In early 1999 a number of faculty members from both the Department of Economics and the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (DARE) conceived of the idea of creating a center for the purpose of studying different facets of the Colorado economy.

The Center’s Mission

The CRCE mission is to generate high quality economic research and analysis focused on contemporary economic issues facing Colorado's economy. This work will be available to and utilized by public and private sector decision makers at state, regional and local levels in Colorado. The Center serves Colorado State University's three primary missions: it generates knowledge by organizing data and applying frontier analytical methods; it provides outreach to the state by offering information and policy analyses to public policy makers and other constituencies; and it teaches students by involving them in applied research related to their classroom learning and by providing data, analyses and case studies useful within the classroom.

An Interdisciplinary, Applied Policy Approach

CRCE combines resources from the Department of Economics and the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and emphasizes interactive teamwork. CRCE faculty Affiliates have:

developed growth analysis models for the City of Fort Collins now used by city decision makers,

estimated cost-of-living indices by county across Colorado for decision support,

analyzed selected economic development initiatives in the San Luis Valley and Lo-Do Denver,

studied small business finance in the state,

analyzed state labor market trends and women’s entrepreneurship,

explored how public policy affects the conversion of mountain ranch land to non-ranch uses,

assisted with Colorado State Cooperative Extension activities related to growth management.

Leadership of the Center is shared through co-chairmen representing each department.