Business Resources | City of Colorado Springs

Get help with your business development

The following organizations aid in business development, growth, and sustainability for established businesses and startups, or developers and site selectors interested in building or relocating to Colorado Springs. Please feel free to contact the Economic Development Division for more information.

Commercial Aeronautical Zone: Annually, El Paso County will provide a credit back to eligible businesses within the Airport CAZ for the county’s 1% general sales tax collected on the items below. For businesses in the CAZ but not on the Airport, the credit will be for one-half of that amount.

COS Open for Business: COS Open for Business is a one-stop guide that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses move from a great idea to grand opening. Access a step-by-step guide, find your key points of contacts and helpful business resources within the Colorado Springs region.

C-PACE: Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) is a state initiative that helps building owners access private-sector financing to upgrade their building with energy efficiency, clean energy, and water efficiency improvements.

Downtown Colorado Springs grants, loans, and TIF information: The Colorado Springs Downtown Development Authority is guided by a mission to build public and private investment partnerships that promote the economic and physical growth of Downtown Colorado Springs.

Enterprise Zone: The goal of Enterprise Zone Contribution Projects is to create or preserve an environment that will help attract, expand, and retain employers in the Enterprise Zone (EZ). To encourage Colorado taxpayers to make contributions to nonprofits that make improvements to the Pikes Peak Enterprise Zone, a State Income Tax Credit equal to 25% of monetary contributions is available to donors who make contributions to approved EZ Contribution Projects.

Hispanic Business Council: The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Colorado Springs was founded in 1988 and incorporated in 1989 in a response to promote and assist in minority-owned small business development, specifically Hispanic - owned businesses in the Colorado Springs area.

Office of Economic Development & International Trade: The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works with statewide partners to create a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth. Under the leadership of Governor Jared Polis, we strive to advance the state’s economy through financial and technical assistance in support of local and regional economic development activities throughout Colorado.

Opportunity Zones: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 created a new initiative known as Opportunity Zones that utilize tax incentives to draw long-term investment to communities with high unemployment and poverty rates. Interested investors will be able to defer their capital gains taxes by investing them in Opportunity Funds that provide needed long-term investments in our region’s Opportunity Zones to promote economic vitality.

Peak Innovation Park: Peak Innovation Park is a 1,600-acre master planned business park at the entrance to the Colorado Springs Airport with sites available for sale, lease, or build-to-suit. These sites are zoned for multiple uses including office, industrial, retail, entertainment, and recreation.

Permit Partner: Permit Partner is a tool for future business owners that helps you estimate the cost of potential permits, applications, inspections, and licenses for your new business. It takes the information you provide and generates a list of estimated fees and required approvals.

Pikes Peak Library District Business Resources: The Pikes Peak Library District provides free business resources - business plans, legal information, investment resources, adult education tools, research guides, makerspaces, demographic databases, food industry training, engravers for branding, LinkedIn Learning in multiple languages, etc. All you need is a library card to begin your entrepreneurial journey.

Pikes Peak Workforce Center: The Pikes Peak Workforce Center connects vital businesses with work-ready job seekers and employer-driven service, and helps residents of El Paso and Teller Counties with career transition, whether they are unemployed, underemployed, or employed.

Property Search: Find the perfect business location with the online GIS tool to easily find available sites and buildings in the region.

Rapid Response Team: The City's Rapid Response Team (RRT) program is managed by the Economic Development Division to provide qualifying primary employers with expedited review and approval of land use applications and building permits.

SCORE: SCORE Southern Colorado and our volunteer business mentors are dedicated to providing the best possible service. Face-to-face or online, our mentors are able and willing to aid in the success of small businesses.

Size Up Tool: Get the business research and intelligence behind doing business in Colorado Springs. Search SizeUp COS and make informed business decisions with local, sector-specific data. Find customers, suppliers and competition, optimize your marketing, and download demographics. Establish or escalate your small business in Colorado Springs with SizeUp COS.

Small Business Development Center: The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network (CSBDC) is dedicated to helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper in Colorado by providing free and confidential consulting and no- or low-cost training programs.

SourceLink Resource Navigator : The Resource Navigator connects entrepreneurs and small businesses with local partners who provide free or low-cost business services.

Southern Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce: SCWCC is committed to economic vitality for our members and our community. With strategic business and political relationships, we offer impactful connections to support business in the Southern Colorado region.

State of Colorado: Businesses of all sizes and origins, as well as non-profits, real estate developers, higher education partners and investors, are encouraged to apply for the resources to help you achieve your goals.

Workforce Asset Map: The Workforce Asset Map (WAM!) is a “one stop,” free, online tool that helps job seekers, employers, and students identify and easily access workforce-related resources within the Colorado Springs region.

City Departments and Other Agencies

As you develop and operate your business in Colorado Springs, there are several entities involved in the process, from review and approval to issuing permits and licenses, and operating your business.