09/08/2026
September 8, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cortez, CO – Information Sessions to be held on Enterprise Zone Business Tax Credits
Small businesses and agricultural entities can potentially save a lot of money with the Enterprise Zone Program, run by the State of Colorado. Business owners can earn tax credits for qualifying business expenses.
Interested business owners, managers, accountants, farmers, and ranchers can attend two (2) informational sessions on the program.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
11 AM – 1 PM
Cortez City Hall, 123 Roger Smith Avenue
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
11 AM – 1 PM
First National Bank Cortez, 2258 East Main Street
While anyone is welcome at either session, the information session on October 21 is tailored towards small business owners and the information session on November 4 is geared towards the agricultural community. The Good Food Collective will present on November 4 on other tax credits for agricultural businesses including the Colorado Department of Agriculture equipment tax credits for farmers and grocery stores, the Grocery Assessment Project, and the Middle of the Supply Chain Project.
Both sessions will serve lunch, sponsored by the LOR Foundation. Participants may also attend remotely via a Zoom link that will be provided after registration.
To register for either information session, visit: https://tinyurl.com/eztraining-cortez. (Lunch can only be guaranteed for those who register.)
These information sessions are hosted as a collaboration among the City of Cortez, Cortez Retail Enhancement Association, Montezuma County CSU Extension Office, the Good Food Collective, and the Cortez Chamber of Commerce. The LOR Foundation is sponsoring the lunch for both events.
More Information on Enterprise Zone Business Tax Credits:
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) program provides state tax incentives to encourage investment, job creation, and community development in rural and economically challenged areas. Local businesses can earn state income tax credits for activities such as hiring employees, investing in equipment, and donating to approved community projects. All of Montezuma County is designated as an Enterprise Zone, so any business located within the County boundaries has the opportunity to take advantage of these tax credits. The agricultural industry – local farmers and ranchers – is also encouraged to apply for the program, as even small family farms may qualify for Enterprise Zone Tax Credits.
To qualify for this program, businesses must pre-certify each year in order to claim tax credits. Pre-certification, essentially, tells the State of Colorado that the business is eligible and confirms the business is located in an Enterprise Zone. Once pre-certification is approved, businesses save eligible receipts to be filed at the end of the year with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). Businesses will receive a tax credit certificate that they can file with their State income tax.
Pre-certified businesses can receive tax credits for many different elements of business including:
• 12% of eligible training costs
• $1,100 or more per net new employee
• 3% of business personal property (this includes everything from computers to vehicles and even livestock)
The 2025 Annual Report on the Southwest Enterprise Zone reports that businesses and Enterprise Zone designated nonprofit organizations in Montezuma County earned $789,738 in state tax credits in 2025 alone, far surpassing the combined totals of Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, and San Juan counties. Of the 197 businesses filing for the 2025 Enterprise Zone Program, 127 were located in Montezuma County. Furthermore, 115 of the 195 total jobs created by Enterprise Zone registered businesses were credited to Montezuma County in the report.
For more information on the Enterprise Zone program in Montezuma County, businesses can reach out directly to Helen West at [email protected] or (970) 331-0213 or visit: https://www.cortezco.gov/892/Enterprise-Zone-Business-Tax-Credits
Enterprise Zone Business Tax Credits
