Our Services:
Enterprise Zone
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) (2009-2014)
The draft of the East Central Council of Local Governments 2015-2020 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Elbert, Lincoln, Kit Carson and Cheyenne County is available below. Your review and comments are very important. Please contact us with questions, suggestions, changes, etc. The final draft will be amended to reflect input from around the Region. It must then be forwarded to the Economic Development Administration by June 30. We need your feedback by June 26th. Please submit written comments to Jo Downey at ECCOG by email: jdowney@prairiedevelopment.com or call the office at 719-348-5562 and speak to Candace Payne if you want to submit your comments orally.
CEDS 2015-2020
How can we improve internet/broadband service in Cheyenne, Elbert, Lincoln and Kit Carson Counties?
Please assist us in developing our Regional Broadband Plan!
Voice your opinion thru this online survey at:
www.BBISurvey.com
East Central Council of Local Governments
128 Colorado Ave, Stratton, CO 80836
Contact Paul Recanzone (paul@ohivey.com) or Liz Hardy (liz@ohivey.com) with any questions.
Rural DevelopmentAlthough agriculture continues to be the major industry in east central Colorado, it is becoming ever more fragile. It is ECCOG's goal to strengthen this segment of our local economy, while at the same time encouraging economic diversification.
Tourism is an excellent alternative and ECCOG has worked to develop tourist information centers and highway rest areas on the Plains, to increase local areas' awareness of their own attractions, and to market this region through brochures and other means. ECCOG also maintains a high profile and involvement in tourism efforts on the travel region and statewide levels.
ECCOG assists communities with main street revitalization projects and with applications for economic development funds. An on-going achievement of ECCOG was the creation of the nonprofit Prairie Development Corporation (PDC). Together, ECCOG and PDC created a revolving loan fund for business development, now capitalized at more than three million dollars, and a second loan fund for increasing the stock of affordable housing for area residents having moderate or lower incomes.
ECCOG and PDC also promote the area through the Our Journey heritage tourism marketing program. If you're looking for some fun on Colorado's Central Plains, click here!
Enterprise Zone
Designation of this region as one of Colorado's rural enterprise zones provides more than one million dollars annually in state income tax credits to area farms, ranches and other businesses, in return for creating new jobs, retaining existing jobs, or making capital investments in the area.
Oil and gas exploration in the area continues to go through the "boom and bust" cycles, and ECCOG has been able to help local governments address problems created by both.
East Central Enterprise Zone Contribution
Regional Projects
EZ Summaries
Technical Assistance
Because most of the small towns in the region have limited resources and small paid staffs, ECCOG staff is able to provide assistance in circulating information, preparing various reports and other paperwork, and applying for grants. Over the years, ECCOG has directly leveraged more than $14 in federal and state grants for every $1 of local funds used for ECCOG projects, and has assisted in obtaining more than $12 million in direct grants for its individual municipality and county members.
Prairie Development Corporation
The Prairie Development Corporation (PDC), a Colorado non-profit economic development group, was organized to promote and serve communities and businesses in Cheyenne, Elbert, Lincoln and Kit Carson Counties of Colorado. PDC works to diversify the economic base of Colorado's Central Plains through a number of programs and services, including business consulting and lower-interest loans for startup and expanding businesses.
If you would like to visit the PDC's website, click on the link below.
PDC also works to maintain a supply of good, affordable housing stock in the region.
Through its Housing Improvement Program, PDC operates a revolving loan program to help meet the needs of low to moderate income home owners who need emergency or major repairs to their homes, and to income-eligible home buyers who need down payment or closing costs assistance. In addition, the Housing Improvement Program has developed some residential properties for low- to moderate income home buyers.
Also through this program, PDC supports a variety of historic preservation projects.
If you would like more information, click here:
East Central Area Agency on Aging
The COG uses federal grant funds and other dollars to support various local senior citizens' services, including information, referral, outreach, advocacy, LTC ombudsman, in-home (homemaker and respite care) and legal services, transportation, and the senior nutrition program. Please visit the Area Agency web site at:
Outback Express Public Transit
The COG offers part-time, scheduled public transit services to anyone, regardless of age, using wheelchair accessible mini-buses. All drivers are qualified and experienced and the vehicles have excellent safety records. Services are provided using federal grant funds, local government support, and minimal fares. The system provides local, in-town trips, as well as interregional trips to Denver and Colorado Springs for medical and essential shopping purposes. The City of Burlington, DDI, and Town of Limon provide trips only within the town/city limits. Special trips also can be arranged. The transit system does not provide emergency transportation.
Please visit the Outback Express web site at:
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