Latest news with #WisconsinEconomicDevelopmentCorporation
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Milwaukee County Exec David Crowley pitches $10K grants to boost small businesses
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has announced a potential new funding avenue for small businesses. Crowley introduced the county's Department of Administrative Services' "Building Bridges" program, which aims to expand businesses or help establish brick-and-mortar businesses and fuel commercial corridors across the county. In 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau reported roughly 20,000 small and micro businesses in Milwaukee County — an increase of 4.7% since 2012. "We all know small businesses are the backbone of Milwaukee County's local economy," Crowley told supervisors at a May 12 hearing. "They create significant portions of local jobs. They add value to our tax base and help to create our identity right here throughout our community." The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation had previously awarded $200,000 to the county through its Small Business Development grant. As a part of his pitch to supervisors, Crowley and his administration requested authorization to pull from the county's economic development reserve to fund the "Building Bridges" program, which would allow the county to support small businesses through grants of $10,000. The grants would be available and eligible in all 18 supervisory districts across Milwaukee County. At the county's finance committee on May 15, supervisors voted 4-1 to approve adoption of the proposal, with Supervisor Steve Taylor voting no and Supervisor Shawn Rolland excused from the meeting. The County Board of Supervisors will take a vote on May 22. The program would collaborate with the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Southeastern Wisconsin, the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, the African American Chamber of Commerce, the Legacy Redevelopment Corporation, and UW Extension. The Building Bridges program would also create a four-year, limited-term small business liaison position focused on fostering communication, collaboration and partnerships between Milwaukee municipalities and the local business community. Additional funds will be put toward marketing and branding. Among previous efforts to leverage support for Milwaukee's small businesses, the county has infused $1 million in small business grants for entrepreneurs over the last five years, and eight loans valued at $1.3 million for small businesses. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Daviid Crowley pitches $10K grants to boost small businesses
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wisconsin Maritime Museum's garden project assisted by $40,000 state grant
MANITOWOC – Wisconsin Maritime Museum's creation of the new Captain Carus Maritime Garden on Franklin Street is now being supported by a $40,000 Vibrant Spaces Grant. The grant comes from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and will help the museum "convert over 20,000 square feet of asphalt into a vibrant outdoor exhibit space and perennial garden," according to a new release from the museum. The new public space will be adjacent to the future Wisconsin Maritime Heritage Center, an extension of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, and will be situated on museum-owned property on the southwest corner of Franklin Street and 12th Street. Read more: Manitowoc lighthouse to be open for guided tours by the Wisconsin Maritime Museum The Captain Carus Maritime Garden, named in honor of Capt. Edward Carus, who lived and died on this historic property, will feature improvements such as replacing the asphalt with new planting areas and trees, and incorporating maritime artifacts into the landscape. The park will also include an outdoor classroom area, accessible parking, new lighting, updated signs and exterior enhancements to adjacent buildings. As the former home of Carus, the space will also feature a public archaeology component exploring the foundation of the Carus home. Read more: Must-see stops: Cobia submarine, a 'portal to hell' & more landmarks in Manitowoc County The news release states: "This transformation is the product of a strong and growing partnership between the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the City of Manitowoc. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to revitalizing the Franklin Street corridor and celebrating Manitowoc's rich maritime heritage." Construction of the Garden is expected to begin this summer with an estimated opening date in 2026. Funding for the garden has also included grants from the Ruth St. John and John Dunham West Foundation and the Fund for Lake Michigan. Community fundraising and volunteer efforts will also support the project as it is implemented. Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc. She can be reached by email at aschafer@ This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Wisconsin Maritime Museum garden project assisted by $40K state grant
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fall Creek says $50k Vibrant Spaces Grant will go towards outdoor amenities project
