Round Two of Telework Grants Awarded

DENVER – More than 20 cities, towns and other non-profit entities are receiving the second batch of Community Telework grants from the Colorado Department of Transportation for their efforts to provide healthy and safe options for employees, employers and others who are able to work remotely.    

Grants up to $5,000 were awarded to eligible applicants. The following are promoting best practices for teleworking and social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis:

• Aspen: Funding will support both teleworking hardware and telework business coaching fees through its Transportation Options Program. ($4,999)
• Athletics and Beyond (Denver): Purchase teleworking equipment including hotspots, laptops, headphones, podcast equipment, and cameras to support remote tutoring services. ($5,000)
• Boulder (Via Mobility Services/Boulder Transportation Connections): Provide specialized training in Google Suite for full and part-time remote employees and annual subscription to FormStack to assist HR department with remote hiring, onboarding, and communications. ($4,417)
• Boulder County – Commuting Solutions: Provide webinar access to employees and employers on teleworking best practices. ($3,800)
• Butterfly Pavilion (Westminster Commuting Solutions): Update operating systems and VPN access for more employees to work remotely. ($5,000)
• Denver Telehealth: Collect information from lower-income individuals to determine programs that encourage teleworking for workers in fields harder to transition to “work from home” status. ($3,500)
• Envida (Colorado Springs): Purchase teleworking equipment, including web cameras, microphones, video conferencing monitors, and computers to enhance safety for Envida transit staff, partners, vendors, and clients. ($4,982)
• Fort Collins Telework: Develop a web-based toolkit and best practices for employers in Northern Colorado, including marketing and outreach support, allowing for implementation of company-specific telework policies. ($5,000)
• Hayden Heritage Center Museum: Fund telework computers, tech support, software, and employee time to improve the museum’s online presence while closed due to COVID-19. ($4,524)
• Hugo (Two Applications): Purchase and install two multi-use privacy booths for community co-working spaces in The Garage – the only co-working spaces in Lincoln County. ($4,759/$4,759)
• Hugo Main Street: Purchase IT equipment and software enabling staff to telework. ($4,775)
• I-70 Coalition: Encourage homeowners in Summit and Eagle counties to shift routine travel of Interstate 70 to off-peak travel times and telework from their mountain homes on Fridays and Mondays.  The concept will be promoted via digital and direct mail marketing. ($4,999)
• KSUT Public Radio/KSUT Tribal Radio (Ignacio): Purchase 200 public information announcements that will provide teleworking strategies, benefits and COVID-19 updates.
• Routt County Riders: Upgrade computer technology for the cycling advocacy group, helping to provide the group with the ability to facilitate all business functions through the use of webinars, presentations and virtual, live-stream meetings. ($1,500)
• San Juan Basin Public Health (Durango): Improve connectivity and support telework for both employees and clients. Includes creating a telecommuting plan and installation of video conference systems in meeting rooms. ($4,750)
• Steamboat Springs Boys and Girls Club: Increase telework & virtual program delivery efficiencies for Club employees and participants. Also increases computers for staff and creates a children’s learning lab. ($5,000)
• MainStreet Steamboat Springs: Provides telework technology for the community group, assisting it with conducting teleworking best practices seminars and partnerships. ($4,500)
• Tracks and Trails Museum (Oak Creek): Purchase equipment allowing volunteers and employees to telework. Also build a foundation to increase its on-line presence to remote visitors. ($4,990)
• Walking Mountain Science Center (Avon): Change commuter behaviors in Eagle County through various initiatives aimed at reducing vehicle trips and increasing telework options. ($4,999)
• Wet Mountain Broadcasting (Westcliffe & Custer County): Purchase and install software and hardware and provide necessary training for the volunteer staff’s transition to at-home production. ($3,950)
• Windsor: Expand virtual shopping opportunities to businesses without a robust website.  Also provide administrative support to streamline transactions for improving the overall function of the program. ($5,000)
• WorkLife Partnerships (Denver): Extend use of tele-navigation cloud-based software and accompanying online scheduling software to support front-line workers. ($5,000)

Additional information on the current and previous grantees can be accessed here:

CDOT's Community Telework Awardee List Feb. 4, 2021

For the next round of Telework grants, CDOT will award up to $10,000 to eligible non-profits, including local governments, agencies and associations.

“These types of programs are vital if we want to not only protect public health but also encourage more people to telecommute,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “We’ve seen a lot of innovative proposals that not only foster economic opportunities but also enhance public health and safety. If you meet the eligibility requirements, please do apply for one of these grants.”

Telework applications can be accessed here: https://www.codot.gov/programs/community-challenge. Although private, for-profit organizations (e.g. – contractors, suppliers, or consultants) are not eligible to apply, they can partner with a qualified entity.  

This initiative is supporting the Can Do Community Challenge, as part of the Can Do Colorado campaign. Another CDOT “Can Do” program is Revitalizing Main Streets, which is providing small-scale grants for low-cost, immediate actions to help safely improve the economy and enhance healthy activities in cities and towns. More information on that program is available at the link above.  Please submit questions about either program to: [email protected]. 

About CDOT

CDOT’s Whole System-Whole Safety program has one simple mission — to get everyone home safely, and our approximately 3,000 employees work tirelessly to reduce the rate and severity of crashes and improve the safety of all modes of transportation. The department manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,000 bridges and 35 mountain passes. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also operates Bustang, the state-owned interregional express bus service. Gov. Jared Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.