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Business Incubator Center reports growth, loan programs and enterprise-zone grandfathering
Summary
Dalita Tasun Bullock, CEO of the Business Incubator Center, told Grand Junction City Council the incubator helped 526 businesses in 2024, created 519 full-time jobs and issued $2.02 million in direct loans; staff urged downtown businesses to apply for enterprise-zone grandfathering before year-end.
Dalita Tasun Bullock, CEO of the Business Incubator Center (officially Western Colorado Business Development Corporation), told the City Council the incubator has worked for decades to diversify the local economy and scale small businesses. “I'm Dalita Tasun Bullock, the CEO of the Business Incubator Center,” she said at the start of her presentation.
Bullock provided performance figures for 2024 and recent years: the incubator worked with 526 businesses in 2024, helped create 519 full-time jobs, maintained 84 businesses on its campus and currently houses 102 startups. She said the center issued $2,020,000 in direct loans in recent activity and leveraged another $3,180,000 in funds intended to help businesses renovate, hire and expand.
Bullock highlighted long-term impacts: “We have helped 1 in 3 businesses in Mesa County since our founding,” she said, and pointed to firms that have scaled, been sold to new entrepreneurs, and continue to employ local residents. She also emphasized sector diversity on the incubator campus, naming manufacturing, services, tech, construction, agriculture, aerospace and outdoor-recreation firms.
On tax incentives, Bullock explained the Mesa County enterprise zone redesignation and urged affected businesses in the downtown corridor (roughly 23 Road to 29 Road) to apply for grandfathering so they can continue to claim contribution tax credits. She said the incubator has assisted businesses with the pre-certification paperwork and can help applicants complete the process before year-end. Bullock quantified tax-credit outcomes: approximately $1,400,000 in nonprofit contribution credits and about $3,500,000 in for‑profit tax credits have been generated for community members through the enterprise zone program.
Bullock closed with a community invitation: she invited council and residents to the Small Business Holiday Expo on Nov. 21 from 4–7 p.m. at the Business Incubator Center, a free, market-style fundraiser she described as a chance to spotlight local entrepreneurs.
The presentation concluded with council recognition of the incubator's economic role and a request that staff and council share the enterprise‑zone grandfathering guidance with downtown businesses.
Ending: The incubator presentation did not include a formal council action; staff follow-up was requested to help affected businesses complete grandfathering paperwork before the end of the year.
