RESOURCES AND GRANTS FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES

The 10,000 Communities Initiative aims to accelerate and advance critical community infrastructure projects by maximizing innovation and integration across regions, sectors, and sources of investment capital.

The Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program awards financial assistance to small- and medium-sized manufacturers in energy communities to 1) establish new facilities or 2) re-equip or expand existing facilities for the manufacturing or recycling of advanced energy property.

The purpose of this program is to prepare new Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to effectively provide primary care by supporting the establishment, expansion and/or enhancement of existing community-based Nurse Practitioner (NP) residency and fellowship training programs.

The purpose of the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program is to increase the number of primary care nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives trained and prepared to provide primary care services, mental health and substance use disorder care, and/or maternal health care.

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - EWD focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences.

Apprenticeship is an industry-driven training model that combines on-the-job learning with job-related instruction.

This program serves dual purposes by implementing and scaling worker-centered sector strategies to support the workforce necessary for successful implementation of the BIL.

The goal of the Business Development Tax Credit (BTC) Program is to incent new and expanding businesses in the state of Wisconsin.

The CHIPS Program Office’s first funding opportunity seeks applications for projects involving the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial facilities for the fabrication of leading-edge, current-generation, and mature-node semiconductors.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Equal Rights Division administers laws prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

The Community Power Accelerator connects developers, investors, philanthropists, and community-based organizations to create an ecosystem of partners that work together to get more equity-focused community solar projects financed and deployed.

The ACE Toolkit contains surveys, consent forms, training materials, and databases that can be easily customized for use in an assessment after a chemical incident.

The goal of the Diverse Business Development (DBD) Program is to support existing, new and expanding minority-, woman-, LGBT- and veteran-owned businesses in the state of Wisconsin.

The Emerging Business Program was created to encourage the involvement, utilization, and development of economically disadvantaged businesses in the State of Wisconsin. The Workforce Development Program was created to enable unemployed and underemployed area-specific residents to obtain living wage construction jobs.

Under the Employment Grants Program a municipality will use grant funds to connect homeless individuals with permanent employment.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program is designed to assist states, local governments, and Tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and to improve energy efficiency.

Enviro-Check helps ensure your business is in good standing with environmental requirements. By voluntarily auditing your practices, you can reduce risks and limit liability. Whether you’re looking for efficiencies or want to verify your environmental performance, DNR’s Enviro-Check program enables you to proactively evaluate compliance.

Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants provide funding for a grant recipient to capitalize a revolving loan fund and to provide loans and subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites.

The program is designed to support hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education by assisting public school districts with equipment purchases used in fabrication laboratories in Wisconsin schools.

Family and medical leave is a benefit available to certain employees. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Equal Rights Division administers Wisconsin's family and medical leave law.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development offers grants to Wisconsin businesses to train and retain highly skilled workers.

The Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program makes federal resources available to states and direct recipients to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities.

Green Tier recognizes businesses that go above and beyond environmental regulations and works with you to acknowledge your commitment to continual environmental improvement. We look forward to working together to enhance your productivity, cut your costs and strengthen the health of your community. Dynamic, forward-thinking businesses, communities and associations are encouraged to apply.

The purpose of the HBIIP is to increase significantly the sales and use of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel by expanding the infrastructure for renewable fuels derived from U.S. agricultural products.

The Hire Heroes Transitional Jobs Program for Veterans is a public/private partnership that offers local businesses access to subsidized veteran employees with the goal of helping veterans with high barriers gain job skills needed to transition into long-term sustainable employment.

This program provides 1 percent low-interest loans to local lenders or “intermediaries” that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities.

The Job Center of Wisconsin (JCW) is a free online portal that connects job seekers with employment opportunities throughout Wisconsin. JCW's interactive search options allow users to search job openings by title, employer, keyword, location, apprenticeship opportunity, location, and more. Additionally, users can upload a resume or use the resume builder to create a resume that highlights the job seeker's skills.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development works with both veterans and employers to assist veterans in reaching their career goals

The federal government offers training programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth who are eligible under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). These programs are facilitated through the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Division of Employment and Training.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Equal Rights Division enforces laws about minimum wage, overtime pay, timely payment of wages, employment of minors, and notification of business closings or mass layoffs.

