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Kerry Donovan
Former Senator | Vail, CO

Rural Economic Advancement of Colorado Towns – REACT

Idea Category: Jobs and Entrepreneurship, Smart Government

Problem

Small communities are impacted by job loss more significantly that urban areas because families often leave town in search of new jobs. This puts stress on schools, Main Street small businesses, and health care providers. Slowly, the town begins to struggle to even exist. Small towns also do not have the resources to search for and coordinate the many state and federal programs that may be able to help them solve the problem.

Solution

REACT is targeted at helping towns experiencing substantial job loss. REACT would coordinate non-monetary assistance and award grant money to assist rural communities with job creation or retention. This helps towns take advantage of existing state programs with the state's help, rather than requiring new sources of funding for new projects that may still not reach towns in need.