Small businesses in Colorado will get some advice on enduring a downturn this winter.
Gov. Bill Ritter’s office said Thursday that his administration will organize a series of six “small-business finance forums” across the state starting next week.
Called “Surviving Tough Times: Counseling, Tools and Resources for Small Businesses,” the forums will be like open houses for businesses, officials said, offering experts and other informational resources on how to weather the financial crisis and access government programs.
“Small businesses are the backbone of Colorado’s economy,” Ritter, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Colorado has a much higher concentration of small businesses than other states, and it’s vital we do all we can to help them survive this national financial crisis.
“These forums will bring together a wide range of experts, services, information and other resources, all geared toward small-business assistance.”
The first forum will be from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the Fortino Ballroom of Pueblo Community College.
The next is set for 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 16 on the Auraria campus in Denver.
More forums are to be held in Grand Junction, Durango, Colorado Springs and the Fort Collins/Greeley region. Times and locations will be announced later.
Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com
