Civil and Municipal - Mar 2023

15 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORAT ION (WEDC) produced pandemic plans that proved to be innovative, collaborative, and sustainable developed by regional organizations. WIG awarded more than $128 million in 27 grants and 193 partners to address the state’s most pressing problems. WIG addressed Wisconsin’s top regional workforce challenges, including, Childcare, Barriers to Entry, Health Services, Housing, Career Pathways, Entrepreneurship, and transportation. “Wisconsin realizes that economic development is about more than profits. It is about making smart investments in things like education, housing, child care, and more that empower us all to move forward in our careers and lives,” Hughes adds. As an organization, WEDC has grant programs and incentive programs in place to help encourage business growth and help out small businesses. Some of these key initiatives include The Main Street Bounceback Grants which encourage the revitalization of small businesses as well as go toward developing the downtown/historic commercial districts in our municipalities throughout the state. Over the last year, more than 6,200 businesses and nonprofits have received $10,000 for moving into previously vacant commercial spaces. WEDC also offers Vibrant Spaces Grants which provide up to $50,000 to create gathering places in local communities throughout Wisconsin. “We hear from community leaders everywhere that the Main Street Bounceback grants are transforming their downtowns,” Hughes notes. “It’s not just the businesses that receive the grants that are benefitting, but their neighbors tell us they see an increase in foot traffic and feel a sense of excitement as their downtowns grow.” Business View: Can you share a few business success stories both large and small? WEDC: To list some of the big developments, WEDC must include three noteworthy business success stories that include Niche Cocoa, Exact Sciences, and Milwaukee Tools. Also noteworthy is that over the course of the last year, the governor of Wisconsin invested over $1 billion in funds designed to strengthen Wisconsin’s economic resilience by targeting entrepreneurs who are women, people of color, or rural residents and by providing additional support to small businesses impacted by the pandemic.