CO-LABS

Protect Colorado's Innovation Powerhouse!

Donate to CO-LABS to Fuel Independent Science Advocacy

DONATE AT OUR GIVEBUTTER PAGE TOO

Did you know Colorado is home to over 35 federally funded laboratories and institutes, funded by our tax dollars?

Right now, thousands of brilliant scientists and support staff are working on breakthroughs that will transform energy, robotics, earth science and climate solutions, medicine, agriculture, computing and technologies we haven't even imagined yet. This is one of America's greatest innovation engines, and it's right here in our backyard.

This community contributes over $2 billion annually to Colorado's economy and supports 17,000 Colorado jobs. From wildfire prediction to quantum computing, from clean energy to public health, Colorado’s federal labs are driving discoveries that touch everyone.

But today, this foundation is at risk.

Budget cuts, government shutdowns and staff reductions are threatening decades of investment in research and the brilliant scientists behind the discoveries that have improved our lives. 

With the future of funding for science uncertain and more layoffs threatened every day,

CO-LABS needs your support in order to increase its programs and independent advocacy to help preserve Colorado’s federal lab network and assets.

Why we seek your support: 

We inform civic and political leaders of the crucial impact the network of 30+ federally-funded research labs and institutes in Colorado have on our local economy, our national prosperity and our national security.  Via your tax dollars the discoveries from these labs make the world a safer, smarter, more resilient and sustainable place. The scientific research in Colorado covers a broad spectrum of issues, from food production to climate change, aerospace to quantum computing, energy to disease threats to ecology to robotics to digital communication, and more. If there is a policy or technological issue you're concerned about, there is a lab in Colorado working on that topic. 

(Click our "Major Projects" tab above for more info)

These labs are part of our county’s network of “crown jewels of scientific research” such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Wildlife Research Center, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, the National Institute Standards and Technology, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and the National Ecological Observatory Network.

Their research is crucial to advancing our society and finding solutions to complex modern problems. These institutions are under constant threat of budget limitations, which is where we come in to advocate for them on a local and national level. 

Since 2007 we've been building bridges between researchers, entrepreneurs, and communities. Our new RIN Portal is putting federal lab assets directly into innovators' hands, creating new revenue streams and accelerating commercialization. We're accelerating the uptake of scientific breakthroughs to Colorado success stories, and we need your help to make this effort a success!

By supporting CO-LABS, you play a crucial role in strengthening the connections between dozens of federal research laboratories, businesses and civic institutions to help bring science into society as products, solutions and policy guidance. The majority of our funding is used  that convene these stakeholders, making them aware of the opportunities to leverage their technologies and their networks to bring scientific discoveries out to the labs into society.

Thank you for your support of science in Colorado!

“CO-LABS does outstanding work for Colorado’s science community, supporting research labs that advance the frontiers of knowledge as well as sustain Colorado’s diverse economy. Its mission strengthens productive connections among research facilities and vital stakeholders across the state. I deeply appreciate the dedication of CO-LABS and look forward to continuing collaborations with this important organization.” 

- Antonio J. Busalacchi, President, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)