Colorado CHIPS Community Support Program

The Colorado CHIPS Community Support Program is administered by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, or OEDIT, through its Global Business Development division. The program responds to growth opportunities created by the CHIPS and Science Act and other investments supporting United States semiconductor and advanced industry production. Colorado already has a significant semiconductor ecosystem, particularly along the Front Range, and the program is intended to help extend semiconductor and advanced industry development beyond the state's traditional concentrations. The program consists of three competitive grant types: Market Study Grants, Implementation Grants, and Marketing Grants. Market Study Grants support localities in contracting with consultants to analyze existing industries, assets, gaps, competitive positioning, value propositions, and development, attraction, and retention opportunities related to semiconductor and advanced industries. Awards range from $25,000 to $50,000. Implementation Grants range from $100,000 to $500,000 and support projects that develop an asset or fill an identified gap in the local semiconductor and advanced industries ecosystem. Potential areas include infrastructure and utilities, education and workforce development, research and innovation, business incubation and support, and housing and quality of life. Marketing Grants range from $10,000 to $25,000 and support marketing and promotional activities directed toward semiconductor and advanced industry stakeholders outside Colorado. Allowable Market Study Grant expenses include contractor personnel hours for design and planning, data collection, analysis and visualization, drafting, reporting and presentation, as well as survey participant recruitment and incentives, travel and fieldwork, and consultation and expertise fees. Implementation funding may support construction, land acquisition, engineering and design, consulting and project management, public outreach, curriculum development, instructional staff, facilities, equipment, supplies, program administration, and monitoring and evaluation. Implementation funds cannot be used for general operating expenses or developer's fees. Marketing funds may support creative development, graphic design, copywriting, video production, photography, market research, audience segmentation, competitive analysis, consumer insights, tracking and analytics, media placement, search engine optimization, and printing and shipping. The source does not state a required applicant cost share or matching contribution. Eligible applicants are municipal governments, county governments, tribal governments, regional economic development organizations, and consortia led by one or more of these organizations within Colorado. Location is an important award consideration. Applicants in the state's Zone 1 semiconductor core, including Fort Collins, Longmont, Boulder, and Colorado Springs, are excluded from Market Study and Implementation Grants, although they may seek Marketing Grants and receive the lowest Location/Need score for that grant. Zone 2 covers much of the Front Range and receives lower priority, while Zone 3 population centers with emerging advanced industry clusters receive high priority and Zone 4 rural areas with limited advanced industry presence receive the highest priority. Eligible applicants may apply for one, two, or all three grant types in a cycle. After receiving a particular grant type, an applicant is no longer eligible for that same type in later cycles but may remain eligible for grant types it has not previously received. Applicants use one application for all three grants and begin with a pre-application questionnaire confirming that they have read the eligibility requirements and OEDIT terms and conditions. The application requests applicant background and contact information, offers an optional regional economic overview, and requires grant selection and justification describing the area's advanced industry landscape and anticipated impact. Grant-specific sections request funding totals, cost information, timelines and milestones, and project details. Market Study applicants provide the intended study components and plans for use. Implementation applicants provide a project description, expected economic impact, and resolutions from affected localities. Marketing applicants provide a marketing plan and plans for use. Applications are evaluated on Location/Need, Project Strength/Readiness, and Potential Impact. The weighting differs by grant: Location/Need is weighted at 60 percent for Market Study, 35 percent for Implementation, and 40 percent for Marketing; Project Strength/Readiness is 25 percent for each; and Potential Impact is 15 percent, 40 percent, and 35 percent respectively. Reviewers independently score applications before meeting to reach consensus on awards. Cycle 6 is open from July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026, with award decision notification scheduled for November 30, 2026. The program originally identified $3,750,000 in total available funding. For Cycle 6, the source reports $2,891,585 remaining before deduction of awards from pending Cycle 5. Additional cycles may be established if funding remains after Cycle 6, but the source does not establish a definite recurring cycle beyond that point. Successful applicants enter into a grant agreement with OEDIT, and only expenses incurred after execution are eligible for reimbursement. Most funding is distributed through monthly reimbursement requests. Implementation Grants use a 10 percent advance payment, 85 percent in interim payments, and a 5 percent final payment following receipt of the Final Report. Grant recipients have quarterly, annual, and final reporting obligations, with the final report due within 90 days after expiration of the grant agreement. Rejected applicants may appeal within 15 days after receiving the rejection notice. The program manager is Daniel Salvetti, Semiconductor Industry Manager, who may be reached at daniel.salvetti@state.co.us or 720-601-5055.

Demonstrate geographic need under the Location/Need rubric; provide detailed and execution-ready plans; identify high-quality contractors where applicable; document preliminary steps showing readiness to execute; clearly demonstrate potential impact; align application components when seeking multiple grants