City of Boulder Business Bulletin

Welcome to the City of Boulder Business Bulletin
Supporting businesses with timely updates, resources and opportunities

The Business Bulletin keeps Boulder’s business community informed with updates on city programs, funding opportunities, infrastructure projects and other initiatives that may impact your business. It’s designed to help you stay connected, informed and prepared for what’s ahead.

Visit our newsletter archive to explore past editions and stay up to date on what’s happening across the city.

The City of Boulder is seeking community feedback as City Council considers whether to adjust the city's tip offset.

The tip offset is the amount an employer may subtract from a tipped worker's hourly wage because that worker also earns tips. In Boulder, it applies only to food and beverage establishments, and by law, tipped workers must still earn at least the full local minimum wage. The offset is currently set at $3.02 — the statewide amount — and will not change unless Council acts. The city is seeking input on a range of options — from no change to a moderate or more significant increase.

This is an important opportunity for eating and drinking establishments and the workers they employ to have a direct voice in the process. Business owners and their employees are especially encouraged to share their perspectives, as their input will help Council better understand the real-world impacts of any potential change.

Visit the project webpage to learn more, take the questionnaire, and use the tip offset calculator — a helpful tool for both tipped wage earners and business owners to see how a potential adjustment could impact them directly. The questionnaire is open through June 2, 2026.

A Transportation Maintenance Fee (TMF) is an annual or monthly fee paid by residential and commercial properties to cover the cost of transportation maintenance activities such as pavement management, traffic signs, signals and marking replacement, median maintenance, and bridge repair. 

As part of the city’s Long-Term Financial Strategy, the city advanced a TMF as part of the 2026 Budget to cover the cost of a select array of the most critical underfunded and unfunded transportation maintenance needs during a time of slowing economic growth, rising costs, flattening of major revenue sources, and recent state legislation impacting city revenues.

City staff have several upcoming engagement sessions planned to discuss the TMF and you're invited to attend: 

View all upcoming engagement sessions and register on the city's website.

April is Earth Month and in celebration Eco-Cycle, which turns 50 this year, and the City of Boulder announce the launch of the Reuse Hub for Boulder and Beyond. The Reuse Hub is a new online platform designed to accelerate the circular economy across Front Range communities from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs.

The Reuse Hub is built as a two-sided platform: one side helps community members and shoppers easily find reuse, refill and repair options. The other provides businesses with the tools, visibility and incentives to expand and promote their reuse offerings, as well as connect with each other.

The business-facing side of the Reuse Hub supports restaurants, grocery stores, retailers, service providers and institutions that want to offer reuse. Businesses can learn how to get started, connect with local reuse service providers, access incentives and technical support, explore case studies and join the Business Reuse Network at no charge.

Explore the Reuse Hub and the Routes to Reuse Map at ecocycle.org/reuse-hub. Businesses interested in joining the Business Reuse Network can sign up through the Hub.

Construction mobilization is underway at the 11th & Spruce Garage. Upcoming work includes structural repairs, storefront replacements, concrete and traffic coating updates, elevator and stairwell improvements, upgraded lighting and fresh paint.

As one of the oldest and most heavily used downtown facilities, the Spruce Garage requires significant repairs to maintain safety and reliability. Taking a proactive approach now helps prevent more serious disruptions that could result from unplanned failures. While a full closure creates short-term impacts, it allows the project to move more efficiently and improves safety for both the public and construction crews.

Please note important project dates: 

 For regular garage maintenance updates, visit the city's construction impacts page.

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) serving Boulder County has several upcoming workshops designed to support the local business community:

See more information about upcoming workshops and register.

In addition to workshops, the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) recently released a new Business Recovery and Resiliency Guide. Designed as a comprehensive roadmap to help small businesses navigate the unexpected, minimize downtime and emerge stronger, this no-cost guide provides the tools you need to secure your future.

Boulder Startup Week (BSW) returns May 4 - 8, 2026. BSW is a free conference-style event with sessions at local venues in downtown Boulder that educate attendees and provide professional networking opportunities. All sessions are free to attend, from workshops to panels to networking events.

Small Business Week is May 3 - 9. In honor of our local entrepreneurs and small business owners, take a moment to read some of SBDC Colorado's Success Stories, which include several Boulder-based businesses. 

World Trade Center Denver, in partnership with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, has launched the Colorado Tariff Navigation Program to help businesses navigate rapidly changing global trade policies. The program offers Boulder-area companies access to expert-led webinars and subsidized one-on-one consulting to better understand tariff impacts, reduce costs and strengthen supply chains.

Eligible businesses can receive up to $1,000 in support to assess tariff exposure, improve compliance and develop practical strategies to stay competitive in international markets. Designed for importers, exporters and manufacturers, the program helps companies move from uncertainty to confident decision-making.

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