Colorado Agricultural Workforce Development Program (AWDP)

The Agricultural Workforce Development Program (AWDP) provides financial incentives to Colorado farms, ranches, and other agricultural businesses to hire interns and provide them with the hands-on training needed to begin a career in agriculture. Businesses may apply for up to 3 internships per year. Awarded businesses may be reimbursed for up to 50% of the actual cost to employ each intern, up to $5,000 per intern. Businesses benefit by receiving compensation for their efforts in training interns on the day-to-day operations of a farm, ranch, or agricultural business. Interns benefit by gaining at least 130 hours of on-the-job training and real-world work experience.

Colorado farms, ranches, and other agricultural businesses are eligible for this program. Preference is given to Colorado businesses engaged in the production of agricultural crops, livestock, dairy, timber, or greenhouse and nursery products.

To be eligible, a business must:

• Have business operations of an agricultural nature;

• Have a physical operation in the state of Colorado which would be considered the intern's place of work;

• Adhere to all applicable labor and/or occupational safety laws and regulations, unless otherwise exempted; and

• Be compliant with all federal, state, and local laws.

Eligible businesses may apply for up to 3 internships each year.

Intern eligibility: To be eligible, interns must be a student, a recent graduate (within 6 months post-graduation), or a beginning farmer or rancher (with 10 years of experience or less). Interns must also be at least 18 years old. Interns may not be a current or past employee, or a relative of the owner or operator of the business. Interns must not displace any current employees of the business.

Awarded businesses may be reimbursed for up to 50% of the actual cost to employ an intern, up to $5,000 per intern. The actual cost of an internship includes: intern gross wages; workers' compensation insurance; and other incidental costs directly related to the internship (including tuition reimbursement). Awarded businesses may also be reimbursed for fixed overhead expenses, up to 10% of the actual cost to employ each intern. 75% or more of the total amount reimbursed must be paid to the intern.

To qualify, an internship must: include an educational focus preparing the intern for a career in agriculture; provide for an educational experience of at least 130 hours; be no more than 1 year in duration; pay the intern at least the State's prevailing minimum wage; provide a supervisor for the intern; and provide workers' compensation insurance coverage for the intern.

Businesses may submit up to 3 applications online via AccessGov during the open application period. CDA will review all applications, and notify awarded businesses within 60 days of the close of the application period.

2026-2027 Schedule (for 2027 internships):

• Application Opens: October 1, 2026

• Informational Webinar (register via Zoom): October 7, 2026 at 11:00 am MT

• Application Closes: November 2, 2026 at 5:00 pm MT

• Review Period: early November - early December 2026

• Notices to Applicants: mid-December 2026

• Earliest Internship Start Date: January 1, 2027

• Latest Internship End Date: December 31, 2027

CDA may deviate from this schedule as needed and without notice.