Arvada Resiliency Taskforce
The Arvada Resiliency Taskforce is a cross-section of local partners assembled to support the latest challenges impacting all Arvada businesses and non-profits. The Taskforce includes the Arvada Chamber of Commerce, Arvada Economic Development Association, Arvada Visitors Center, City of Arvada, Olde Town Business Improvement District, The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Apex Park and Recreation District, Arvada Fire, and the Arvada Police Department.
Programs and Resources
FEEDBACK LOOPS AND DATA SHARING
- Quarterly Business Pulse Survey: Take the 2024 Arvada Business Friendliness Survey
- Business Trends Snapshots
Each quarter the Arvada Resiliency Taskforce publishes a Business Trends Snapshot to share new data and trends tied to top challenges. - SizeUpArvada
Arvada recently launched a new business intelligence software to help your business better understand how you compare to your competition and better understand how to engage with your customer base.
TIMELY AND CRITICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
- 2024 Top Challenges Summit – November 13
Join the Arvada Resiliency Taskforce for a one-day business conference designed for forward-thinking leaders ready to navigate and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. This event will bring together industry experts, economists, and business leaders to explore emerging economic trends and local challenges. - Employment Law Training
- Mental Health and CPR Training
PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT BUSINESS RESILIENCE
- Crime & Safety Toolkit
Designed to help businesses enhance their security measures and educate owners and employees on effective crime prevention strategies. - CPTED Grant Program
The Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) grant program is designed to support businesses in Olde Town, the Marshall Corridor, and Ralston Road by installing cameras, lighting and line of sight improvements. Learn if you are eligible at the link above! - Rapid Response Visit
The primary objective of the Rapid Response Team (see below) is to assist businesses facing immediate challenges that impede their growth and success. This includes, but is not limited to, financial struggles, regulatory hurdles, workforce issues, and market access barriers. Please contact us below if you would like to be considered for a Rapid Response visit.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH & MARKETING
- Story of Resilience
Has your business overcome immense challenges in recent years? We would love to share your story and highlight your learnings. Please contact us below if we can reach out to hear more! - Annual holiday campaign
Arvada Resiliency Taskforce Partners
The below cross-section of local partners meet twice monthly to support efforts to understand the latest business concerns and respond quickly with programs, resources, and policy shifts.
Arvada Chamber of Commerce
Mission: The Arvada Chamber of Commerce is the catalyst for solving Arvada’s most critical business challenges and a champion for advancing a thriving community.
Resources & Support:
- Improve The Business Environment (ADVOCACY): Regulatory burdens have created costly challenges that disproportionately impact small businesses. Through the Advocacy KAPS Council, the Jefferson County Business Lobby, and consistent outreach to elected officials, the Arvada Chamber is focused on advocating for policy decisions that lead to a strong local economy.
- Increase Business Growth & Connection (GROWTH & CONNECTION): Entrepreneurs / Sole Proprietors make up 25.6% of Colorado’s total employment, a significant portion of our economy that, if fostered, could make a meaningful impact on our region’s long-term economic growth. The Chamber will design resources tailored to our diverse local entrepreneur needs.
- Foster Leadership Across The Community (LEADERSHIP): The Arvada Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to developing the catalytic leaders of the future to contribute to the success of local businesses and the community.
- Ensure Business Resilience (RESILIENCE): Organizations across the community have united together to create the Arvada Resiliency Taskforce (ART) to improve business and economic resilience. With a cross-section of local partners, ART is supporting efforts to understand the most critical challenges impacting our economy and responding quickly with programs, resources, and policy shifts.
- Grow Our Talent Pool (TALENT): Our businesses, non-profits, and schools work in silos, which leads to talent gaps aligned to the skills needed for today’s jobs. Our mission is to catalyze a coordinated regional approach for employers to lead in the early stages of our talent pipeline.
- Increase Income-Aligned Housing (HOUSING): Housing costs in Arvada are higher than the state average and the majority of new housing construction in Jefferson County exceeds what the 60-120 percent Annual Median Income workforce can afford. To increase housing availability, we need accommodative public policy and direct action.
- Increase Childcare Capacity (CHILDCARE): Currently, Jefferson County only has 67% of the childcare spots we need and the state is short nearly 250,000 spots. The Chamber is convening key partners and stakeholders around the state to catalyze a regional approach to solving this problem.
