Wisconsin Small Business Development Grant

Nonprofits can Access $250K to Capital Program for Small Businesses

Donor: Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)

About: The Wisconsin Small Business Development Grant (SBDG) represents a groundbreaking initiative to empower local communities in supporting their small business ecosystem. This innovative program, with a total funding pool of $2 million for fiscal year 2025, aims to revolutionize how small businesses access capital and support services in Wisconsin.

The SBDG program takes a unique bottom-up approach, encouraging communities to develop creative solutions tailored to their local small business needs. This strategy emerged from extensive feedback following the successful Main Street Bounceback program, which identified persistent challenges in capital access for small businesses.

What sets this program apart is its emphasis on sustainable impact. Recipients can create matching grant programs, establish revolving loan funds, or implement other innovative financing solutions that will continue to benefit small businesses long after the initial grant period. The program particularly values initiatives that combine financial support with customized business advising and technical assistance.

Need help navigating the application process? Grantaura’s expert team specializes in crafting winning grant proposals for organizations. Our services include comprehensive grant research, professional document preparation (including business plans and financial projections), and full application management. Let us help you secure this funding to create lasting impact in your community.

Focus: Small business financing, startup support, business expansion, facade improvement, technical assistance, economic development, community revitalization, rural development, urban development

Region: Wisconsin, United States

Eligibility:
-Local Economic Development Organizations
-Regional Economic Development Organizations
-Municipal Governments
-Tribal Governments
-County Governments
-Organizations must demonstrate capacity to:
–Administer grant/loan programs
–Provide technical assistance
–Support small business development
-Organizations must commit to:
–Fund disbursement within 18 months
–Regular performance reporting
–Program sustainability planning

Benefits:
-Grant awards ranging from $50,000 to $250,000
-No matching funds required
-Additional scoring points for:
–Matching fund contributions
–Rural/distressed area focus
–Support for diverse-owned businesses

Deadline: Ongoing

Terms:
-WEDC: Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the state’s leading economic development organization
-EDOs: Economic Development Organizations, entities focused on fostering business growth and economic prosperity
-SBDG: Small Business Development Grant, WEDC’s program for enhancing small business capital access
-RLF: Revolving Loan Fund, a self-replenishing pool of money that uses interest and repayments to fund future loans
-Network Wisconsin: WEDC’s online portal for grant applications and management