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Custer County moves ahead with $100,000 state grant to open Wet Mountain Valley agricultural marketplace
Summary
The Board authorized pursuing acceptance of a $100,000 Ready25 DOLA grant to support a proposed Wet Mountain Valley Agricultural Marketplace in downtown Westcliffe; the county will hold funds and review the state contract before final execution and plans to transfer the project to a nonprofit or other entity during the two-year grant period.
The Custer County Board of County Commissioners on July 23 authorized county staff to accept a Ready25 (DOLA) grant award offer of $100,000 to seed a Wet Mountain Valley Agricultural Marketplace in downtown Westcliffe and to proceed with project planning. Commissioners and project leaders described the marketplace as a brick‑and‑mortar “food hub” with online sales and a storefront to connect local farmers and ranchers directly with residents and tourists.
John Van Dorn (co‑lead) and Bianca Frenker presented the project to the board, describing it as an economic development initiative to increase year‑round sales for local producers and to help keep agricultural lands in production. "Working name for this is agricultural food hub," Van Dorn said during the presentation. The project team said the award would provide a runway to plan operations, purchase equipment (including walk‑in freezer capacity for meat processing and storage), build a draft business plan and identify a long‑term operator — ideally a nonprofit to pursue further grants and manage ongoing operations.
Commissioners were told the building owner has offered six months’ free rent as an in‑kind contribution, and other local support has been pledged; meeting discussion included a match requirement the presenters estimated at about $62,700 (some of which may be met with in‑kind rent and other local contributions). The state’s grant guidance requires the county not to obligate or spend state funds until the grant contract is fully executed; presenters and the county attorney said the county will not seek reimbursement for any pre‑contract expenditures.
The board’s vote authorized staff to accept the grant award and to return the executed contract to the board for formal approval before spending. Commissioners emphasized the project will be a county‑led startup for up to 24 months, with an expected transition to a separate entity (a nonprofit or cooperatively structured operator) during that period.
Project co‑leads said early priorities include finalizing a business plan, designing refrigeration and storage capacity for meat and perishable products, selecting a software platform for processing vendor orders and outlining marketing plans to reach Front Range and regional customers. Presenters also discussed engaging FFA students and other youth programs for workforce development and seasonal staffing.
Next steps: county staff will review the formal DOLA grant contract when it arrives, document matching funds and in‑kind contributions, and develop an implementation schedule to present to the board.
