BOULDER, Colo.—A new study says federal research facilities and their affiliates contributed $1.5 billion in economic benefits to Colorado in fiscal 2010, accounting for almost 8,000 direct jobs and about 8,500 indirect jobs.
The study was conducted by the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business for CO-LABS, a consortium of federally funded scientific laboratories, universities, businesses, local governments and community leaders.
The study says the research facilities provide jobs and draw federal dollars but also draw high-tech firms to locate near them and collaborate on research with state universities. It also says they contribute almost $464 million in economic benefits to Boulder County, about $413 million to Jefferson County and $99.5 million to Larimer County.
The CU study examined close to two dozen agencies and their affiliates.
