The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OED&IT) implements the state government's economic plans. In 2000, the Governor's Office of Innovation and Technology (OIT) was established, and Colorado's first Secretary of Technology was appointed. Colorado's economic programs are aimed at encouraging new industry, helping existing companies expand and compete, and providing assistance to small businesses and to farmers. Economic development in rural areas is a priority. It offers real estate loans to help companies purchase or expand existing buildings or to construct new buildings. It assists employers with training programs for newly created and existing jobs. Colorado seeks to aid small businesses by contributing to lenders' reserve funds for small commercial and agricultural loans, by extending to small businesses loans with fixed interest rates, by giving grants to small technology-based firms for research and development projects, and by offering capital loans and credit to small export/import companies. The state operates a network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), the latest established in Centennial in June 2003. The SBDCs offer Leading Edge courses to train business people and people seeking to start business in entrepreneurial behaviors, covering such topics as strategic planning, marketing research, marketing, an cash-flow analysis. Several local economic development organizations in Colorado received Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the US Department of Commerce in 2003. The state offers a variety of loan programs for economic development and manages a number of loan programs for farmers and agricultural producers. A limited program of grants are earmarked for agriculture feasibility studies, technology, and defense conversion programs.