BEST Foundations Pilot Program Empowers Local Skilled Trades Businesses

Fifteen Denver-area skilled trades businesses are breaking new ground as participants in the inaugural Building with Entrepreneurs in the Skilled Trades (BEST) Foundations cohort, a pioneering six-session program designed to strengthen small businesses' capacity to successfully engage with prime contractors and anchor institutions.

The pilot program, led by the Center for Community Wealth  (CCW), launched on September 11, 2025, with generous sponsorship from Denver Public Schools' Office of Business Diversity and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade's (OEDIT) Minority Business Office. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to expanding opportunities for small, diverse businesses from underserved and underestimated communities in the construction and skilled trades sectors.

A Collaborative Approach to Business Development

The BEST Foundations program brings together an impressive coalition of public and private sector partners committed to supplier diversity and economic inclusion. Key stakeholders include major prime contractors Gilmore Construction, Adolfson and Peterson,  and Kiewit, as well as anchor institutions such as Denver Public Schools, National Western Center and the University of Colorado.

Additional partners include Denver Housing Authority, Regional Transportation District (RTD), City of Denver Division of Small Business Opportunity, the Statewide Equity Office, and IMA Select Insurance, creating a comprehensive support network for participating businesses.

"The program applies some of the proven methodologies from CCW's Feeding Anchors program to the construction and skilled trades industries," explained Kimberly Bonner, the program lead for the BEST Foundations cohort, emphasizing the evidence-based approach to business capacity building. The program also offers support services for small businesses during the cohort such as childcare, dinner and language interpretation services. These wrap-around support services as well as all BEST cohort networking/collaboration exercises have been coordinated by Marcela Gaete-Fuentes, the outreach coordinator for CCW’s small business team. The program seeks to provide a complete training and support package for Denver metro small skilled trades businesses. 

Comprehensive Training for Real-World Success

Running through November 20, 2025, the BEST Foundations program offers targeted training every two weeks from 6-8 PM at Denver Public Schools facilities, with dinner provided starting at 5:45 PM. The curriculum addresses the critical knowledge gaps that often prevent small skilled trades businesses from successfully pursuing larger institutional contracts.

‍The six-session curriculum covers:

Session 1: Working with Prime Contractors (September 11) – Participants explore the dynamics of prime contractor relationships, procurement processes, and partnership requirements specific to construction and skilled trades. Representatives from Gilmore Construction, Adolfson & Peterson, and Kiewit share insights from the prime contractor perspective.

Session 2: Working with Anchor Institutions (September 25) – Training focuses on institutional procurement systems, compliance requirements, and strategies for building lasting relationships with major institutions.

Session 3: Bonding and Insurance Requirements (October 9) – A comprehensive deep dive into bonding processes, insurance requirements, and risk management strategies essential for institutional contracting.

Session 4: Certifications and Compliance (October 23) – Participants learn about necessary business certifications, including minority business enterprise (MBE) certifications, and compliance requirements for institutional contracts.

Session 5: Responding to RFPs (November 6) – This critical session demystifies the RFP response process, revealing what government entities seek in proposals and common "red flags" that can disqualify otherwise qualified bidders.

Session 6: Building an Effective Marketing Toolkit (November 20) – The program concludes with strategies for digital marketing and branding, examining participants' digital footprints and supporting the development of compelling capability statements.

Beyond the Classroom: Coaching and Real Opportunities

The BEST Foundations program extends well beyond its six training sessions. From December 2025 through February 2026, each participating business will work one-on-one with a dedicated coach to apply their learning and complete pre-qualification paperwork with local prime contractors—a critical step toward securing future contracts.

To graduate from the program, participants must maintain excellent attendance (with only one absence permitted), actively engage in all training and coaching sessions, and successfully submit pre-qualification paperwork for at least one, new BEST cohort prime contractor.

Creating Lasting Pathways to Success

The program culminates in a graduation ceremony in late February 2026 that will feature matchmaking and networking opportunities with prime contractors, subcontractors, anchor institutions, and other industry stakeholders. Following graduation, participants will join the BEST Community of Practice, connecting them with future cohorts and creating an ongoing support network.

Significantly, BEST Foundations graduates will be featured on a dedicated list maintained on the CCW website and distributed to all anchor institutions that are part of the Denver Anchor Network (DAN), several of which are actively seeking skilled trades contractors.

Bridging the Opportunity Gap

The BEST Foundations program addresses a persistent challenge in the construction industry: small skilled trades businesses often possess exceptional technical capabilities but lack the business infrastructure and knowledge to compete for larger institutional projects. By providing practical, actionable training in areas like bonding, certifications, and RFP responses—combined with direct access to decision-makers at prime contractors and anchor institutions—the program aims to level the playing field and create pathways to sustainable growth.

The support from Denver Public Schools, OEDIT's Minority Business Office, and the diverse coalition of partners underscores the importance of supplier diversity and the economic benefits of supporting local small businesses. As these 15 businesses progress through the program, they're not just gaining knowledge—they're building the foundation for long-term success in Colorado's dynamic construction market and joining a community committed to inclusive economic development.

For more information about the BEST Foundations program and future cohorts, visit www.communitywealth.org or reach out and contact Kimberly Bonner directly at kimberly@communitywealth.org or Marcela Gaete-Fuentes at marcela@communitywealth.org