A nonprofit offering free English and Spanish accelerator programs has big plans to serve more Colorado entrepreneurs.
EforAll Longmont and EparaTodos Longmont are expanding beyond city limits to better serve founders across the Centennial State. Its goal is to serve 100 founders a year by 2026. (The program will support 40 this year, as compared to the 30 it assisted in 2023.)
EforAll, also known as Entrepreneurship for All, is a national nonprofit that helps underrepresented individuals launch and grow their businesses. EforAll has programs in Maine, Arkansas, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Massachusetts and Colorado, in addition to a virtual program.
The Longmont chapter kicked off its first English accelerator in 2020 and quickly expanded to offer a Spanish accelerator shortly after, said Regina Rodríguez-Manzanet, executive director of EforAll Colorado. Today, the local chapter runs four accelerator programs a year, two in English and two in Spanish.
Each accelerator is a free, one-year program that includes business training, mentorship and more. Topics covered range from entry-level conversations about running a business to more complex subjects about finances and legal structures.
“Our program relies on a diverse network of impressive volunteers, ranging from mentors to topic specialists, who generously share their expertise and wisdom,” Rodríguez-Manzanet said. “This might encompass industry-specific knowledge or essential skills such as time management, which is crucial for balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with personal and family commitments. As we expand, our goal is to deepen this network, inviting more members of our community to join us.”
The program accepts all businesses and nonprofits, from ideation and early-stage companies to ready-to-scale organizations. EforAll looks for companies that can benefit from the type of programs we provide, Rodríguez-Manzanet said.
Since the Longmont chapter began in 2019, its English and Spanish accelerators have supported 124 local businesses. Of these companies, only about 40% are based in Longmont. Rodríguez-Manzanet said this is a big reason EforAll/EparaTodos Longmont is expanding and rebranding as EforAll/EparaTodos Colorado.
“From our roots in Longmont, we’ve always served entrepreneurs beyond our city’s limits,” Seth Levine, partner at Foundry Group and EforAll Longmont council chair, said in a statement. “Now we’re acknowledging that broader scope and vision by renaming our program EforAll Colorado. The spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship runs deep in Colorado and this expansion reflects who we are — a state committed to each other’s success, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Prior to expanding, EforAll Longmont accepted applications to its program from businesses and founders spanning as far north as the Wyoming/Colorado border and as far south as Jefferson County.
Companies that have been through the EforAll Longmont program include Englewood-based Iconi, an activewear brand started by an Air Force veteran, Denver-based Chamba, a 2024 Colorado Inno Startup to Watch honoree that connects Latinos with flexible work in the hospitality industry, and Garden of Oz, a Fort Collins startup helping people transform their food scraps into garden resources.
Now, EforAll Colorado will serve the entire state, including those in rural and mountainous areas.
EforAll Colorado will remain headquartered in Longmont, but its programming will become more hybrid than it is now, Rodríguez-Manzanet said.
The current accelerator program offers virtual classes and in-person events and support mechanisms, such as practice presentations and final showcases and celebrations. During the first three months of the program, founders meet in person for class twice a week and in person or virtually with their mentor group. For the remainder of the program, entrepreneurs meet with their mentors monthly.
“We want to look to provide a good balance of options for entrepreneurs throughout the entire state, especially considering our very specific population profile where we have that population density corridor running down the Front Range,” Rodríguez-Manzanet said. “How are we going to help those people in the mountains? How are we going to help those entrepreneurs out in the Eastern Plains and on the Western Slope that may not have ready access to some of our in-person events?”
Plans are still being worked out, but Rodríguez-Manzanet said she and her three employees are working closely with current EforAll virtual programs to learn the dos and don’ts and how to best offer e-learning for adults. She said options to host in-person events with a group north of Denver and another group south of the Mile High City are on the table.
The first EforAll Colorado programs will kick off in July. Applications for both the English and Spanish programs are open until May 9.
EforAll Colorado funding and support
EforAll Colorado is expected to spend $5 million over the next five years.
This year the program’s budget is $550,000, which includes $60,000 in seed grants and awards for entrepreneurs. By 2026, the budget is expected to increase to $1.75 million and include $335,000 in grants and awards.
A portion of the funding also goes toward staffing. EforAllColorado plans to hire two new outreach support roles over the next two years.
EforAll Colorado has received financial support from Comcast and is in discussions with the company about additional in-kind support offerings. EforAll Colorado is also in the final stages of securing an award from AmeriCorps VISTA, which would include in-kind support and a $20,000 cash award.
The nonprofit also partners with the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County and corporations like Liberty Global and Independent Financial. EforAll Colorado is also building relationships with the Association of Latino Professionals for America’s Denver chapter and other local organizations.
“I think it’s important for people to know that inclusive entrepreneurship development is not disconnected from our basic desires to see and build the active, thriving communities we want to live in,” Rodríguez-Manzanet said. “ ... It’s this synergy between small businesses and the community that not only fuels economic growth but also cultivates a sense of belonging and mutual support, making our neighborhoods places where both businesses and personal connections flourish.”
