Pub. 4 2014-2015 Issue 6

8 O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G C O L O R A D A N S R E A L I Z E D R E A M S FEATURE ARTICLE CEF’s in-house technical assistance program, Business Acceleration Services (BAS), addresses this need by offering professional on- site consulting and training on key business topics at minimal or no cost. ALISA ZIMMERMAN COLORADO ENTERPRISE FUND Colorado Enterprise Fund: Offering Small Businesses More Than Financing T he state of small business in strong in Colo- rado and much of this momentum is due to recent growth of small business, which ac- counts for 96% of all businesses in the state. For nonprofit lenders like Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF), this trend is good news since strong small business growth produces strong, economically-di- verse communities where more jobs are created and retained, and prosperity is a reality for more people. As a community development financial in- stitution (CDFI) certified by the USDepartment of the Treasury, CEF believes in the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives and com- munities. Since 1976, CEF’s mission has been rooted in accelerating community prosperity by financing and supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses. By developing Colorado’s