Rural Opportunity Office

The Rural Opportunity Office (ROO) supports Colorado’s rural communities, economic development offices, business support organizations, and small businesses by connecting them to relevant OEDIT and State Partner programs to work toward a resilient future. The office consists of a director and two rural opportunity representatives that directly serve Colorado's eastern, western, and southern regions. Each representative lives within the rural region of the state that they support.

The ROO is responsible for:

Working in partnership with other OEDIT divisions and State Partners to coordinate rural resources
Overseeing the development of an EDA-funded Statewide Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)

Rural Programs and Funding

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy: The Statewide Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is a five year strategic roadmap for statewide economic development goals and priorities. The Statewide CEDS was informed by the regional CEDS from each of Colorado’s 14 Economic Development Districts and two Tribal Nations. The Statewide CEDS reflects priorities and goals from all corners of Colorado. The CEDS updates the State’s previous economic development strategies and related plans;, helps facilitate future applications to federal programs, and specifically address strategies for key industries, as well as disproportionately impacted groups like small and rural businesses, coal transition communities, Tribal Nations and underserved communities.

Rural Exchange: The Rural Exchange quarterly meeting initiative is set up to build consistent, focused engagement with rural economic developers.

Program Connections: Connections to and navigating support for OEDIT programs like Rural Jump-Start, Enterprise Zones, Just Transition Community Funding, Skill Advance Colorado Job Training Grant, and industry-specific opportunities.

All Rural Programs and Funding

Rural Opportunity Representative County List

2025 Rural Opportunity Office Colorado regional coverage Map. The map is divided in tones of light purple, light orange, green, and gray. The purple section covers Western and Northwestern Colorado counties. The Light orange covers Southern, Southwest and South-Central Colorado counties. The light green covers Eastern and parts of North Central Colorado counties. The gray portion includes Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson and Larimer counties.

Name of Rural Opportunity Representative	Colorado Geographical Designation	Colorado Counties
Wendy Stewart-Martinez	Eastern Plains Rural Opportunity Representative	Adams, Arapahoe, Baca, Bent, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Crowley, Elbert, Gilpin, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Otero, Phillips, Prowers, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld, and Yuma
Wendy Stewart-Martinez	Southern Colorado Rural Opportunity Representative	Alamosa, Archuleta, Chaffee, Conejos, Costilla, Custer, Dolores, El Paso, Fremont, Huerfano, La Plata, Lake, Las Animas, Mineral, Montezuma, Park, Pueblo, Rio Grande, Saguache, San Juan and Teller
Kami Collins	Western Colorado Rural Opportunity Representative	Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Jackson, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, Ouray, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Miguel, and Summit

Talk to Your Rural Representative

Rural representatives live in the regions that they represent. They work closely with economic development offices in their regions to understand and support the differing needs of each area.