FALL CREEK — Fall Creek's outdoor amenities project has received a $50,000 Vibrant Spaces Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, with the money going towards a waterfront property being converted into a public space. 'This is all part of our broader effort in downtown Fall Creek,' said Jared McKee, Fall Creek public works director. 'We are building a new library; we were successful recipients of a $4.25 million grant by the Flexible Facilities Program through the state of Wisconsin designated for a public library community center.' Fall Creek announced Wednesday they were a recipient of the grant. A total of 27 municipalities were awarded grants statewide. 'Wisconsin EDC has been wonderful to work with,' McKee said. 'Their staff was very helpful all along the way. They have been very supportive and I think this project has been a good fit for what they are trying to do. It is obviously something that we are very excited about — to be a recipient and to be a partner with them in trying to accomplish those goals.' McKee said that the $4.25 million would only go towards the building. The WEDH grant is intended to go to a space roughly 3.25 acres that would house outdoor amenities like a pavilion, raised garden beds, trails accessible to people with disabilities and potentially more. 'We are putting up a new building which is wonderful, but we also want to make that accessible,' he said. 'We want to connect the downtown to that new library. We have quite a lot of green space and we are going to have some parking, but we want to be able to help people come in and use it in more of a park setting, so this Vibrant Spaces Grant is helping us with that. 'If funding is available, depending on how our capital campaign goes, we may also have an outdoor amphitheater there. All of these outdoor amenities we are hoping to really foster a sense of community for all groups, with school-aged students doing programming with the library and the raised beds to family events at the amphitheater… We think this is going to be a really great way to bring all of those different groups together in Fall Creek.' McKee said a lot of the design process has already been accomplished, with the next big steps for the village being launching their capital campaign to see what additional funds they are able to raise and to open the bid on their library project. 'We are actually going out to bid for them (today),' he said. 'We anticipate those bids coming back on (May) 22, and groundbreaking has to take place no later than July 1.' The project bid would include both the library and the outdoor recreational space. From there, the village would be one step closer towards completing the project. McKee said in the coming months they are going to be awarding bids, executing contracts and getting people mobilized on the ground putting the structures up.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Manitowoc awarded $40,000 grant for Captain Carus Maritime Garden, turning asphalt patch into lively vibrant space
MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) – A large patch of asphalt in downtown Manitowoc will soon be transformed into a vibrant new public green space thanks to a state grant and a shared vision between the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the City of Manitowoc. The two partners were awarded a $40,000 Vibrant Spaces Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to create the Captain Carus Maritime Garden, a 20,000-square-foot outdoor exhibit space and perennial garden at the southwest corner of Franklin and 12th Street. First 50 artists announced for Mile of Music 2025 in Appleton The site once housed the home of Captain Edward Carus, a Great Lakes ship captain for the Goddard Shipping Company. Born in Manitowoc shortly after the Civil War, Carus lived and died on the same property in 1947. He was also a maritime photographer and chronicler, with more than 3,000 of his images preserved in the museum's collection. 'This grant allows us to break ground on this park for Captain Carus,' said Kevin Cullen, executive director of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. 'He was a Great Lakes ship captain, born here in the 1860s and he lived and died on the property in 1947.' The garden will feature maritime artifacts, native landscaping, seating areas, an outdoor classroom and improved accessibility. It will also include updated signage, lighting and building enhancements in the surrounding area. Cullen says the museum plans to excavate the site and hopes to uncover part of the historic foundation of Carus' former home as part of a public archaeology component. The Captain Carus Maritime Garden will be located adjacent to the museum's collection storage facility, which is also undergoing renovation and will be reintroduced as the Wisconsin Maritime Heritage Center. The future center aims to provide more public access to thousands of artifacts currently stored behind the scenes. 'This is the first step in a public access space for seeing what other things happen behind the scenes in the museum,' Cullen said. 'We want this to be a multi-use event space for programming and a place for respite in an otherwise concrete jungle.' The City of Manitowoc sees the project as part of a broader revitalization effort for the Franklin Street corridor, with the garden expected to boost foot traffic and community engagement in the downtown area. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay honors inhabitants ahead of construction of new library Additional funding for the garden comes from the Ruth St. John and John Dunham West Foundation and the Fund for Lake Michigan. Community fundraising and volunteer efforts will also support the project through its construction phase. Groundbreaking is expected later this summer, with the garden opening to the public in 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
