Contributed by Matthew Beaudin

March 31, 2010

As joblessness climbs, so does hope

It can be hard to catch a break in Colorado’s far western reaches, where jobless rates have crept to nearly 20 percent in one county and the bread-and-butter industries of the past, such as energy development, have slowed.

But some of the state’s more downtrodden economies are getting a boost from the stimulus act and the Telluride Foundation.

In the west ends of San Miguel, Dolores and Montezuma counties, 27 community groups were awarded $306,000 yesterday in hopes of culturing economies and creating jobs in some of the areas of the state with towering unemployment rates.

Dolores County, for example, has the state’s highest jobless rate at more than 18 percent, according to the latest state employment figures.

The Paradox Strengthening Communities Fund grant review committee allocated the money, which will be used to build economic opportunity in a region perhaps short on good luck. The funds will go to faith-based groups and non-profits.

“The committee was impressed by the response received to our request for grant applications from individuals and organizations in the west ends of Montrose, San Miguel, Dolores and Montezuma counties,” said David White, Montrose County commissioner and chair of the Paradox Strengthen Community grants committee, in a press release. “We were able to achieve a good balance in terms of funding the expansion of some traditional non-profits that do great work in the region, funding rigorous training and technical assistance for organizations not yet ready for program implementation, and funding some unique new regionally based start-up opportunities.”

The program is a direct result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Telluride Foundation, JVA Consulting and the National Center for Social Entrepreneurs have worked together on the project at its top level.

The purpose of the fund is to improve the ability of groups to promote the economic recovery of their communities.

“I have lived in this area all my life. I’ve farmed, mined and worked in the gas fields through all their ups and downs,” said Rick Gersh, a members of the grants committee from Dove Creek, in a press release. “This grant funding opportunity is a great chance to strengthen our local non-profits and help seed some new promising ideas.”

Last fall, The Foundation pulled a near $1 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help nourish existing non-profits and foster new ones in the depressed regions near Telluride.

The idea: In helping bloom new businesses, the Foundation can help create new — and secure existing — jobs, in addition to enabling a more robust array of services and non-profits.

Grants were reviewed by the seven-member Paradox Strengthening Communities Grant review committee, made up of representatives of the west end communities: Andrya Brantingham, Norwood; Elaine Fischer, San Miguel County Commissioner; Rick Gersch, Dove Creek; Paul Koski, Nucla; Debra Lear, Town of Naturita; David White, Montrose County Commissioner; and Ernie Williams, Dolores County Commissioner.