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
Branch Campus Redevelopment Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 5
Award amount: $9,948,565
Recommended changes
Modify list of eligible branch campuses to indicate those that have received awards.
Brownfields Grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 4
Award amount: $1,000,000
Leverage ratio: 109:1
Recommended changes
Allow environmental review conducted by Tribal entities in lieu of DNR.
Brownfield Site Assessment Grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 11
Award amount: $1,438,500
Leverage ratio: 1:1
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Business Development Tax Credit Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 39
Award amount: $32,106,000
Jobs to be created: 2,242
Jobs to be retained: 0
Leverage ratio: 53:1
Notes: Complete CY26 results not available at publication; FY26 results shown.
Recommended changes
Update how the housing and childcare tax credit is used to expand eligible capital investments per statutory revisions pursuant to Wisconsin Act 78.
Capacity Building Grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 22
Award amount: $777,530
Recommended changes
Update eligible costs under Thrive Rural and add Due Diligence Study Grant sub-program.
Capital Catalyst Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 0
Award amount: $0
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Community Development Investment Grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 44
Award amount: $7,745,640
Leverage ratio: 16:1
Recommended changes
Expand eligible applicants and allow larger communities (over 50,000 population) to receive more than one Vibrant Spaces award.
Data Center Sales and Use Tax Exemption
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 1
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Notes: Complete CY26 results not available at publication; FY26 results shown.
View Program GuidelinesDisaster Recovery Microloan Program
Diverse Business Development Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 11
Award amount: $500,000
Businesses to be assisted: 19
Recommended changes
Update program name.
Enterprise Zone Tax Credit
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 1
Award amount: $100,000,000
Jobs to be created: 700
Jobs to be retained: 0
Leverage ratio: 22:1
Notes: Complete CY26 results not available at publication; FY26 results shown.
Recommended changes
Add Aviation Biofuel Manufacturing to qualify for certification per statutory revisions pursuant to 2025 Wisconsin Act 164.
Entrepreneurial Micro-grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 0
Award amount: $0
Recommended changes
Terminate program.
ExporTech™ Program
FY26 program activity
The program administered through UW-Stout MOC assisted 13 businesses and was awarded $111,000.
Recommended changes
Update the recipient entity and remove incentive for market assessments following ExporTech™ completion.
Fabrication Laboratories Grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 11
Award amount: $250,000
Recommended changes
Terminate program; it has successfully fulfilled its purpose and can conclude the initiative.
Global Trade Mission Program
FY26 program activity
Number of trade ventures: 3
Businesses assisted: 19
Recommended changes
Update matching amounts and tier levels based on business size.
Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 36
Award amount: $57,768,180
Leverage ratio: 6:1
Notes: Complete CY26 results not available at publication; FY26 results shown.
Recommended changes
Modify the Qualified Rehabilitation Expenditures requirements and apply per parcel credit cap pursuant to 2025 Act 238.
Idle Sites Redevelopment Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 7
Award amount: $1,750,000
Leverage ratio: 86:1
Recommended changes
Update acreage requirement for contiguous institutional parcels in commercial corridors.
Ignite Wisconsin
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 4
Award amount: $3,500,000
Recommended changes
Update program definitions and consortium parameters.
Industrial Revenue Bonding Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 1
Award amount: $10,000,000
Notes: Complete CY26 results not available at publication; FY26 results shown.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
International Market Access Grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 50
Award amount: $1,063,385
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Main Street and Connect Communities Program
FY26 program activity
Main Street communities: 37
New Main Street communities: 3
Connect Communities: 98
New Connect Communities: 17
Businesses assisted: 172
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Opportunity Attraction Fund Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 5
Award amount: $1,235,000
Leverage ratio: 3:1
Recommended changes
Reframe the program as a sponsorship per statutory revisions pursuant to 2025 Wisconsin Act 175.
PowerUp Wisconsin – Single Family Homes Program
FY26 program activity
No new award made in FY26
Recommended changes
Terminate program. Solar for All funding was rescinded by the federal government, and the program was never funded or implemented.
Qualified New Business Venture Certification/Early Stage Business Investment Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 37
Award amount: $111,000,000
Qualified Venture Fund Certifications: 5
Notes: Complete CY25 results not available at publication; FY26 results shown.
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Rail Infrastructure Maintenance Tax Credit Program
FY26 program activity
No new award made in FY26
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Rail Infrastructure Modernization Tax Credit Program
FY26 program activity
No new award made in FY26
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Small Business Development Grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 10
Award amount: $1,500,000
Communities assisted: 10
Recommended changes
Make prior SBDG recipients ineligible until their existing award is fully utilized.
Clarify eligible and ineligible uses of funds for small business financing and disallow pass-through funding to nonprofits.
SBIR/STTR Matching Grant Program
FY26 program activity
The program administered through Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC) assisted 11 businesses and was awarded $1,000,000.
Recommended changes
Add Commercial Planning Assistance Program
Small Business Technical Assistance Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 21
Award amount: $2,123,900
Recommended changes
Disallow pass-through financial assistance to businesses (including certain forms such as stipends).
Strategic Investment Fund Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 1
Award amount: $400,000
Leverage ratio: 18:1
Recommended changes
No substantive changes
Talent Recruitment Grant Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 17
Award amount: $4,921,276
Recommended changes
Terminate program; nearly all funds were allocated in FY26.
Technology Development Loan Program
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 2
Award amount: $700,000
Leverage ratio: 5:1
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
Wisconsin Investment Fund - Direct
FY26 program activity
Total awards: 7
Award amount: $4,609,314
Recommended changes
No substantive changes.
