PROGRAM CANDIDACY

INFORMATION

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The U.S. Census Bureau statistics and other sources indicate that as high as 50 percent of all businesses in the United States are home-based businesses. Additionally, of all businesses reported to the government, 75 percent are self-employed individuals accounting for close to 19.5 million jobs. This accounted for 12 percent of the nation’s workforce in 2004, a 26 percent growth compared to the 1997 statistics. Continuing information indicates that entrepreneurship has become the fastest method of creating new and sustainable jobs for the local economy.

Over the past 20 years Economic Gardening has emerged as an economic development concept that embodies the entrepreneurial spirit.  The concept of Economic Gardening was successfully pioneered by the City of Littleton, Colorado in the late 1980s as a means to offset the loss of local jobs. Economic Gardening is a strategy that focuses on growing the local economy by helping local entrepreneurs succeed.  Economic Gardening services are most effective for businesses that have been established for a few years. This development approach is a complimentary strategy to the traditional business recruitment or economic hunting.

In continued effort to support the Highlands Ranch business community, the Chamber of Commerce of Highlands Ranch and Douglas County are partnering to develop an Economic Gardening pilot program. The program provides assistance to small businesses in the form of competitive analysis and market research, as well as other resource references for legal and financial issues.

PROGRAM CANDIDACY   A business that has been in operations for at least 2 years. AND ONE OF THE FOLLOWING A Highlands Ranch business. A Douglas County business that is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Highlands Ranch. A Chamber of Commerce of Highlands Ranch business, but is located outside Douglas County. A fee-per-service applies.

MARKET RESEARCH - COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS - BUSINESS TOOLS - LOCAL EXPERTS

TO PARTICIPATE IN ECONOMIC GARDENING OR FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact:	Chamber of Commerce of Highlands Ranch 300 W. Plaza Drive Suite 225 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Phone:	303.791.3500
Email:	cchrinfo@highlandsranchchamber.org
Douglas County Economic Gardening website

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Program brochure

Program application: COMING SOON