Resource Directory

Rural Economic Development

RESOURCES AND GRANTS FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES

Whether you’re an individual, a business or a community organization, you can use the directory below to search a vast library of resources, tools and services. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), its economic development partners and other organizations around the state offer a range of resources on all aspects of economic well-being, from childcare and education to businesses and housing. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Reach out to us directly, we want to help.

Photo of the owner of J&J Sports in Lake Tomahawk.

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Support Organization

The GRID

Business, Start-Up & Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development, currently incubated by Nicolet College

Program

The Woodland Indian Arts Initiative

Arts & Culture

The Woodland Indian Arts Initiative (WIAI) is designed to promote and develop a foundation of cultural and economic support for ...Read more

Program

Creative Communities Grants Program

Arts & Culture

The Creative Communities (CC) grants program encourages arts education and community arts development in Wisconsin. It provides support for projects ...Read more

Program

Creation and Presentation Grant Program

Arts & Culture

​​​​​​Creation and Presentation Program (CPP) grants provide artistic program and operational support to established nonprofit arts organizations whose primary mission ...Read more

Support Organization

Wisconsin Arts Board

Arts & Culture, Education & Schools

The Wisconsin Arts Board is the state agency which nurtures creativity, cultivates expression, promotes the arts, supports the arts in ...Read more

Support Organization

Steward

Business

Steward provides access to flexible financing and expert support services for agricultural businesses looking to scale their operations, improve the ...Read more

Program

Steward

Sustainability

Straight-forward Loans for Regenerative Farms & Food Producers

Success Story

Kickapoo Valley Forest School: Forging Connections to the Environment

Education & Schools, Forestry & Paper

Residents of the verdant Kickapoo Valley—part of the Driftless Region, untouched by glaciers—wanted their children to understand and appreciate the ...Read more

Success Story

Vernon Food Enterprise Center: Focusing on Food and Wellness

Health & Mental Health, Start-Up & Entrepreneur

The Vernon County region in western Wisconsin is home to many small and midsize farms and food processors that had ...Read more

Success Story

Fifth Season Cooperative: Connecting Food Producers with Buyers

Business

Producing high-quality food is not always enough; sometimes growers and processers need help connecting with the right markets for their ...Read more

Success Story

Farm Table Foundation: Bringing Food From Farm to Table

Business, Education & Schools, Health & Mental Health

Creating an organization that seeks to educate people about soil health and about the benefits of locally grown food can ...Read more

Success Story

Woodland Regional Technical Academy: Boosting Rural Education

Education & Schools, Workforce

Educational and career opportunities are often limited for students in rural areas. To level the educational playing field for rural ...Read more

Success Story

Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network: Expanding Access to Child Care

Child Care

Throughout the state, day care programs have closed, plagued by problems with finding and keeping employees, handling administrative requirements and ...Read more

Success Story

Community First Washburn County: Mobilizing to Keep Residents Healthy

Business, Health & Mental Health

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, a statewide lockdown in March and April forced non-essential businesses to close, putting employees out ...Read more

Success Story

UW Population Health Institute: Improving Rural Health

Health & Mental Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a higher toll on residents of rural Wisconsin, following years of reduced health services for ...Read more

Success Story

Soil Sisters: Supporting and Celebrating Women Farmers

Arts & Culture, Start-Up & Entrepreneur

More than a decade ago, more women began to realize that they were choosing to become farmers in hopes of ...Read more

Success Story

Snow River Cooperative: Employees Buy Former Company

Workforce

When Columbian Home Products announced in fall 2019 that it would close its Crandon division, Snow River Products, the eight ...Read more

Success Story

RideSMRT: Increasing Transportation Options in Rural Areas

Tourism, Transportation

Southwest Wisconsin features scenic views from lazy roads that curl through the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. For people living ...Read more

Success Story

PBS Wisconsin Ready to Learn: Enhancing Early Education

Education & Schools

Children in low-income communities often miss out on some of the educational opportunities available to those in higher-income areas, and ...Read more

Success Story

Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club of Juneau County: Supporting Entrepreneurs

Business, Education & Schools, Start-Up & Entrepreneur

Juneau County is a largely rural area in west central Wisconsin with a population of about 27,000. Manufacturing had been ...Read more