DENVER — The City of Denver wants to give local small businesses a leg up when going green, and is now accepting applications for the second round of its Certifiably Green Denver Equity Funding.
Chosen women and minority-owned businesses can receive up to $10,000 to invest in energy efficiency, water conservation, resource management or sustainable transportation.
Las Hijas de la Chilanga, a small Mexican restaurant in Denver, was among 37 businesses to receive funding in the program’s first round last year. Owner Ivonne Bringas was able to upgrade to Energy Star refrigerators and freezers, which she said has helped her business’ bottom line along, with the planet.
“I now save on energy and on my electricity bills,” Bringas said in Spanish. “I also save on repairs. And with the savings I have now, I can invest in my employees.”
Emily Gedeon, director of communications and engagement for Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency, said the purpose of the grants is to remove the upfront cost barriers that prevent small businesses from investing in sustainability.
“What’s really great about the Certifiably Green Denver Equity Funding program is that the grants provide money upfront to small businesses, so they are able to buy new equipment right off the bat,” Gedeon said. “They’re not waiting during a gap period to get that funding. They can get the funding for the new equipment, buy it and be off to the races — save money and just be a greener operation.”
The city sees local businesses as essential partners in reaching its climate goals, which include eliminating greenhouse gas emissions citywide by the year 2040. It has $200,000 allotted to award in grants this year, with the potential for more funding.
“It really makes a big impact on Denver’s sustainability goal as a whole, because [the businesses] are reducing the amount of energy they’re using and all that, and they’re being examples within the community,” Gedeon said. “It’s sort of a win-win. It’s an immediate win, and we see it as a win into the future, too.”
Bringas recommends her fellow small business owners apply for the grant. The process was simple, she said, and her business continues to reap the rewards.
“Since we are a small business, we don’t have a lot of income. We have a lot of expenses,” Bringas said. “The money that I save I now pay to my employees, so now they make a little bit more, they’re happier, and I don’t have to be paying for service repairs.”
Applications for the Certifiably Green Denver Equity Funding are being accepted now, and the city will begin awarding grants this summer. You can learn more on the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency’s website.
