PACE Small Business Programs

Small businesses are the heart of Boulder County — bringing unique products, personalized services, and innovative ideas to our community. They make up the largest share of the county’s commercial sector, and PACE is proud to support their success.

To help small businesses strengthen their operations while improving sustainability, resilience, and long-term cost and energy savings, PACE offers a range of grants and resources. These programs make it easier to upgrade to energy-efficient equipment, become more resilient, and meet sustainability goals — all with support from your dedicated PACE advisor. We know you’re busy, and we’re here to help make your sustainability goals achievable.

PACE Landscaping Icon

Landscaping Equipment

A circular icon with the outline of a refrigerator/freezer in white on a dark pink background.

Restaurant Equipment

A circular icon with the outline of a food truck in white on a turquoise background.

Food Truck Electrification and Efficiency

Program History

In 2019, PACE partnered with the City of Boulder to pilot a program to help small, locally owned restaurants and grocery stores replace outdated, inefficient equipment with modern, energy-saving alternatives.

During the pilot, participating businesses identified two main challenges: the high upfront cost of upgrades and the complexity of managing installation. To address these barriers, PACE introduced upfront grants (instead of retroactive rebates) and a simplified process for purchasing, delivering, and installing new equipment and the responsible disposal of old units.

The pilot was a huge success, and participants are now saving money each month with new, energy-efficient equipment that performs better and lasts longer. Building on that success, PACE has expanded this grant program countywide and added new offerings tailored to help more local businesses thrive sustainably.

Two chefs working behind the counter at Rincon Argentino, a restaurant in the City of Boulder

Community Highlight

Rincon Argentino, a family-owned Argentinian restaurant, has been operating in Boulder’s Goss Grove neighborhood since 2012. The restaurant was able to upgrade several refrigerators through PACE’s 2019 small business equity pilot program.

“We are a small family run business. We try to be as environmentally friendly as possible, but sometimes the steps we want to take are cost prohibitive. We have been wanting to replace our old inefficient refrigerators … but the cost has made it difficult. This program made the upgrades we wanted to complete possible. The expertise and time (from PACE) were also as helpful to us as the financial impact.”

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