Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Westminster reports small‑business grants and new energy program leveraged private investment
Summary
Community services staff said grants and training helped more than 550 Westminster businesses and leveraged roughly $4.7 million in private investment; the city will add a state‑funded building energy upgrade program for large properties.
Westminster's community services staff told the council that the city's small‑business grant and training programs reached hundreds of businesses in 2024 and produced measurable private investment.
Lindsay Kimball, community services director, said the city's business programs assisted about 556 businesses last year and used roughly $192,000 in city grant funds to attract roughly $4.7 million in private investment in those businesses, a leverage ratio Kimball described as about $24.50 in private investment for every city grant dollar. She said the city added a business safety and security grant in response to demand and continues to operate sustainability grants (SAGE) aimed at saving operating costs for businesses.
Kimball also described a new, state‑funded Building Energy Upgrade Program (BUP) aimed at large commercial properties (50,000 square feet and larger) to help those owners comply with new state energy rules and to reduce energy use in buildings the city identified as often more inefficient.
The department runs regular business outreach including periodic BizWalks, a three‑part Business 101 training series (startup basics, navigating city processes, and financial basics with SBDC partners), and increased printed and electronic newsletters to improve discoverability of city services. Kimball said staff also expanded chamber office hours to provide a regular city presence at the local chamber of commerce.
Why it matters: Small, targeted grants and training were presented as a cost‑effective economic development tool that helps smaller businesses remain viable and attract additional private investment. City staff said they plan to move some grant programs from capital budgets into operating budgets for more timely distribution in future years.
What happens next: Staff said the grant programs will be included in the 2026 budget development and that council will see a new community requests section similar to 2025, showing outcomes for each community request.
