§ 6.5. Economic Development Plans and Programs

Refer to the Clark County Inventory and Trends Report and the Clark County Year 2025 Comprehensive Plan for a listing of available economic development programs.

Additional Economic Development Programs

Greenwood Industrial Development Group

The Greenwood Industrial Development Group is a quasi-governmental group which focuses on promoting economic development within the City of Greenwood. The group does utilize a revolving loan fund to assist local businesses in development and employment of local citizens.

U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA)

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) provides financial assistance to help distressed communities overcome barriers that inhibit the growth of their local economies. EDA provides assistance for public works projects, planning, research and technical assistance, grants, and education.

Forward Wisconsin

Forward Wisconsin helps businesses looking for available sites or buildings through its website at http://www.forwardwi.com/search/index.html

Wisconsin Department of Commerce

The Wisconsin Department of Commerce (WDOC) has several grant programs and services available to communities or businesses within communities. The federally funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program can be used for housing, economic development, and public facility improvements. WDOC also offers many more business assistance and financing programs as well as economic development news and statistics. For more information regarding available WDOC services call [phone] or visit its web-site at www.commerce.state.wi.us for a further list of programs and financial resources.

• Brownfields Program: This program provides information and assistance related to brownfields redevelopment. The Brownfields Development Consultant can assist in the identification and resolution of regulatory and liability issues as they relate to environmentally contaminated properties. Contact Jason Scott, 608/261-7714.

• Business Retention and Expansion Survey: This program helps communities produce confidential, comprehensive data profiles on businesses in the community in order to develop a systematic approach to business retention. Contact Lorie Ham, 608/266-9884.

• Community Development Block Grant Technical Assistance: This program is available to local government officials, business persons, and local community and economic development organizations needing assistance in exploring financial and technical assistance options available to them.

• Main Street Program: This program helps communities revitalize their downtown areas. The National Main Street Center and state staff offer a comprehensive range of professional services that follow a four-point approach: organization, promotion, design, and economic restructuring.

• Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Program: This program helps businesses prepare future workers and is an integral part of the State Department of Workforce Development's workforce training strategy. Youth apprenticeship is a rigorous two-year elective program for high school juniors and seniors that combines academic and technical classroom instruction and on-the-job training from business mentors.

Community Development Block Grant for Public Facilities for Economic Development (CDBG-PFED)

The Public Facilities for Economic Development (PFED) program is designed to assist communities with expanding or upgrading their infrastructure to accommodate businesses that have made a firm commitment to create jobs and invest in the community. Eligible activities are those improvements to public facilities such as water systems, sewerage systems, and roads that are owned by a general or special purpose unit of government; that will principally benefit one or more businesses; and that as a result will induce the business(es) to create additional jobs and to invest in the community. The total amount of all CDBG-PFED assistance received by an eligible government may not exceed $1,000,000.00 per calendar year. The total amount of CDBG-PFED assistance that can be provided to benefit a single business or related businesses may not exceed $750,000.00. For more information contact the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Bureau of Community Development.

Community Development Block Grant for Economic Development (CDBG-ED)

The CDBG-ED program was designed to assist businesses that will invest private funds and create jobs as they expand or relocate to Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Commerce awards the funds to a general-purpose unit of government (community) which then loans the funds to a business. When the business repays the loan, the community may retain the funds to capitalize a local revolving loan fund. This fund can then be utilized to finance additional economic development projects within the community. For more information contact the Wisconsin Department of Commerce.

Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)

The following economic programs are offered by WHEDA.

• Credit Relief Outreach Program: CROP features 90% guarantees on loans of up to $30,000.00 made by local lenders. Interest rates are competitive, and payment is not due until March 31 of the following year. CROP can be used for feed, seed, fertilizer, pesticides, land rent, custom hire, animal feed, UCC filing fees, crop insurance, feeder animals, tillage services, equipment rental or repair, or utilities for commodity production. You cannot use CROP for property taxes, farm house utilities, existing loans, capital improvements, CROP loan interest, accounting services, or revolving lines of credit.

• FARM: FARM is for the producer who wants to expand or modernize an existing operation. FARM gives you access to credit by guaranteeing a loan made by your local lender. You can purchase agricultural assets including machinery, equipment, facilities, land, and livestock. You can also make improvements to farm facilities and land for agricultural purposes. FARM cannot be used for a farm residence, existing loans, maintenance, or other working capital needs that are eligible under CROP.

• Small Business Guarantee: A guarantee is a pledge of support on a bank loan. WHEDA will guarantee a portion of a loan made to you by your local lender. A WHEDA Small Business Guarantee can be used to expand or acquire a small business. It can also be used to start a day care business, including one owned by a cooperative or non-profit. The guarantee can be used for most of your financing needs, including working capital and refinancing of business notes and credit card debt.

USDA, Wisconsin Rural Development Programs

The Wisconsin Rural Development Program has many services that are available to rural communities and their residents. Available programs and services include: community development programs, business and community programs, rural housing and utilities services, and community facility programs. For more information visit the Wisconsin Rural Development web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/wi/index.html.

Agricultural Development and Diversification (ADD) Grant Program

The ADD grant program annually provides funding to projects that have the potential to bolster agricultural profits or productivity. The program funds proposals that are likely to stimulate Wisconsin's farm economy with new production or marketing techniques, alternative crops or enterprises, new value-added products, or new market research. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection should be contacted for further information.

Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) Grant Program

The Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) Grant Program provides partnership funding to help non-profit organizations promote tourism and to maintain a strong tourism industry in Wisconsin. JEM is based on state statutes and administrative rules that govern its administration, and permit the department to conduct a matching grant program with local non-profit organizations on a cooperative basis. The program offers Wisconsin's tourism communities a variety of options to assist in the development of marketing initiatives. Contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for further information.

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is a state agency charged with building and strengthening Wisconsin's workforce in the 21st century and beyond. The Department's primary responsibilities include providing job services, training, and employment assistance to people looking for work, at the same time as it works with employers on finding the necessary workers to fill current job openings.

Under the DWD umbrella, a wide variety of employment programs can be found which include securing jobs for the disabled, assisting former welfare recipients as they make a transition into work, promoting 72 job centers, linking youth with the jobs of tomorrow, protecting and enforcing worker's rights, processing unemployment claims, and ensuring workers compensation claims are paid in accordance with the law. There are six divisions within the Department which is headed by a Secretary appointed by the Governor. For further information visit the web-site at www.dwd.state.wi.us.