Small Business Organizations

Below are local organizations that are designed to help small businesses succeed.

Alameda Gateway Community Association Since 1996, the Alameda Gateway Community Association and its members have actively promoted the business and social interests of merchants, property owners and residents in Lakewood's vital Alameda Corridor.

Applewood Business Association
The Applewood Business Association is dedicated to the promotion, expansion and development of its members by providing services that directly aid, support and promote their business and by expressing and supporting common goals for the protection, identity and growth of Applewood Businesses and the community.

The Better Business Bureau Serving Denver/Boulder's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. BBB accomplishes this mission by creating a community of trustworthy businesses, setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices, celebrating marketplace role models, and denouncing substandard marketplace behavior.

The Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology is a statewide manufacturing assistance center focused on increasing the strength and competitiveness of Colorado manufacturers.  CAMT assists the Colorado manufacturing industry by providing on-site technical assistance and support, and collaboration-focused industry programs. CAMT is an affiliate of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a nationwide network of manufacturing support centers sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and is also hosted by the University of Colorado.

Jefferson County Business Resource Center JCBRC provides access to resources and comprehensive services at no cost or low cost for start-up businesses and established businesses in the county.

The Jefferson County Workforce Center serves employers by accessing qualified and work-ready employees. Working with a company's specific needs and criteria, the Center offers pre-screening of applicants, referrals to publicly funded programs, job fair participation and customized software training. They provide a free job seeker website where employers can post jobs for free at www.connectingcolorado.org. To learn more about how the Center helps businesses, please watch their video here.

NADCO, the National Association of Development Companies, is the industry association for certified development companies. This site contains much useful information about the 504 Loan Program.

Procurement Technical Assistance Center
The Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) has a satellite office in Jefferson County. Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation staff was approached and offered the use of one of its dedicated offices in the Denver West Office Park.

There are 93 PTACs across the country to aid small businesses in getting contracts with federal, state and local governments. Colorado was awarded a PTAC from the US Department of Defense in 2009. For more information on the PTAC effort in Colorado which helps our small businesses, please contact Michelle Claymore at mclaymore@jeffco.org.

Rocky Mountain Education Center The RMEC is a one-stop training organization dedicated to providing high quality, effective and affordable training for Lakewood Small Businesses.

The Rocky Mountain Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (RMTAAC) is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Department of Commerce to provide financial help to manufacturers and service firms affected by import competition. This cost-sharing federal assistance program pays for half the cost of consultants or industry-specific experts for projects that improve a manufacturer's competitiveness—up to $75,000. With expert management assistance and funding to help manufacturers design strategies and implement projects, RMTAAC has helped hundreds of firms in the Rocky Mountain region compete more effectively.

SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business, provides free business counseling to potential and / or existing small business owners. Volunteer consultants are men and women who have had successful business careers themselves as company executives or owners of their own businesses.

Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA recognizes that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace.

Small Business Development Center The SBDC Program is designed to provide high quality business and economic development assistance to small businesses and prospective small businesses in order to promote growth, expansion, innovation, increased productivity, and management improvement. The mission of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is to enhance the economy by assuming a leadership role in small business development.  

Small Business Training Network The SBTC is a virtual campus providing quality and targeted free online training to meet the information needs of prospective and existing small business owners. It is an E-Government initiative, powering a comprehensive menu of business courses, designed to serve more customers, more efficiently. The Training Network operates like an electronic umbrella under which many SBA and agency resource training programs are made available.   Online courses walk business owners through steps that answer questions about what debt financing is, what loan programs are available, what small businesses should know about borrowing money, how to prepare a loan package and how loan requests are reviewed by lenders.   

South Lakewood Business Association is an organization dedicated to bringing the South Lakewood business community together. It is their intention to provide a means for members to communicate ideas, establish a social network and become more involved with the city and people of Lakewood.

West Chamber The West Chamber Serving Jefferson County exists for the success of business. They support and promote member businesses, are the one voice of the business community to the government, and foster a livable community with positive growth.

West Colfax Community Association Business owners, residents, neighborhood organizations, property owners and others interested in the viability of the Colfax Corridor formed the West Colfax Community Association.

The World Trade Center Denver is part of a network of over 306 World Trade Centers worldwide. The membership body provides support services and info to businesses.