Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation - CCEDF

09/21/2026

Small Business Owners! We want to hear from you!

If you own a Main Street business, please complete our Fall Small Business Survey to share your perspective. Your responses will help us create resources and advocacy to support small businesses across the country. The survey is open until September 25: https://bit.ly/4ywx0nf

09/19/2026

CCEDF appreciates the time Manny and Mac spent meeting with us to discuss opportunities to strengthen and grow Cibola County’s economy. Partnerships like this are essential to turning ideas into action, and we look forward to working together to advance our community. Thank you for your support and commitment to our region!

Today we met with Denise Hanson, Director of Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation - CCEDF, to discuss several opportunities to grow our area's local economy. We pledged to support Denise's efforts to the best of our ability.

09/16/2026

Join us for the first Cibola Women Connect networking meeting—a new opportunity to connect, empower, and inspire women throughout Cibola County!

📅 Wednesday, October 7, 2026
🕛 12:00 noon
📍 Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation
1015 E. Roosevelt Ave., Grants, NM 87020

We are excited to welcome our guest speaker, Barbara “Bobbi” Eichhorst.

Bobbi chose Cibola County when she returned to New Mexico after retiring as Deputy Director of College and Career Readiness for the New Mexico Public Education Department. Inspired by Grants Cibola County Schools Superintendent Lane Widner’s vision for Career and Technical Education, she brings decades of experience in education, workforce preparation, and career readiness to our community.

Her career includes teaching agriculture and science, leading professional development and instructional coaching, managing SkillsUSA, HOSA–Future Health Professionals and the Technology Student Association, and serving as Wyoming’s Science and CTE Standards Consultant. Bobbi was also inducted into the Association for Career and Technical Education Hall of Fame for Lifetime Achievement in CTE.

Come meet other local women, build meaningful connections, and hear from a leader dedicated to education and opportunity. This is an event you won’t want to miss!

Register Today: https://form.jotform.com/262395139293162

09/16/2026

Today was a great opportunity to visit San Juan College and the CATE Center in Farmington alongside the Superintendent of Schools and Coordinator of Teaching & Learning with Grants Cibola County Schools.

We saw firsthand how education, career training, entrepreneurship, and workforce development can come together under one roof. We explored programs and spaces focused on:

🔧 Automotive Technology
🍳 Culinary Arts
🚛 Diesel Technology
🔥 Welding
💻 Technology & Innovation
🛠️ Maker Space
🚀 Business Incubator Space

Seeing these programs in action provided valuable ideas and examples of what is possible when education and workforce development are intentionally aligned with the needs of students, employers, and the community.

As we work together in Cibola County, communication, collaboration, and alignment will be critical to positioning our community for long-term workforce success.

The goal is to create pathways where students can see a future here, workers can gain the skills employers need, and entrepreneurs have the resources and space to turn ideas into businesses.

We are excited to continue learning, collaborating, and exploring how we can bring new opportunities to Cibola County.

Align. Collaborate. Communicate. Build the Future.

09/14/2026

09/14/2026

Economic development doesn’t happen by waiting for opportunity—it happens by being ready to act when opportunity arrives.

At the Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation (CCEDF), we are working to create the conditions businesses, entrepreneurs, and families need to succeed in Cibola County.

That means:

🔹 Recruiting new businesses and responding quickly to qualified leads
🔹 Marketing available commercial and industrial properties
🔹 Building a stronger, more skilled workforce
🔹 Connecting businesses with local resources, incentives, and partners
🔹 Supporting entrepreneurship and small-business development
🔹 Investing in quality-of-life projects that make our communities more competitive
🔹 Building partnerships across the public, private, education, and nonprofit sectors

Cibola County offers the assets businesses need to grow: a strategic location along Interstate 40, rail and airport access, available commercial and industrial property, workforce potential, and room to expand—often at a fraction of the cost of larger metropolitan markets.

But economic development is about more than land, buildings, and infrastructure. Businesses invest in places where people want to live.

Cibola County offers an exceptional quality of life shaped by welcoming communities, a lower-cost rural lifestyle, rich cultural heritage, open space, and year-round outdoor recreation. From hiking, mountain biking, camping, fishing, and hunting to nationally recognized trails, scenic landscapes, and historic attractions, these assets help us attract and retain workers, support local businesses, strengthen tourism, and create a community where families can build their futures.

Together, we are building a Cibola County that is ready to compete, ready to grow, and ready for what comes next.

09/14/2026

🚀 TOMORROW: Creating a Business Plan Workshop

Join NMSU-Grants SBDC and the Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation (CCEDF) for our next workshop:

📋 Creating a Business Plan
From Idea to Financial Success

📅 September 15
⏰ 12:00 PM
📍 NMSU-Grants – Martinez Hall, Room 007
1500 3rd St., Grants, NM 87020

Whether you’re starting a new business or growing an existing one, a strong business plan can help you make informed decisions, set goals, understand your finances, and prepare for future opportunities.

💡 You’ll learn:
✅ Why a business plan matters
✅ Key sections of a business plan
✅ Basics of financial planning
✅ How to set goals and understand your business finances
✅ How to build a stronger foundation for long-term growth

Your business plan isn’t just a document—it’s your roadmap from idea to success! 🗺️💼

👉 REGISTER TODAY:
https://form.jotform.com/262364388609165

If you attended the How to Start a Business Workshop, we encourage you to continue the series and take the next step in building your business!

Bring your ideas. Build your plan. Create your future. 🚀

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09/11/2026

🇺🇸 We Will Never Forget

Today, we pause to honor and remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11, 2001.

We remember the innocent victims, the first responders who courageously ran toward danger, and the countless individuals whose lives were forever changed. We also recognize the bravery, compassion, and unity shown by people across our nation during one of its darkest moments.

May we continue to honor their memories through service, kindness, and unity.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget.

09/10/2026

We want to hear from you!

Last spring, more than 1,500 small business owners across the country shared the challenges they faced. Now, we want to learn how these challenges are changing and how small business owners are navigating them. If you own a Main Street business, please complete our Fall Small Business Survey to share your perspective and help us create resources and advocacy to support small businesses across the country.

The survey is open until September 25: https://bit.ly/4ywx0nf

09/10/2026

Our College & Career Fair is just a little over a month away!

Calling all universities, schools, employers, and community organizations!

New Mexico State University Grants invites you to participate in our College & Career Fair on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon on campus at the Joseph A. Fidel Activities Center (Fidel Gym), 1500 N. Third Street, Grants, NM 87020.

This event will bring together upper-level high school students, current college students, recent graduates, faculty, staff, and community members who are exploring college pathways, career options, job opportunities, internships, scholarships, training programs, and community resources.
We are currently seeking partners who would like to host a booth and share information about their programs, services, employment opportunities, and resources. Booth spaces are free!

Reserve your booth space by completing the RSVP form here:
https://forms.office.com/r/9BEEKDMQq0

For questions or more information, please contact NMSU Grants Student Services at (505) 287-6678 or [email protected].

We look forward to partnering with you to support student success and career readiness