UW Community Economic Development Programs

Welcome to the Community Economic Development Program Weekly Update! This serves as your guide to the latest events, resources, and funding. The CED Weekly update is meant to keep you connected and informed about what’s happening in community economic development and provide information to help better serve Wisconsin communities.

Events

BROADBAND

Incentivizing Broadband Projects: Board of Commissioners of Public Lands | August 15, 12-1 pm (Virtual) – As communities are prioritizing broadband projects, incentivizing projects with the most need is one way to ensure these projects will get done. The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands offers one option for communities to consider. This webinar will share how to go through the process of applying for the State Trust Fund Loan Program and how this can benefit your community beyond the funding itself. Case studies and examples of how communities have accessed these funds will also be featured.

BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Forward Fest 2024 | August 19-23 (Madison, WI) – While Forward Fest was originally by and for entrepreneurs, we actively embrace a wide, inclusive definition of the word. Everyone in the community is welcome: do you work at a startup or nonprofit? Want to know more about running a business? Are you maybe interested in switching to a career in tech? Do you just think entrepreneurship is neat? Join us!

Immigration, Employment, and Entrepreneurship: A Legal Symposium for Wisconsin’s Workforce | September 20, 8 am-5 pm (Fitchburg, WI) – The Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative will host a legal symposium for Wisconsin’s workforce at the WI Latino Chamber of Commerce in Fitchburg. This is a professional development event, led by the Law and Entrepreneurship (L&E) Clinic. This symposium will provide insights into enhancing service providers’ understanding of laws, regulations, and practical solutions concerning employment and entrepreneurship for new immigrants, migrant workers, and undocumented workers. The training will cover topics relevant to employers, employees, job seekers, and entrepreneurs.

2024 Food Finance Forum and Expo | September 25-26 (Madison, WI) – Food Finance Forum & Expo for food businesses, buyers and distributers. Join food entrepreneurs and experts from across Wisconsin at this once-a-year, in-person opportunity to learn from panels of food entrepreneurs who have successfully grown their businesses; connect with unique Wisconsin food businesses, buyers, and distributors at this year’s all-new Expo; and experience a behind-the-scenes tour of some of Madison’s most amazing food businesses.

Employee Ownership Webinar | October 24, 9-10 am (Virtual) – Please join the UW Center for Cooperatives for a webinar to learn about the benefits of converting to a cooperative as a business succession plan! This webinar is free, but registration is required.

21st Annual Women’s Business Conference | October 30, 7:30 am-4 pm (Eau Claire, WI) – Attend this phenomenal event featuring respected speakers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries! Designed to inspire and connect you with other empowering women, this event will provide you with the resources you are looking for to start, improve, or expand your business. At this full-day conference, you’ll learn from established members of the business community in Western Wisconsin, talk to business assistance providers, and network with other women in business.

COMMUNITY & PLACEMAKING

Attracting and Retaining Young People in Rural Wisconsin | August 5, 3:30-4:30 pm (Virtual) – Join the Office of Rural Prosperity as we discuss what attracts young people to rural areas and how community leaders can take steps to continue making rural areas desirable places to live. The webinar will feature community members and leaders who highlight different perspectives related to attraction and retention. We look forward to fostering this discussion and answering any questions you may have.

2024 WCA Annual Conference | September 22-24 (La Crosse, WI) – The 2024 WCA Annual Conference & Exhibit Hall will be held September 22-24 in La Crosse County at the La Crosse Center. “Wisconsin’s Route 72” is inspired by the iconic Route 66 but with a unique Wisconsin twist. This theme celebrates the rich tapestry of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, each with its own story, culture, and charm. Attendees will embark on a journey, exploring the scenic “Route 72”, fostering a sense of discovery and appreciation for Wisconsin’s rich culture and heritage.

Small Community Forum Mineral Point | September 24, 7:30 am-1 pm (Mineral Point, WI) – Wisconsin has numerous small communities, with over half having populations below 2,500. These diverse communities face unique challenges due to their size. The twelfth annual Small Community Forum offers a platform for residents to collaborate, address shared issues, and access resources. The forums tackle topics like infrastructure, innovation, housing, and workforce development. Civic leaders, business figures, educators, and others are invited, with a $20 fee covering materials and meals.