The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Mission: The Arvada Center celebrates and elevates the human condition with engaging arts, humanities, education, and entertainment that expand the cultural landscape for everyone who visits us.
Resources & Support:
- Complimentary or discounted tickets to theatre, concerts, show, speakers, etc.
- Free gallery with artist talks, receptions, all free
- Arts education classes with low cost tuition
- Humanities programming with partners
- Paid catering/restaurant opportunities, we use a lot of local restaurants for our events
- Sponsorship opportunities for businesses to marketing their services/products at reasonable costs
- Tabling opportunities for partner/sponsors
- We often provide space for events at low costs or discounts
- We sponsor other business/partners
Arvada Economic Development Association
Mission: The Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) mission is to provide business and commercial development services to new and existing businesses, so the businesses can grow and expand to create jobs, increase revenues, and make capital investment.
Resources & Support:
- Business Retention and expansion programming – We are the first stop for a business looking to locate or expand in Arvada. We work with our City partners (building, planning, engineering) to assist businesses through this process. In addition to this support, we provide a business toolkit for a step by step guide on starting a business in Arvada and support for existing businesses.
- Exterior Improvement Grant – 50/50 match for exterior improvements to property up to $15,000
- Economic Impact Fund – This is a tailored program provided to new development or redevelopment opportunities that brings a significant amount of investment, revenue generating, and workforce employment into the City of Arvada. Another part of this programming is working on public-private partnerships such as Sales Tax Shareback programs.
- SBDC – We provide businesses with opportunities to engage in both the North Metro SBDC and Denver SBDC programming that is typically free or subsidized at cost to business owners and their employees. This programming includes business plan development, financial planning, marketing, one on one business counseling, etc.
- Arvada Manufacturing Initiative (AMI) – A subsidized program through a partnership with Manufacturer’s Edge that provide continuous improvement services to manufacturers in Arvada. This is a grant match program with ME, the business, and AEDA.
- Arvada Sector Partnership (ASP) – Similar to the program mentioned above but focuses on the same services to industries outside of manufacturing.
- Development Review Support – Provide businesses with guidance and support through development review processes and permitting. This includes pre-application meetings, special events, food truck permitting, home-based business, sales and use tax guidance, utilities support, and crime and safety in conjunction with our Arvada Fire and PD
- Data and Intel – We provide data visualization tools to help support businesses and those looking to locate in Arvada with useful demographic, land use, and financial data
- Prospecting and Commercial Property Support – We provide businesses that are either looking to expand in Arvada or start their business in Arvada support on finding properties best suited for their needs
- Enterprise Zone and County Support – we work to connect businesses to ensure they are receiving the benefits of state income tax credits and write offs for their business to our County partners (Jefferson County and Adams County)
- Data reporting with regional partners – AEDA works with the Metro Denver Economic Development Agency as well as our neighboring municipalities to identify regional trends and challenges that are facing our businesses
- Code enforcement and PD business support – we work with code enforcement and PD to provide support through CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) analysis and review of business properties as well as code enforcement with our PD officers to ensure the safety of businesses and their customers
- Sub-area and comprehensive planning support – provide economic indicators to be incorporated into these plans to provide future development and redevelopment opportunities
- Marketing and communication support for businesses – features in the Arvada Report and Social media channels as well as partnerships with other organizations to amplify our businesses in Arvada
Arvada Fire
Mission: To provide the highest level of professional services while preserving life, property, and the environment.
Resources & Support:
- Arvada Fire crews attend ribbon cutting ceremonies to introduce themselves to new business owners. They also share a tote bag that has fire safety information, flyers, swag, and other resources for businesses. This is a helpful way to ensure that a new business owner is familiar their local fire department and fire prevention information.
- Arvada Fire periodically offers hands-only CPR, AED, and Stop the Bleed training to large groups upon request. CPR courses and certification are also available through the Red Cross of Colorado.
- Workplaces can invite Arvada Fire to observe their fire evacuation drill. This allows our crews to become more familiar with the layout of the building, your evacuation plan, and make any safety improvement recommendations.
- To protect our community from the threat posed by wildfire, Arvada Fire is creating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Businesses, particularly those near the Wildland Urban Interface, are encouraged to participate in the plan and stay informed of risks and action items related to wildfire.
- Our Fire Marshal’s Office conducts compliance inspections. For information about inspections, what they entail, or how to prepare, please call 303-424-3012.
