A WISCONSIN ECONOMY FOR ALL

Wisconsin’s people are at the heart of the communities and businesses that make up our economy. If everyone in Wisconsin has the opportunity to prosper, our overall economy will thrive.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’s (WEDC) Wisconsin Tomorrow report outlines a comprehensive approach to economic development rooted in the economic well-being of all our citizens.

Economic well-being depends on financial stability, access to education, available health care, a sound environment and a strong infrastructure. It’s these interconnected elements that can move us all—individuals, communities and businesses—forward.

All of us have a role in realizing Wisconsin’s full economic potential, whether we’re business leaders or local officials, state agencies or small towns, rural or urban. Together, we can leverage our power and resources to ensure the economic well-being for all and invest in the future success of our state.

Download the full Wisconsin Tomorrow: An Economy for All report to learn more.

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING?

Financial stability represents different things to different people. It could mean a job, a house, a savings account, or just being able to afford an unexpected expense—or all the above. Regardless of how we each define it, financial stability is a cornerstone of economic well-being.

How can we do it?

  • Training and reskilling programs to help get people get back to work

  • Affordable housing in both our urban and rural communities

  • Support for the small businesses that employ so many Wisconsinites

  • Expanded financial literacy and education

All these elements work together to strengthen the financial stability of our families and the economic well-being of our state. Read the full report to see how a stronger financial footing will help us build intergenerational wealth, fuel entrepreneurship and encourage future innovation.

Building an economy for all requires providing equal educational opportunities for K-12 students and adult learners alike. That’s because better education is linked to more job opportunities, increased wages, better health and housing, and improved connections to the community.

How can we do it?

  • Make sure our colleges, universities and technical colleges have the capacity to offer education to anyone that wants

  • Offer job training and assistance to individuals trying to reenter the workforce

  • Close the achievement gaps between Black and Latino K-12 students and their white and Asian peers

  • Ensure reliable high-speed broadband access in all corners of the state

Read the full report to see how a well-educated and well-trained workforce will make it easier for businesses of all sizes to succeed, strengthen our core industries and allow us to innovate for the future.

The state’s economic health depends on the health—both physical and mental—of our citizens. In addition to improving individual health, efforts to address social and economic determinants of health like transportation, housing and nutrition have been shown to improve family and community financial well-being.

How can we do it?

  • Invest more in our public health infrastructure, including access to telehealth services, from local health departments to tribal health centers

  • Tackle the health disparities that drain public resources in many communities and hold individuals back from reaching their full potential

  • Address the ongoing caregiver crisis faced by nursing homes and other long-term care providers as they struggle to maintain a steady workforce

For Wisconsinites to lead healthier, more productive lives, they need the opportunity to do so. Read the full report to see how the public and private sectors can work together to give it to them.

From drivable roads to walkable downtowns, Wisconsin’s infrastructure defines our quality of life. A substandard physical infrastructure discourages investment and represents a risk to our safety. A strong one gives our cities, towns and villages a foundation on which schools, libraries, arts and recreation can build.

How can we do it?

  • Invest in maintaining and improving the physical infrastructures businesses rely on to connect them to suppliers and customers

  • Invest in improving access to reliable broadband in all corners of the state

  • Increase the availability of affordable, quality childcare and early childhood education

  • Strengthen public transportation so the thousands of Wisconsinites who don’t have cars or can’t drive can access jobs, childcare and medical care

Read the full report to see how a stronger infrastructure can strengthen our connections—with jobs, with education and with each other.

Environmental stewardship has been a part of our state’s DNA from the beginning. Our quality of life and the strength of many of the state’s key industries—including forestry, agriculture, tourism and water sciences—depend on the quality of our environment.

How can we do it?

  • Responsibly manage our natural resources

  • Mitigate the effects of pollution and climate change that are disproportionately impacting farmers, low-income areas and people of color

  • Make sure all Wisconsinites have access to the outdoors

Read the full report to learn more about how these efforts can positively contribute to Wisconsin’s global leadership in key industries, make our state an attractive place to live and encourage us all to live active, healthy lives.

CONNECT WITH MORE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES

Let us know who you are, so we can let you know how we can help. Register your business with WEDC to stay up to date on the programs, resources and support from us and our regional economic development partners. Whether you’re a Wisconsin small business owner, startup entrepreneur or established large business enterprise, you’re sure to receive information that will help you build an economy for all.

“There’s no better business recruitment and retention policy than building quality places that meet the needs of workers and employers.”

David Crowley • MILWAUKEE COUNTY EXECUTIVE

“The most valuable asset of the new economy is people, and the communities that thrive will be those that invest in their residents.”

GREG WRIGHT • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CREATE (PORTAGE COUNTY)

“Economic development cuts across all aspects of life, and in order to make greater strides in the Wisconsin economy, we must understand and center the well-being of every Wisconsinite and their needs and challenges.”

EUGENIA PODESTÁ • SENIOR DIRECTOR, VITAL VOICES GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP (DANE COUNTY)