Denver agency lays out small‑business toolbox and urges council action as city faces net job losses

Denver Economic Development and Opportunity (DEDO) officials told the Business, Arts, Workforce, Climate, and Aviation Services Committee on Jan. 29 that the city has a range of financial and nonfinancial tools to support businesses — from gap financing and facade grants to tax credits and workforce programs — but that Denver faces competitiveness and permitting challenges that require new policies and closer coordination across city agencies.

Adeep Khan, executive director of DEDO, said the city historically relied on quality of life and labor‑market advantages to attract employers but must act more deliberately now to retain and recruit firms. Khan told the committee Denver has shifted in recent years from proactive recruitment to preserving existing businesses affected by factors such as construction impacts and affordability, and said the agency is beginning a three‑ to five‑year strategic planning effort.

Presenters from DEDO gave an overview of programs and impacts: access to capital through gap financing and federally funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars; the Business Impact/Opportunity Fund (BIF) that provided emergency and stabilization grants during the pandemic; tax credits administered at the local level for businesses in designated enterprise zones; the Denver legacy business program that recognizes long‑standing neighborhood…