Grant Updates

Read on to view the latest grant program announcements, application information and more. Whenever possible, we will include direct program links where interested parties can get additional program details.

Grant Programs Accepting Applications:

Workforce Innovation Grant Program - Applications Now Open!

The Workforce Innovation Grant Program offers grants from $250,000 up to $10 million to regional economic development partners to design and implement innovative plans to tackle their communities’ most pressing workforce challenges.

The grants will be available to nonprofit or governmental entities to meet local workforce needs, such as childcare, transportation issues, upskilling and re-skilling workers, or career counseling and coaching services, and may be used to support initiatives like training, planning, marketing, or developing pilot programs that can be applied in other communities. Grant funds cannot be used to replace existing public resources.

The grants will be funded with federal ARPA funding and administered through an inter-agency effort that includes the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the Department of Workforce Development (DWD), and the Department of Administration (DOA). Applications are open through October 25, 2021.  

Grant applications, frequently asked questions, and program guidelines are available here: https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/workforce-innovation-grant/  

 

Destination Marketing Organization Grants – Applications Now Open!

The Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) Grant Program will provide financial support for organizations that promote and develop tourism activities in Wisconsin. A total of $15 million is available, up to $1,000,000 per eligible organization, based on expenses incurred between March 3, 2021 and December 31, 2022. Grant funds are available as part of the American Rescue Plan Act and will be distributed by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA). Applications for the program are open now through September 29, 2021.

Additional information about the DMO Grant Program is available here: https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/DestinationMarketingOrganizationsGrantProgram.aspx

Main Street Bounce Back Grants - Applications Now Open!

The Main Street Bounceback Grants program provides $10,000 to new or existing businesses and non-profit organizations moving into vacant properties in Wisconsin’s downtowns and commercial corridors. The program is open to new or existing businesses opening a new location or expanding operations in a vacant commercial space as of January 1, 2021. Grant funds are available as part of the American Recovery Plan Act and will be 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. Applications are open through June 30, 2022. 

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

Destination Marketing Organization Grants – Applications Now Open!

The Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) Grant Program will provide financial support for organizations that promote and develop tourism activities in Wisconsin. A total of $15 million is available, up to $1,000,000 per eligible organization, based on expenses incurred between March 3, 2021 and December 31, 2022. Grant funds are available as part of the American Rescue Plan Act and will be distributed by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA). Applications for the program are open now through September 29, 2021.

Additional information about the DMO Grant Program is available here: https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/DestinationMarketingOrganizationsGrantProgram.aspx

Main Street Bounce Back Grants - Applications Now Open!

The Main Street Bounceback Grants program provides $10,000 to new or existing businesses and non-profit organizations moving into vacant properties in Wisconsin’s downtowns and commercial corridors. The program is open to new or existing businesses opening a new location or expanding operations in a vacant commercial space as of January 1, 2021. Grant funds are available as part of the American Recovery Plan Act and will be 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. Applications are open through June 30, 2022. 

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

Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance Program - Help Is Still Available

The Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance Program (WERA) provides up to 15 months of assistance with current or overdue bills to help households that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic avoid eviction. More than 13,000 Wisconsinites have already received help with rent and utilities statewide. Despite the recent eviction ban extension due to rising COVID-19 cases, help is still available for eligible households through WISCAP agencies and Energy Services. The program is funded by the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program and administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

Additional information about the Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance Program is available here: https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/WERA.aspx

Recent Announcements and Awards

Wisconsin Help for Homeowners - Program Launch

The Wisconsin Help for Homeowners (WHH) program is currently under development, aiming to provide $92.7 million in grants to owner-occupied households who have experienced a COVID-19 related financial hardship, based on income level. Eligible types of expenses under this program may include: mortgage and interest payments, real estate taxes, condominium and association fees. Vacation homes, rentals, cabins, and second homes are ineligible for assistance through WHH. Once approved by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, WHH will be funded through the federal homeowner assistance fund program established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The program is currently accepting public comments through September 14. To submit comments or get additional program details, visit: https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/LocalGovtsGrants/Homeowner-Assistance.aspx  or  homeownerhelp.wisconsin.gov.  

Neighborhood Investment Fund

Governor Evers announced $200 million for the Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant Program, on August 24. Local and tribal governments will be eligible to apply for Neighborhood Investment Fund Grants to help their communities to deliver innovative public services, including new or improved facilities. Governments could pursue new projects like workforce and entrepreneur innovation centers, affordable housing initiatives, transit and childcare solutions, or public space development, with a particular emphasis on increasing services for underserved individuals and populations. The program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act and will be administered by the Department of Administration (DOA). Additional program and application information coming soon.

Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Grant Program

The Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grants will provide $50 million in funding to local and tribal governments or non-profit healthcare organizations to invest in capital projects that specifically support increasing access to healthcare for low income, uninsured, and underserved communities and the ability to respond to future pandemics response needs. Projects could include new or upgraded facility space that enables additional capacity for care within a community. The program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act and will be administered by the Department of Administration (DOA). Additional program and application information coming soon.

Beyond the Classroom Grant Program

The Beyond the Classroom Grant Program awarded $49.5 million to 115 nonprofit out-of-school organizations to increase enrollment capacity, provide additional learning opportunities, or increase mental health support for school-age children. The grants provide funding of up to $1.5 million per non-profit organization for the 2021 summer and up to $1.5 million for the school year and summer of 2022 combined.

The Beyond the Classroom Technical Assistance Grant provides funding of up to $500,000 to an organization that provides technical assistance to out-of-school organizations that provide learning opportunities and/or mental health support for school-age children. The program is funded through ARPA and administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA). Applications and instructions for Beyond the Classroom grants were made available on June 18, 2021, and closed July 8, 2021.

Additional information about the Beyond the Classroom Grant Program is available here: https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/BeyondtheClassroom.aspx

Wisconsin Tomorrow Lodging Grants

Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) awarded more than $70 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to members of Wisconsin's lodging industry. Grants of up to $2 million were released on August 6, 2021 to 888 lodging businesses around the state, to help them offset some of the losses they incurred during the pandemic. The DOR will continue releasing lodging grants to additional lodging businesses in the coming days.

Additional information about the Wisconsin Tomorrow Lodging Grant program is available here: https://www.revenue.wi.gov/Pages/TaxPro/2021/WITomorrowLodgingRecoveryGrant.aspx

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