The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) is proud to announce that its Southeast Economic Development Grant Program (SEED Grant Program) has been selected as one of 20 projects nationwide to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grants Program through the Grid Deployment Office. The program will receive a $9.5 million investment to support communities in Southeastern Colorado affected by the Three Corners Connector (3CC) transmission project, with an additional $500,000 awarded by the developer of the 3CC project, Grid United.
The SEED Grant Program, in collaboration with Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development, Inc (SECED), will sub-grant funding to local public and not-for-profit organizations. These grants will provide economic development, workforce training, and other opportunities to communities impacted by the 3CC transmission line. The DOE award is contingent upon the 3CC transmission project, which should make the timeline for funding no sooner than 2025 and no later than 2028.
“We are excited that DOLA is one of the select few nationwide to receive this transformational grant funding to support rural Coloradans in the southeast corner of our state,” said Maria De Cambra, Executive Director at DOLA. “These funds will support the communities directly impacted by the transmission project.”
Continued Investment in Southeast Colorado
This significant investment represents a continued commitment from DOLA to support Southeast Colorado. The SEED Grant Program builds upon the work initiated by the Colorado Resiliency Office’s (CRO) Roadmaps Program, which brings together 16 Regional Community Teams composed of over 150 rural jurisdictions and non-governmental partners. Since November 2021, these local partners have been working with the State and their Roadmaps consultant to develop and implement regionally-aligned strategies to recover from COVID-19 and enhance resilience to future disruptions.
The Roadmaps Program is designed to help Colorado’s rural communities recover and thrive. Each Regional Community Team has developed a tailored Roadmap, resulting in actionable strategies to support regional objectives. The Southeast Colorado Roadmap focuses on:
- Economic diversification and development
- Workforce training and development
- Enhancing community resilience and infrastructure
- Building partnerships between public, private, and non-profit sectors
The Southeast Council of Governments was also recently awarded $500,000 through DOLA’s Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF) to conduct a Renewable Energy Impact Study across 18 eastern plains counties to analyze the impacts of renewable energy development and work toward effective solutions to mitigate any negative impacts and offer strategies to capitalize on any positive impacts.
“Our region has an amazing collaborative attitude that allows us to pursue these opportunities for investment,” said Stephanie Gonzales, Executive Director of SECED. “We are honored and excited to help implement and manage programs that encourage and improve community vitality and economic growth throughout this region through valuable support from our partners at DOLA, CDOT, and DOE.”
This investment in Southeast Colorado through the SEED Grant Program and existing DOLA programs underscores the Department’s dedication to rural growth and resilience. By targeting economic diversification, workforce development, community resilience, and cross-sector partnerships, these efforts provide immediate recovery solutions and establish a foundation for long-term prosperity. The collaboration between state and local partners ensures Southeast Colorado can navigate future challenges and thrive, setting a model for sustainable development in rural areas statewide.