Small Community Forum Belgium | October 1, 7:30 am-1 pm (Belgium, WI) – Wisconsin has numerous small communities, with over half having populations below 2,500. These diverse communities face unique challenges due to their size. The twelfth annual Small Community Forum offers a platform for residents to collaborate, address shared issues, and access resources. The forums tackle topics like infrastructure, innovation, housing, and workforce development. Civic leaders, business figures, educators, and others are invited, with a $20 fee covering materials and meals.

WTA Annual Convention | October 6-8 (Stevens Point, WI) – Join town officials from around the state as we gather in one place to listen, learn and connect with each other! Our convention offers a wonderful opportunity to network with your peers, learn from experienced educators about the topics that matter most to towns, and become acquainted with state agency staff and other exhibitors that provide the services and products that can make your life easier.

Small Community Forum Adams-Friendship | October 10, 7:30 am-1 pm (Adams-Friendship, WI) – Wisconsin has numerous small communities, with over half having populations below 2,500. These diverse communities face unique challenges due to their size. The twelfth annual Small Community Forum offers a platform for residents to collaborate, address shared issues, and access resources. The forums tackle topics like infrastructure, innovation, housing, and workforce development. Civic leaders, business figures, educators, and others are invited, with a $20 fee covering materials and meals.

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities 126th Annual Fall Conference | October 23-25 (Madison, WI) – The League’s 126th Annual Fall Conference is a place for municipal staff and elected officials to find encouragement in a community of local government enthusiasts, share experiences, and together create the future. Our 2024 conference will uplift stories of excellent community service, inspirational ideas, and practical solutions. We will provide the building blocks to create better organizations. You will walk away inspiring ideas.

ECONOMY

2024 Best Practices Conference | September 25-27 (Eau Claire, WI) – WEDA’s annual Best Practices Conference is our educational forum that seeks to give attendees tactical/practical tools and ideas they can take home and put into practice immediately.

2024 Rural Renewal Symposium | October 8-10 (Ardmore, OK) – This interdisciplinary symposium is organized by the Rural Renewal Initiative at Oklahoma State University. The Symposium provides a unique opportunity to share research and connect with faculty, students, and rural community members from across the U.S. and around the world. The symposium is a place to share the latest discoveries, trends, and approaches to rural renewal.

2024 Poverty Matters Conference | October 9-10 (Sheboygan, WI) – Poverty Matters is Wisconsin’s ONLY statewide conference that serves as a regional platform to raise awareness on issues impacting low-income families and individuals. For over 40 years, this conference has served as a major convening of state and federal agencies, community action agencies, individuals, and stakeholders dedicated to identifying common sense solutions and approaches to address and eliminate poverty.

2024 Wisconsin Economic Summit | October 15-16 (La Crosse, WI) – Each year, WEDC invites its network of economic development partners, its ambassadors, and industry experts to gather, connect, reflect, and learn from each other. This two-day event provides a recap of the economic successes and challenges of the past year, a look at the state of Wisconsin’s economy, and deep dives into trending economic topics that affect Wisconsin.

ENERGY

Climate Fast Forward 2024 | November 14-15 (Rothschild, WI) – The Climate Fast Forward conference, hosted by the Wisconsin Academy, will bring together over 400 stakeholders representing many different sectors and audiences, including climate change policy and planning, climate justice, natural climate solutions, building efficiency, resilient infrastructure, renewable energy, and more.

Resources

BROADBAND

FCC National Broadband Map – On May 21, 2024 the Federal Communication Commission released the 4th iteration of the Federal Broadband Map. This map uses the fourth version of the broadband serviceable location fabric and the internet service availability reported as of December 31, 2023 by internet service providers. The most up-to-date version of the National Broadband Map is available here.

Broadband Toolkit – This Broadband Toolkit prepares Wisconsin communities to increase broadband access for all by engaging local stakeholders in the planning process and developing a comprehensive implementation strategy. The Toolkit is designed to provide maximum flexibility to users – it can be utilized either sequentially, by starting at the beginning and working through each module in order, or selectively, by choosing individual modules based on specific needs and interests.

BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Entrepreneurial Policy Recommendations – As part of a grant with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation we have worked with entrepreneurs in the heartland to better understand the policy barriers they faced when starting and scaling their businesses. As part of these efforts, we hosted short conversations with small groups of entrepreneurs, midsize city mayors, gubernatorial offices and local elected officials working on small business and entrepreneurial issues.

