B.O.L.D. 2026 is a five-year regional economic strength and resiliency initiative of the Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce. B.O.L.D. 2026 includes four mutually supporting goals that tackle challenges impacting businesses and employees around talent development, housing, childcare capacity, and the business environment. Each quarter, the Chamber will provide this update on initiative outcomes for investors, members, and the community.
Read the B.O.L.D. 2026 Outcomes to Date.
Q2 Initiative Accomplishments
Talent
- In Q2, the Chamber developed a new Work-Based Learning Online Training program that fast-tracks the information provided in the Chamber’s Work-Based Learning Toolkit. This program, which was piloted in late June, helps employers understand the benefits of a work-based learning program, identify which options are best for their organization, and how to launch successfully. The program will be accessible to all regional businesses and non-profits in Q3.
- In Q2, the Metro-West sector partnerships for Advanced Manufacturing and Construction focused on improving alignment between industry needs and workforce efforts. The Advanced Manufacturing group developed a snapshot of current talent initiatives in Jefferson County to identify gaps, reduce duplication, and guide business engagement. They also began pooling marketing assets to better showcase industry opportunities and dispel misconceptions, with plans to share this with job seekers through schools and career fairs. The Construction group worked on an ROI document to promote early collaboration across project stakeholders and began crowd-sourcing municipal requirements to help businesses reduce costs and navigate local processes more efficiently.
- In June, the Chamber released a Talent Pipeline Management Progress Report, providing an overview of the workforce skill alignment work accomplished so far related to local machinist demand.
Housing
- In April, the Chamber provided frequent updates to two construction defects bills vital to condo development, one of which would pass in the 2025 Colorado legislative session.
- In May, the Chamber updated its Income-Aligned Housing Supply report, breaking down the supply of different types of homes (single-family home, condo, townhome) for rent and sale in Arvada.
- In Q2, the Chamber developed six case studies on how the availability or lack of income-aligned housing has impacted local business. A library of these and more case studies will be shared soon.
Childcare
- In April, the Chamber published a Family Friendly Workplace Badging Guide, which includes information for businesses on the program and ideas for sharing the badge internally and externally. The Chamber added seven businesses to the Family Friendly Workplace Program in Q2.
- On June 4, the Chamber and EPIC (Executives Partnering to Invest in Children) gathered leaders from businesses, city and county government, the school district, and early childhood for a 2-hour workshop on the state of childcare access and affordability.
Advocacy
- In Q2, the Chamber developed a 2025 Local Advocacy Plan to better engage businesses in local policy and provide proactive strategies for advocacy. This plan includes a local issues review team, monthly meetings with key community partners, and a candidate onboarding packet that outlines opportunieis to engage with the Chamber.
- In Q2, the Chamber also helped coordinate a strategy with community partners to assess the impact of homelessness on Arvada businesses which included a business survey, feedback meeting, and research on engagement strategies across the country.
- On April 18, over 150 attendees joined the Chamber’s State of the City Address with Arvada Mayor Lauren Simpson.
- In April, the Chamber published Board of Directors Election overviews for Arvada Fire and Apex Park and Recreation District, two vital elections for the Arvada community.
- After the Colorado legislative session concluded in May, the Chamber released its annual Advocacy Scorecard and published an overview of 22 bills we took a position and their impact on businesses.
- On May 1, middle school students competed in the 2025 National Civics Bee, hosted by the Chamber.
- In May, the Chamber released its Local Business Trends Snapshot (2025 First Edition), featuring the latest Arvada business challenges data, a regional economic outlook, and an inflation index.
Entrepreneurship
- Twenty two business leaders completed the Chamber’s first Sales Bootcamp with expert sales coach, Jay Mays, hosted at the Business Resource Center.
- On May 7, the Chamber hosted its first Evening With An Expert, featuring an intimate conversation with Keith Villa, the legendary brewmaster behind Ceria Brewing Company and Blue Moon Brewing.
- In June, four organizations completed the Chamber’s first EOS® Cohort, taking part in the 6-month program to master the Entrepreneurial Operating System.
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