Frequently Asked Questions

The Morgan County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization dedicated to strengthening and diversifying Morgan County’s economy.

MCEDC supports existing businesses, entrepreneurs, employers, prospective businesses, developers, and investors by providing information, economic data, project assistance, financing opportunities, workforce-development programs, and connections to relevant resources.

MCEDC traces its history to 1962. The current corporate entity was incorporated on June 7, 1990.

MCEDC works to improve quality of life by supporting a diverse, healthy, and sustainable local economy.

Our work focuses on business retention and expansion, entrepreneurship, job creation and retention, workforce development, capital investment, and long-term economic opportunity for Morgan County residents.

MCEDC’s services may include:

• Business retention and expansion assistance
• Site and property information
• Economic, demographic, and workforce data
• Business startup and entrepreneurial resources
• Revolving Loan Fund financing
• Small-business grant opportunities through the Morgan County Diversification Foundation
• Workforce development through ROOTS76
• Information about potential business incentives
• Connections to state, regional, and specialized resources
• Confidential assistance for prospective business and development projects

The services provided depend on the needs, location, and scope of each business or project.

Morgan County’s economy is rooted in agriculture and strengthened by food production, manufacturing, transportation, construction, health care, education, utilities, retail, hospitality, and other community-serving industries.

MCEDC also welcomes projects that complement these strengths, create quality employment, generate capital investment, support existing businesses, or introduce new economic opportunities to Morgan County.

Learn more about industries in Morgan County.

Morgan County has a long agricultural history supported by farms, ranches, dairies, food-processing operations, agricultural suppliers, transportation providers, and related businesses.

The county produces livestock, dairy products, corn, wheat, sugar beets, and other agricultural commodities. This established agricultural base creates opportunities for food processing, value-added agriculture, equipment and technology, storage, transportation, and businesses serving local producers.

MCEDC can help prospective projects access current industry information and identify relevant property, workforce, transportation, utility, and business resources.

MCEDC maintains project-specific working relationships with educational institutions, workforce organizations, financial resources, property professionals, utilities, state agencies, business-assistance programs, and public entities.

The organizations involved vary according to the needs of each project. MCEDC helps businesses identify the appropriate information and contacts but does not represent these organizations, control their decisions, or imply that every working relationship is a formal or financial partnership.

Contact MCEDC by:

• Phone: 970-467-7100
• Email: mcedc@morgancountyinfo.com
• Office: 118 W. Railroad Avenue, Fort Morgan, CO 80701
• Online: Contact MCEDC

Contact MCEDC with your project requirements, including:

• Preferred location
• Building or acreage requirements
• Purchase or lease preference
• Utility needs
• Transportation or rail requirements
• Zoning or intended use
• Estimated employment
• Project timeline

MCEDC can help identify publicly listed properties, contact property owners or real estate professionals, and gather information relevant to the site-selection process.

Property availability and development readiness can change. A listing should not be considered suitable, properly zoned, permitted, or “shovel-ready” until those conditions have been independently confirmed.

BNSF Railway operates an active rail corridor through Morgan County. Some industrial properties may be located near existing rail infrastructure.

Direct rail service, spur access, construction feasibility, switching arrangements, cost, and capacity must be evaluated for each property and project. MCEDC can help identify potentially relevant sites and connect the project with the property owner, railroad, or other appropriate contacts.

Water and wastewater service varies by municipality, utility service area, property, and project.

MCEDC can help a prospective business identify the applicable provider and coordinate an initial conversation. The responsible utility must evaluate:

• Current system capacity
• Available service at the property
• Water-quality requirements
• Projected demand and discharge
• Pretreatment requirements
• Required infrastructure improvements
• Tap, connection, and usage fees
• Engineering and regulatory requirements

Capacity should never be represented as committed to a project until the responsible provider completes its review and issues the necessary confirmation or approval.

Electric and natural-gas service depends on the property’s location.

Electric service may be provided by a municipal utility or Morgan County Rural Electric Association. Black Hills Energy provides natural-gas service in portions of the county.

MCEDC can help identify the appropriate provider for a prospective site. The utility provider must evaluate available capacity, infrastructure requirements, rates, service timelines, and the feasibility of accommodating a proposed industrial load.

Approximate drive times from Fort Morgan include:

• Denver International Airport: approximately one hour
• Denver metropolitan area: approximately 75 to 90 minutes
• Fort Collins: approximately 75 to 90 minutes

Actual travel times depend on the point of origin, destination, route, traffic, construction, and weather.

Morgan County is served by Interstate 76 and other regional highways that connect businesses with the Denver metropolitan area, northeastern Colorado, and neighboring states.

Interstate 76 provides a plains route between Morgan County and the Denver metropolitan area without requiring travel across Colorado’s major mountain passes.

Winter storms can still cause hazardous conditions, delays, road closures, or commercial-vehicle restrictions. Businesses should use current information from the Colorado Department of Transportation when planning time-sensitive freight movement.

