CO-LABS Launches First-Ever Crowdfunding Initiative to Help Respond to Federal Funding Crisis Threatening Thousands of Jobs and Decades of Scientific Innovation

BOULDER, CO – November 4, 2025 – CO-LABS, Colorado's independent advocate for federally funded research, today launched its first-ever public fundraising campaign to safeguard the state's innovation powerhouse in the face of unprecedented federal budget cuts and staff reductions threatening Colorado's 35+ federally funded laboratories and research institutes.

The campaign, "Support Our Federal Labs. Protect Our Future," aims to raise $250,000 to expand CO-LABS' advocacy operations and launch critical new programs designed to preserve Colorado's scientific talent, research assets, and economic competitiveness during a time of crisis.

The campaign officially launches today, November 4, 2025 - Election Day - as a powerful statement that Colorado votes for science. Donations at all levels are welcome and tax-deductible:

• $50 helps connect a researcher with an industry partner

• $250 brings scientists together at community events

• $1,000 expands advocacy efforts protecting critical research programs

Supporters can donate at www.co-labs.org/donate or visit the campaign page at givebutter.com/COLABS.

"Colorado's federal labs contribute over $2 billion annually to our economy and support 17,000 jobs," said Dan Powers, Executive Director of CO-LABS. "From wildfire prediction to quantum computing, from clean energy to public health, these labs are driving discoveries that touch every Coloradan's life. With devastating federal defunding threatening this foundation, we're stepping up our advocacy and creating new pathways for everyday citizens to participate in protecting this world-class ecosystem."

Meeting This Historic Challenge

Since early 2025, Colorado's federal research community has faced substantial budget cuts, program shutdowns, and workforce reductions. In response, CO-LABS has adjusted its mission to focus on preserving the people, equipment, and data across Colorado's federal facilities—an existential challenge requiring expanded resources and a new revenue model independent of member lab dues.

"Our member labs are facing unprecedented budget constraints," explained Powers. "The most responsible action is to provide CO-LABS support and membership services during this crisis period to all federal agencies, regardless of whether they can pay membership dues. This campaign allows us to do exactly that."

New Programs Launch to Address Crisis

The campaign will fund several critical initiatives launched in October 2025:

Commercialize Colorado – A unified initiative transforming how entrepreneurs and businesses access federal lab resources, featuring:

• The RIN Portal: An AI-powered platform developed in partnership with TechStars company Earlii that inventories and organizes research assets, equipment, and expertise across Colorado's federal facilities

• The Colorado Talent Retention Program: A rapid-response network matching displaced lab scientists and technical staff with Colorado employers to keep brilliant minds in the state

Enhanced Advocacy Operations – Expanded coordination among lab directors, elected officials, civic leaders, and economic development experts to navigate funding challenges and protect critical research programs.

Community Convening – Roundtables bringing together elected leaders, civic officials and scientists to problem-solve collaboratively, plus continuation of CO-LABS' signature lab tours that have connected over 1,000 people with Colorado's research community since 2017.

Examples of Research We Must Protect:

Colorado's federal labs conduct world-changing research that directly impacts lives:

• NIST Public Safety Communications Research revolutionizing emergency response and next-generation 911 systems

• CDC Division of Vector-Borne Diseases tracking and preventing diseases like West Nile virus, plague, and Lyme disease through surveillance, research, and rapid response to emerging threats

• NSF National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) operated by Battelle, collecting standardized ecological data from 81 field sites nationwide to understand how climate change, land use, and invasive species affect biodiversity and ecosystem health across decades

• METEC (Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Center) at Colorado State University

  Testing and validating methane detection technologies in realistic oil and gas facility settings, helping industry and regulators reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy system transparency.

• NSF Ice Core Facility storing 10 miles of ice cores revealing Earth's climate history spanning hundreds of thousands of years

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory driving America's clean energy transition and reducing renewable energy costs

• NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center protecting electrical grids, GPS systems, and communications networks from solar storms

• USDA Center for Agricultural Resources Research preserving critical genetic resources ensuring America's food security

• CIRES (Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences) at CU Boulder

  Advancing climate and environmental science through satellite data, field research, and modeling to predict wildfires, water availability, and air quality—empowering policymakers and communities to adapt to a changing planet.

About CO-LABS

CO-LABS, incorporated in 2007, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit consortium of federally funded scientific laboratories, research universities and colleges, business leaders, and economic development experts organized to nurture and champion Colorado as a global leader in scientific research, technology, and commercialization of discoveries.

As an independent advocacy organization, CO-LABS receives no federal funding and has historically operated through volunteer support and member lab dues. Through lab tours, events, economic analyses, strategic communications, and networking activities, CO-LABS works to promote Colorado's research ecosystem, educate the public about labs' impact, and connect labs, universities, and businesses to facilitate partnerships and technology transfer.

For more information, visit www.co-labs.org or commercialize.co-labs.org.