Colorado CHIPS Community Support Program

The Colorado CHIPS Community Support Program is a state-funded initiative managed by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), specifically under its Global Business Development division. It was launched to capitalize on the momentum created by the federal CHIPS and Science Act and is designed to expand the semiconductor and advanced industry sectors across Colorado. The program focuses not only on supporting existing industry hubs but more importantly, on enabling regional diversification and equitable growth of these ecosystems in underrepresented or emerging areas across the state. It provides targeted grant funding to local governments, economic development organizations, and consortia within Colorado that wish to analyze their regional potential, fill critical infrastructure or workforce gaps, or promote their communities as desirable sites for semiconductor-related activities. The program offers three distinct competitive grants: Market Study Grants, Implementation Grants, and Marketing Grants. The Market Study Grant supports a detailed local analysis of assets and gaps in the semiconductor or advanced industry value chains. It must include core sections like economic characteristics, infrastructure, local employers, and gap analysis, among others. The Implementation Grant aims to fund specific projects that fill gaps or develop critical assets for industry growth—examples include infrastructure improvements, educational and training programs, or facility upgrades. The Marketing Grant enables localities to increase national visibility to industry stakeholders by highlighting unique community strengths aligned with semiconductor sector interests. In Cycle 5 (February 6 to May 31, 2026), the program remains highly competitive. Eligible entities include municipal, county, and tribal governments, as well as regional economic development organizations or consortia led by any of these groups. However, applicants from Colorado's semiconductor core areas—primarily Fort Collins, Boulder, Longmont, and Colorado Springs—are ineligible for Market Study and Implementation Grants, and will score poorly in the Location/Need evaluation criterion for Marketing Grants. Total program funding is $3,750,000, with $2,891,585 remaining for awards in Cycle 5. For this round, OEDIT anticipates awarding approximately 2 Market Study Grants, and between 5 to 10 awards each for Implementation and Marketing Grants. Applications must be submitted through a single application form where entities can select one or more grant types. Once awarded a grant type, applicants become ineligible for that type in future cycles. The submission process includes eligibility attestation, applicant background, justification for grant need, and detailed narrative components tailored to each grant type. Proposals are evaluated based on three main criteria—Location/Need, Project Strength/Readiness, and Potential Impact—with weightings varying by grant type. The application period for Cycle 5 closes on May 31, 2026, and awards will be announced by June 30, 2026. Reimbursement-based funding will be used for most grants, though Implementation Grants may receive an advance payment (10%), interim payments (85%), and final payment (5%) tied to reporting milestones. Each grant includes specific reporting requirements: quarterly, annual, and final reports. For example, Market Study Grantees must submit reports through one year post-completion, including the final study deliverable. Applicants denied funding have the right to appeal within 15 days of rejection. For further information, the point of contact is Daniel Salvetti, Semiconductor Industry Manager at OEDIT. He can be reached at 720-601-5055 or via email. The agency’s physical address is 1600 Broadway, Suite 2500, Denver, CO 80202. This grant opportunity is one of the state's strategic tools to prepare Colorado’s diverse communities for a central role in the next generation of semiconductor and advanced manufacturing growth.