We’re nurturing Wisconsin’s success from every angle.
WEDC lives for Wisconsin’s success. Each of our programs is tailored to nurture a different type of economic success: businesses that are exporting, expanding, or just starting out; communities that are revitalizing or bringing new, shared spaces to life; schools that are preparing Wisconsin’s future workforce; and many more. You’ll find our program summaries here, along with a glossary for reference.
WEDC Program Summaries
Brownfields Grant Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 8
Award amount: $1,600,000
Leverage ratio: 184:1
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to provide reduced match requirements for projects located in an Economically Distressed area, and the program budget was amended down to $2,053,312.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Brownfield Site Assessment Grant Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 6
Award amount: $865,600
Leverage ratio: 2:1
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Business Development Loan Program
FY23 program activity
No awards were executed.
Recommended changes
Sunset the program.
Business Development Tax Credit Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 26
Award amount: $23,675,000
Jobs to be created: 2,456
Jobs to be retained: 6,627
Leverage ratio: 47:1
Notes: Complete CY23 results not available at publication; FY23 results shown
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Capacity Building Grant Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 13
Award amount: $721,709
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Capital Catalyst Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 4
Award amount: $850,000
Businesses to be assisted: 25
Leverage ratio: 1:1
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to accommodate SSBCI funding, and the non-SSBCI program budget was amended down to $850,000.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Certified Sites Program
FY23 program activity
No new sites were certified.
Recommended changes
No longer considered to be a program as it does not provide financial or technical assistance. It is part of WEDC’s Extended Enterprise (operations).
Community Development Investment Grant Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 31
Award amount: $7,166,800
Leverage ratio: 14:1
Vibrant Spaces Pilot
Total awards: 33
Award amount: $1,458,488
Leverage ratio: 9:1
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to expand considerations when determining whether to make a CDI Grant, and the Vibrant Spaces Pilot was added with a budget of $750,0000 which was then amended up to $1,508,488. The main program budget was amended down to $7,168,000.
Recommended changes
Define Rural Community; reduce match requirement for rural communities and projects with key components of providing childcare or expanding housing availability; allow for developers to be the applicant/recipient entity.
Disaster Recovery Microloan Program
FY23 program activity
No awards were executed.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Diverse Business Development Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 4
Award amount: $175,000
Businesses to be assisted: 160
Ally Pilot
Total awards: 10
Award amount: $250,000
Businesses to be assisted: 15
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to expand program description to include disabled and capacity-building for nonprofits and to add the Ally Grant Pilot with a budget of $250,000.
Recommended changes
Remove Ally Grant Pilot.
Enterprise Zone Program
FY23 program activity
No new awards in FY23
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Entrepreneurial Micro-grant Program
FY23 program activity
The program administered through CTC assisted 55 businesses and was awarded $250,000.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Entrepreneurship Partner Grant Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 20
Award amount: $2,120,200
Businesses to be assisted: 133
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to clarify program description, expand eligibility, and add factors that WEDC may take into account when considering funding as it shifted to be a fully competitive program. The program budget was also amended down to $2,220,200.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
ExporTech™ Program
FY23 program activity
The program administered through WCMP assisted 13 businesses and was awarded $192,000.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Fabrication Laboratories Grant Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 25
Award amount: $560,053
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to change to a non-competitive program, and the program budget was amended up to $560,053.
Recommended changes
Set a minimum grant amount.
Global Business Development Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 53
Award amount: $1,010,624
Collaborative Market Access Grant
Total awards: 1
Businesses to be assisted: 9
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to clarify eligible activities.
Recommended changes
Add gross revenue cap.
Global Trade Venture Program
FY23 program activity
Number of trade ventures: 8
Businesses assisted: 26
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 23
Award amount: $17,715,854
Leverage ratio: 5:1
Notes: Complete CY23 results not available at publication; FY23 results shown.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Idle Sites Redevelopment Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 6
Award amount: $1,367,900
Leverage ratio: 28:1
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to clarify that obligations and investments made by each party must be executed prior to the first draw of funds, reduce acreage requirements for certain projects in commercial corridor, and provide reduced match for projects located in an Economically Distressed County. The program budget was also amended down to $1,994,000.
Recommended changes
Reduce time required for site to be vacant; Reduce acreage requirement for certain projects.
Industrial Revenue Bonding Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 1
Award amount: $2,800,000
Notes: Complete CY23 results not available at publication; FY23 results shown
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Main Street and Connect Communities Programs
FY23 program activity
Main Street communities: 32
Connect Communities: 96
Businesses assisted: 130
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to expand eligibility for regional entities to apply for Connect Community status on behalf of smaller communities.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Qualified New Business Venture Certification/Early Stage Business Investment Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 33
Award amount: $95,572,278
Qualified Venture Fund Certifications: 11
Notes: Complete CY23 results not available at publication; FY23 results shown.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
SBIR/STTR Matching Grant Program
FY23 program activity
The program administered through CTC assisted 17 businesses and was awarded $1,500,000.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Targeted Industry Projects Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 9
Award amount: $157,500
Notes: Legislative mandates for the FY2021-23 budget required WEDC to award up to $200,000 during each year of the 2021-23 biennium to award grants for cooperative feasibility studies from its state appropriations for operations and programs.
Recommended changes
Sunset the program.
Technology Development Loan Program
FY23 program activity
Total awards: 8
Award amount: $2,706,000
Leverage ratio: 5:1
Notes: In FY23, guidelines were updated to accommodate SSBCI funding, and the non-SSBCI program budget was amended up to $2,706,000.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Wisconsin Tomorrow Main Street Bounceback Grant Program
FY23 program activity
There were no new awards under this program.
Notes: In FY23, WEDC increased funding for the nine regional entities awarded in FY22 by $29,085,750 bringing the total amount awarded to $96,765,750 for the two years. These awards assisted 9,423 total businesses (4,295 additional businesses were assisted in FY23).
Recommended changes
Sunset the program.
Wisconsin Investment Pilot Program
FY23 program activity
No awards were executed.
Recommended changes
Sunset the program.