- Arvada Fire offers Home Safety Visits for free to our citizens. If you have an employee that mentions issues with smoke alarms or any fire safety concerns, you can tell them to contact Arvada Fire and schedule a free safety visit.
- A fire in an office or store can be devastating to a community. In addition to potential death and property loss, fires can result in a loss of jobs, and the community may lose a vital service provided by the business. Although this is majority residential, Arvada Fire saved $51,000,000 in total property value in 2022 by putting out fires.
Apex Park and Recreation District
Mission: Our mission is to enhance the health of our community – socially, emotionally and physically – by being a gathering place and trusted resource for a variety of activities and programs that connect people and improve their quality of life.
Resources & Support:
- Advertising and sponsorship opportunities
- Bulk discounts on gym memberships and wellness packages
- Community support and staff involvement in committees and programs
- Emergency services and partnerships
- Community training support (CPR, Red Cross babysitting, etc)
- Space for corporate events or trainings
Arvada Visitors Center
Mission: The Arvada Visitors Center/Visit Arvada functions as the tourism arm of the city, Arvada’s destination management organization. We assist residents, future residents and guests explore Arvada to its fullest. We increase awareness of this community and inspire travel to Arvada, ensuring the city’s restaurants, retail shops and attractions stay strong and vibrant. We want our city to remain a popular destination for visitors and a home for those considering relocation to the area.
Resources & Support:
- Our organization might be one of – if not the most – fluid partners in Arvada. As long as the event/issue/program/need pertains to Arvada or is happening in Arvada – -we can assist with that message.
- All of our internal channels to help amplify needs/events/programs. Our primary channels include email database (6.5k), social media channels (FB, IG, Tw, LI)
- Public Relations outreach for larger needs. VC can help package and promote messages
- Website: a home to all community events (more than 2k events featured annually) and can house News, Arvada-related blogs/feature news (more than 50k visits annually)
- Paid advertising and promotion depending on need and partner engagement
Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District
Mission: To preserve, promote and enhance the vibrancy of Olde Town.
Resources & Support:
- Marketing assistance & support – In addition to highlighting Olde Town businesses through Olde Town’s social media channels, website and email newsletters, BID staff provides direct marketing assistance through advising and contributing assets (i.e. we’ll take photos) and advising on social media strategy and trends to generate more traffic.
- Special events/activations – The BID presents 14 signature events and supports over 55 days of activations throughout the year to draw visitors to the area. Additionally, we provide support to Olde Town businesses that may be hosting special events through advising, providing infrastructure, promoting and acting as an event sherpa when it comes to dealing with things like permitting or knowing the right contractors.
- Placemaking – We always work to keep Olde Town as a recognizable and unique area with a sense of place. This is everything from maintaining the street closures to the addition of public art (which we can help fund for individual businesses through grants). The same principals can be applied to individual businesses to help them create inviting and noticeable spaces.
- Promote safety – Work with APD and other city staff to ensure there is clear communication regarding issues faced by businesses and the response from the City. Established virtual neighborhood watch and activate spaces to increase the perception of safety.
- Help foster collaborative relationships between businesses – We work to keep businesses informed and encourage them to be active participants in creating and maintaining a vibrant downtown. This includes everything from fostering opportunities for business owners to get to know each other, informing them on changes to the District and encouraging them to participate in District wide promotions and events.
Danielle Dascalos, Inc. Public Relations
Mission: Danielle Dascalos, Inc. provides strategic corporate communications consultation, crisis communications, event management and media relations to help businesses and communities elevate their brand through earned media.
Resources & Support:
- Help prepare press releases, media advisories and other marketing materials.
- Distribute news to generate effective media coverage.
- Pitch stories to reporters and coordinate print, radio and TV interviews.
- Provide media training.
- Help organizations build life-long relationships with key reporters.
- Brainstorm creative ideas for special events that help gain local, regional and national attention with business leaders, local community members and media.
- Develop, plan and organize events.
- Promote the special events through blogs, media coverage, social media, the website and newsletters.
- Help develop a crisis communications plan.
- In the event of a crisis, help manage reporters covering the crisis.
Please reach out if you are interested in a Rapid Response Visit, would like to share a resiliency success story, or have any questions for the Arvada Resiliency Taskforce.
Get In Touch!
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