Business Owners of Color in Wisconsin: Representation, Profitability, and Growth Report and Policy Brief – Wisconsin follows the nationwide trend of a relatively small yet growing number of diverse business owners. This recent growth suggests a promising and economically important future for diverse business owners despite evidence that they face significant challenges. This report and supporting policy brief outline data and trends within the state of Wisconsin and chart out strategies for entrepreneurial growth.

COMMUNITY & PLACEMAKING

Hmong in Wisconsin Chartbook – In partnership with the Hmong Institute and the APL just released an updated Hmong in Wisconsin chartbook showing current demographic attributes and historic changes in the Hmong people in Wisconsin. The report covers a wide range of topics.

Neighborhood Atlas –The Neighborhood Atlas website was created in order to freely share measures of neighborhood disadvantage with the public, including educational institutions, health systems, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies, in order to make these metrics available for use in research, program planning, and policy development.

Native Community Data Profiles Tool – This data tool connects information on Native places and people. An innovative new resource expands access to community-level data on a variety of topics, helping to bridge data gaps in Indian Country. Explore the Native Community Data Profiles resource.

ECONOMY

Stronger Together – The Joint Planning Resource Guide by USDA Rural Development and US Department of Congress Economic Development Administration is a new web-based publication to share federal funding and planning opportunities designed to promote sustainable economic development in rural America. The Guide has four focus areas: Planning and Technical Assistance, Infrastructure and High-speed Internet Expansion, Entrepreneurship and Business Assistance and Workforce Development and Livability.

ENERGY

Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook – Need help finding funding via Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) programs for climate related activities? The White House has issued this Guide Book to give a one-stop overview of the clean energy, climate mitigation and resilience, agriculture, and conservation-related investment IRA programs, including who is eligible to apply for funding and for what activities.

Charging Forward: A Toolkit for Planning and Funding Rural Electric Mobility Infrastructure – The U.S. Department of Transportation designed this resource tool for all communities, including Tribal, to create equal access to the economic opportunities and improved mobility and air quality that Electronic Vehicles offer.

WORKFORCE

Female Labor Force Participation in the Post-Pandemic Era – As part of our Spotlight on Childcare and the Labor Market, a targeted effort to understand how access to childcare can affect employment and the economy, this article documents a striking change in the American labor market: The labor force participation rate for women is higher than it was prior to the pandemic. Most strikingly, women with young children at home, those most in need of childcare, have experienced the largest increases in labor force participation. In contrast, the labor force participation rate of men and the overall labor force participation rate are still below their pre-pandemic levels. Among women with young children, college-educated women have experienced the largest increases in labor market participation.

Geographic Access to Child Care in Wisconsin – The Applied Population Lab has created this story map looking at access to child care. This mapping is part of the PDG comprehensive Needs Assessment to further understand the impact physical access to care might have on families with young children. This analysis only shows the geographic dimension of access to child care and does not indicate whether a family can afford to pay for child care.

Funding

BROADBAND

The Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) – The BTA grant opportunity is open for applications. The $25 million available for BTA is made possible by the Bi-partisan Infrastructure Law and will be administered through the USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Broadband Technical Assistance refers to activities that support broadband expansion into rural areas and may include activities related to: project planning and community engagement; financial sustainability; environmental compliance; construction planning and engineering; accessing federal resources and data collection and reporting.

BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Healthy Food Financing Initiative – The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) provides loans, grants, and technical assistance resources to improve and support access to fresh, healthy, affordable food in urban and rural underserved communities. HFFI is using additional USDA-allocated American Rescue Plan Act resources to expand its services and reach.

Entrepreneurship Partner Grant – The goal of the Entrepreneurship Partner Grant is to encourage the formation of entrepreneurship support programs and to develop startup and emerging growth companies in the state of Wisconsin.

Intermediary Relending Program – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development provides funds to local lenders or “intermediaries” that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create new opportunities in rural communities.

COMMUNITY & PLACEMAKING

Foundation for Rural Service Community Grant Program – Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) offers this program to support local efforts to build and sustain a high quality of life in rural communities. Focus areas include business development, community development, education, and telecommunications.

Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant Program – U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) offers funding for projects that reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity. The program seeks to award funding to rural and tribal communities that face unique challenges related to mobility and economic development.

Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program – This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program – This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

News & Events

Events

Resources

Funding

Stay in the Loop!