meeting, Mayor Rick Taggart presented five Grand Junction organizations with funds to conduct specific economic development activities during 2018.

When the City first became heavily involved in economic development, the NorthStar report recommended that the best approach instead of direct service provision was to partner with the capable resources the community already has working in this field and fund their efforts. In presenting these funds the City recognizes the partnership we have with all of these organizations in bolstering economic development in Grand Junction through the services of recruitment, retention, expansion and business creation.

Funds awarded and uses include:

Business Incubator – $102,600   Funding will be used for the GJ MakerSpace, website design and upgrades, and general operating expenses.

Grand Junction Economic Partnership –  $189,000   Funding will be used for travel, prospect visits, trade and press visits, industry lists, a prospecting/attraction tool, trade shows, email marketing, website design and upgrades, advertising, trade show sponsorship and promotions, and general operating expenses.

Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce –  $30,000    Funding will be used for business roundtables, tracking and communications, and publicizing success stories.

Industrial Developments, Inc. (IDI) – $68,200   Funding will be used for incentives for job creation.

Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission – $73,800   Funding will be used for a feasibility report, marketing, association memberships, operational costs, trade shows and event seed/operating funds.

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Contact:  Sam Rainguet, Communications Manager       970-244-1507 or samr@gjcity.org