Morgan County is located within Colorado’s Northeast Enterprise Zone. Eligible businesses may earn state income-tax credits for qualifying activities such as:

• Investment in eligible business personal property
• Creation of new jobs
• Employee job training
• Employer-sponsored health insurance
• Research and development
• Rehabilitation of qualifying vacant commercial buildings
• Investment in qualifying commercial vehicles

Eligibility is not automatic. Businesses generally must obtain annual precertification before beginning the activity for which a credit will be claimed and must complete the required certification afterward.

Program requirements, geographic eligibility, credit calculations, and deadlines are determined by the Colorado Enterprise Zone Program. Businesses should consult their tax professionals before relying on a potential credit.

MCEDC Revolving Loan Fund

MCEDC administers its own Revolving Loan Fund for eligible Morgan County businesses that cannot secure all necessary financing from traditional sources.

Applicants must provide a written bank denial or documentation of partial financing. Applications undergo financial analysis, underwriting, collateral review, an interview and recommendation from the RLF Committee, and final approval by the MCEDC Board of Directors.

Since 2020, the fund has documented 44 jobs created or retained.

Morgan County Diversification Foundation

The Morgan County Diversification Foundation, created by MCEDC, offers small-business grant opportunities that support entrepreneurship, business growth, diversification, training, equipment, and other eligible projects.

Grant availability, eligible expenses, application periods, and award amounts may vary. Applications are subject to the Foundation’s established review and approval process.

Northeastern Colorado Revolving Loan Fund

The Northeastern Colorado Revolving Loan Fund is a separate regional financing program. It may provide financing to qualifying new or existing businesses that cannot obtain all necessary conventional financing.

MCEDC can connect interested businesses with current program information, but the regional fund’s administrators determine eligibility and approval.

Morgan County is an approved Rural Jump-Start area. The program may provide state tax benefits and grants to qualifying new businesses or businesses relocating to eligible rural communities.

Not every new or relocating business qualifies. Eligibility can depend on:

• Whether the business is new to the state or region
• Industry and business activities
• Competition with existing local businesses
• Job creation
• Wage requirements
• Geographic location
• Formal program review and approval

Current benefits and requirements are determined by the Colorado Rural Jump-Start Program. MCEDC can help prospective applicants begin exploring whether a project may qualify.

Permitting, zoning, development review, utility approval, and fee decisions are controlled by the governing entity responsible for the project’s location.

MCEDC does not issue permits, waive fees, guarantee accelerated review, or approve land uses. We can help a business identify the appropriate departments and arrange an initial project conversation.

Any expedited process, incentive, or fee consideration must be confirmed directly by the responsible governing entity. Businesses should not assume that such assistance will be available.

MCEDC provides access to current workforce information, which may include:

• Labor-force size and participation
• Employment by industry
• Occupational data
• Wages
• Commuting patterns
• Educational attainment
• Major employers
• Population and demographic trends

Because workforce figures change, businesses should use current data rather than fixed numbers embedded in a general FAQ.

View Morgan County workforce data or contact MCEDC for information relevant to a specific project.

Morgan County employers draw workers from communities throughout the county and the surrounding northeastern Colorado region.

The practical labor shed varies by occupation, wages, work schedule, transportation, required experience, and employer. MCEDC can help a business review current commuting and labor-market data for a specific workforce need.

Morgan Community College offers career, technical, academic, and workforce-focused programs. Current offerings include training connected to construction, electromechanical technology, industrial controls and telematics, agriculture, automotive service, health care, business, and other fields.

MCC also provides career services and opportunities for employers to connect with students through job postings, Handshake, career fairs, internships, and other activities. MCC’s Career Services describes the currently available employer resources.

Employers should speak directly with MCC to determine whether an existing program meets their needs or whether another training arrangement is feasible. MCEDC can help make the appropriate connection, but it cannot promise that MCC will create or immediately deploy a customized program.

ROOTS76 is MCEDC’s pre-apprenticeship and workforce-development initiative for high school students.

Supported by a $280,000 RISE Youth Apprenticeship Fund grant, the program combines:

• Career exploration
• Virtual-reality skilled-trades training
• Safety education
• Industry-recognized coursework
• Certifications
• Work-based learning preparation
• Exposure to apprenticeships and local employment opportunities

Students can explore electrical, welding, HVAC, plumbing, construction, facilities maintenance, safety and compliance, and other skilled occupations.

ROOTS76 helps students make informed career decisions while building a stronger future talent pipeline for Morgan County employers.

Depending on the employer’s needs, resources may include:

• The Fort Morgan Workforce Center
• Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium
• Connecting Colorado
• Morgan Community College Career Services
• Apprenticeship Colorado
• Job fairs and hiring events
• Work-based learning
• ROOTS76 employer engagement
• State workforce and training programs

MCEDC can help employers identify relevant resources and make introductions. Candidate availability, program eligibility, funding, and hiring outcomes are determined by the applicable organization and labor market.

Employers can help strengthen Morgan County’s talent pipeline by:

• Sharing current and anticipated workforce needs
• Participating in career presentations and industry demonstrations
• Hosting business tours
• Providing job-shadowing or work-based learning opportunities
• Offering internships or apprenticeships
• Participating in career fairs
• Advising MCEDC about skills and certifications needed
• Connecting with ROOTS76 students
• Considering qualified students for employment

Contact MCEDC to discuss your workforce needs and opportunities for employer involvement.