Local Job Centers provide labor exchange services to both business and job seekers.

The Low or No Emission competitive program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses as well as acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.

This program is designed to assist Native American tribes in improving core library services for their communities.

The grant funding is to be made available to a municipality or community owned utility (not including for-profit entities) to repair, rehabilitate, or replace its natural gas distribution pipeline systems or portions thereof or to acquire equipment to (1) reduce incidents and fatalities and (2) to avoid economic losses.

This funding opportunity seeks proposals primed to impact health equity moving forward, particularly those that address any of these four areas of focus: Future of Evidence; Future of Social Interaction; Future of Food; Future of Work.

Eligible investors receive a Wisconsin income tax credit equal to 25 percent of the value of the investment made in the certified company to help emerging companies grow.

This multimedia guide provides resources for start-ups and already-established rural businesses.

Establishes an adaptive framework to identify needs, evaluate choices and implement solutions in an effort to address the shortage of affordable workforce housing in rural Wisconsin.

This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses.

The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program provides funding for rural projects through local utility organizations.

We provide intensive technical assistance and support to rural communities as they build digital economy ecosystem strategies and work to educate and train local residents in digital skills.

The Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas.

This program provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to 1) help microenterprise startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund and 2) provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs.

If you are a worker who has been laid off or notified that they will be laid off, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development offers services that focus on preparing you to find a new job.

Wisconsin’s Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) provides free and confidential assistance to help small businesses proactively understand and comply with environmental requirements.

The National WIC Workforce Strategy aims to strengthen the diversity and cultural competency of the WIC workforce, with the goals of increasing WIC participation through reaching those populations that are eligible, but not enrolled and increasing WIC participants’ likelihood of adoption nutrition education and breastfeeding support.

Federal funding and planning strategies designed to promote sustainable economic development in rural America

The BioPreferred Program allows businesses to apply for a certification, which lets allows them to display the USDA Certified Biobased Product label on the product.

Unemployment Insurance is a program designed to provide temporary income to eligible workers who lost their job or are working reduced hours. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Unemployment Insurance Division administers Wisconsin's unemployment insurance program.

USDA's mapping tool that allows the user to determine if their project is in an eligible area for funding.

List of resource guides from USDA

This guide was created for community leaders and other local entities to help them access resources to create jobs, train talent, expand educational opportunities and provide technical assistance .

​​The Veteran Housing and Recovery Program (VHRP)​ provides secure and safe housing to veterans while they receive training and services to become stably housed.

Vocational Rehabilitation is a federal and state program designed to help people with disabilities obtain, maintain, and advance employment.

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) reduces energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, while ensuring health and safety.

The Bureau promotes public health through statewide programs to increase public awareness of environmental and occupational health hazards and disease and works to prevent and control exposure to environmental and occupational health hazards.

Meat Processor Infrastructure Grants are available to new or existing processors to facilitate changes and expansion to grow harvest capacity and/or increase product throughput.

This funding will be used to attract students to meat careers, provide financial support to s​tudents in Wisconsin meat processing training programs, support program development, and connect the meat processing industry with potential employees.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is offering grants to support the development of new and existing cooperatives 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.

Provides technical assistance (TA) to employers and labor unions in the United States and its territories to encourage employment of women in both apprenticeable occupations and nontraditional occupations.

Connect individuals looking to expand their employment opportunities in the post-pandemic economy with career coaches who will help them overcome barriers, navigate the workforce system, and connect them with employers to grow in their employment.

The Wisconsin Worker's Compensation Act provides for payment of reasonable medical expenses and compensation for lost wages resulting from work-related injuries or disabilities. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Worker's Compensation Division manages the Wisconsin worker's compensation claims program.

Local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) serve as strategic conveners to promote and broker effective relationships between the businesses and the economic, education, and workforce partners throughout their area.