WEDC Capacity Building Grants (WI)

The WEDC Capacity Building Grants aim to enhance local development efforts in Wisconsin by supporting nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. These grants facilitate the creation and expansion of cooperative initiatives, ensuring that communities have the resources needed to thrive. By addressing economic development challenges, the program fosters collaboration among various stakeholders, allowing for innovative solutions that benefit all Wisconsin residents. This flexible funding approach enables rapid responses to emerging needs and promotes sustainable growth.

Strengthening organizations that drive local development
Wisconsin’s Capacity Building Grant Program is designed to further WEDC’s efforts to foster an advanced economic development network within the state of Wisconsin.
Introduction
Background Information:
The Capacity Building (CB) program provides funds to assist economic development focused local, regional, Tribal and state-wide nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions to foster an advanced economic development network in Wisconsin by furthering the goals of WEDC in alignment with its Mission and Vision – to strategically invest in Wisconsin and support an economy for all where every Wisconsinite has the opportunity to thrive.
Thrive Rural:
Thrive Rural Wisconsin funds grants made to local economic development organizations, units of government and/or Tribal communities to access financial support that increases their capacity to develop community facilities, community economic development initiatives, and housing projects that will enhance the community as a thriving place to live. Thrive Rural Wisconsin Pilot funds are only available to communities approved in concept prior to submittal of an application.
Cooperative Development Grant:
Cooperative Development Grants support the development of new and existing for-profit and nonprofit entities looking to create or expand a cooperative in Wisconsin, with a goal of fostering the success of current and future cooperatives by supporting planning and exploratory research in advance of making a large investment.
Program’s Purpose:
The Capacity Building program is a flexible program – broad project range, financing structure, client type – to quickly help address a variety of economic development issues with WEDC’s not-for-profit / governmental partners. While not an emergency response type tool, it does allow for more rapid response, due to its flexibility, to address the lack of capacity or the need to pilot solutions within Wisconsin’s economy.
The CB program also allows for pilot programs at WEDC to be tested within the CB framework prior to a permanent program being developed (recent examples – Thrive Rural and Cooperative Development).
Finally, the CB program acts as a leading indicator for WEDC staff to spot emerging economic issues that may need a more formal program or type of support, as well as a “learning lab” of vetted ideas to share elsewhere in WEDC’s network of partners. This may involve activity start up or emphasis with other collaborating agencies. Projects must be economic development related, pilot or new idea, replicable, and sharable across the state.