Grant News

Grant Programs Currently Accepting Applications:

Additional $25 Million Invested into Main Street Bounceback Program- Grant Deadline Extended

Governor Tony Evers last week announced that an additional $25 million will be invested into the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program.

The program has already helped more than 4,200 small businesses and nonprofits in all 72 counties in Wisconsin. This additional investment will enable 2,500 more small businesses and nonprofits to move or expand into vacant commercial spaces across the state. The governor further announced that the deadline to apply for a Main Street Bounceback Grant has now been extended to December 31, 2022. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until all the funds are disbursed.

Grant funds are available as part of the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) and distributed by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) regional partners. Businesses must apply through the partner organization for the region in which they are located. The program is open to new or existing businesses opening a new location or expanding operations in a vacant commercial property where the lease commences, or sales contract closes, on or after January 1, 2021 and on or before December 31, 2022.

Additional information about the Main Street Bounce Back Grants is available here: https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/mainstreet-bounceback-grants/.

Due to high program demand, beginning yesterday March 1, 2022, applications for spaces under 400ft² will be placed on a waiting list for funding in the East Central region. This applies to all applications that are in process and have not yet received final approval as well as all new applications. The Main Street Bounceback Grants program eligibility period is scheduled to end June 30, 2022. Depending on demand for the program, funding availability, and other applicable eligibility factors, East Central will begin reviewing applications on the waitlist toward the end of the eligibility period. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis based on the date that we received full application submittals for each property. Therefore, businesses filling spaces under 400ft² are still encouraged to apply to the program but will be placed on a waitlist until further notice.