Dear Community,

Two years ago, Colorado’s General Assembly created the Opportunity Now Colorado Grant Program in response to impacts on Colorado’s workforce development as a result of COVID-19.

The program will fund the creation and development of initiatives across the state to meet workforce needs. The grants will support collaboration between K-12 schools and higher education institutions and industry to prepare and create opportunities for Coloradans to earn a living wage.   

Although “traditional workforce” development has been considered a community college activity, this new initiative expands opportunities for institutions like CU Denver. Obtaining a grant in this program would be consistent with our Strategic Plan’s goal two, to become a university for life. As an urban research university we already work with industry to provide a pipeline of talent. We could potentially use the funds to identify needed workforce competencies and create, recreate, reimagine, or repackage some of our academic programs to meet those needs. As noted, the goal is to develop lifelong learners who get the skills that they need at a time in their lives when they need them.   

Ultimately, the hope is to create pathways into our degree-granting programs as we know that completion of a bachelor’s degree results in significant increases for lifetime earnings.

I know that groups of faculty and staff may have been thinking about this grant opportunity and it’s important that we work together across CU Denver (and Auraria-MSU/CCD) to create strong partnerships. CU Denver is limited to one institutional application, but because of federal restrictions we would be required to spend any directly awarded money by the end of 2024. If we partner with a nonprofit, the grant can go through 2026. 

If you have a specific proposal idea or been invited to participate as part of another application (industry, nonprofit, K-12, and other higher ed institutions), please contact me. If you’re interested in participating or have ideas about how CU Denver can engage in this space, please let me know. My goal is to serve as a connector and convener and identify ways for CU Denver to be an effective partner.    

Letters of intent are due to the state at the end of January, so please let me know by Dec. 20. 

Thanks! 

Chris Puckett 
Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Government Relations 
Managing Associate University Counsel