• West Central
Green Lake, Marquette, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara Counties
Gresham business among those receiving REAP grants
A Gresham business will receive a $147,500 grant to install solar power that will supply 100% of its electrical needs.
The funds are one of the recently announced grants in the Rural Energy for America Program distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Bisley Fabrication will save up to $18,319 per year with a roof-mounted electrical array. It will replace 163,500 kilowatt hours — all of the company’s current electric usage.
Led by owner Kate Dillenburg, the team at Bisley Fabrication expertly crafts surfacing products for both residential and commercial applications. The company was founded in 1987 by Jim Bisley.
Other Northeast Wisconsin businesses receiving funds are:
- JP Grahl Farms in Eden will use $70,963 to install a small solar electric array.
- Quali T Screening, Inc. in Luxemburg will use a $29,965 REAP grant to install a roof-mount solar electric array.
- Lazy J Dairy Farms, LLC, a dairy operation in Luxemburg, will use a $224,227 REAP grant to install a solar electric array.
- Rosewood Dairy, Inc. in Algoma will use a $500,000 REAP grant to install more energy-efficient lighting.
- Frank’s Inc., a logging operation in Peshtigo, will use a $84,485 REAP grant to purchase and install a more energy-efficient firewood processor.
- Depies Shady Lane Dairy in Adell will use a $221,221 REAP grant to install a roof-mounted solar electric array.
Green Lake Area Animal Shelter upgrades surgery room
Green Lake Area Animal Shelter (GLAAS) was awarded an $8,926 grant from the Howard and Avis Kolpin Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region to purchase an anesthesia machine and surgery table to enhance its surgery room.
Founded in 1993, GLAAS is an open admission, full-service shelter, assisting any pet or pet owner in need. It has an annual budget of $250,000.
With the addition of this equipment in its surgery room, it is now expected that the only time the shelter will need to seek veterinary care outside of its facility is when the veterinarian is on vacation or when there is a rare case that requires a specialist and the pet would be referred to UW-Madison.
Seeing about 800 to 1,000 animals a year and reducing the need for outside referrals or help reduces the burden on other shelters and organizations.
The shelter routinely partners with other organizations and law enforcement to assist in emergency situations. All income is from donations, whether adoption fees, fundraisers, memorials or supplies.
• The Lakeshore
Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Counties
Lakeshore College Dental Clinic expansion underway
Construction on the expansion of Lakeshore College’s on-site dental clinic has begun, with an anticipated completion date of June 1. The clinic is expected to be fully operational for training and for hosting the college’s Community Dental Clinic by June 30.
During construction, Lakeshore’s dental assistant program students are practicing skills and completing clinical evaluations two days a week at Lakeshore Community Health Care in Manitowoc. Thanks to a new partnership between the two organizations, Lakeshore Community Health Care is also providing a mobile dental unit for the students to work on skills one day a week on Lakeshore’s Cleveland campus.
In May last year, Lakeshore secured more than $1.2 million in new funding to support the expansion of the college’s dental clinic and the development of an accredited dental hygiene program. Lakeshore College President Paul Carlsen said the accreditation process takes approximately 18 months, leading to an anticipated program launch in the fall of 2026.
• Interstate 41 Corridor
Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, Winnebago Counties
Veterans’ tiny home project backed by Packers
Green Bay Packers Give Back awarded a $250,000 veterans impact grant to Veterans 1st of Northeast Wisconsin.
Veterans 1st is building Northeast Wisconsin’s first cottage court of tiny homes for veterans. The project includes 17 one-bedroom homes and four resident transitional homes, along with a community center to provide residents with an on-site space to participate in more than 20 supportive services.
“Thanks to the Packers Veterans Impact Grant, Veterans 1st of Northeast Wisconsin will be offering a safe, supportive tiny homes village for up to 25 veterans every five years for them to become self-sufficient with over 20 different health, wellness and employment services,” said Kim Nohr, president of Veterans 1st of Northeast Wisconsin.
The cottage court community will be built on Green Bay’s east side, near the Milo C. Huempfner Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic. Construction is set to begin later this year and is expected to be completed in 2027. The organization has received $1.95 million in donations to support the project, with Veterans 1st of Northeast Wisconsin working to raise just over $1 million in additional funds to reach its fundraising goal.
Harrison reports $47M in new development
The village of Harrison continues to see aggressive new single-family residential growth in 2024 — with growth projected for 2025 as well.
The Harrison Village Board approved six new subdivisions in 2024, totaling 147 residential and commercial lots. Harrison issued 108 new single-family residential permits totaling more than $47 million in estimated value. The average new home price was $444,600.
“The village is developing a 12-lot business park known as Crossroads Business Park at the crossroads of County KK, State 55 and Friendship Drive,” said Chad Pelishek, assistant village manager.
Construction of Crossroads Business Park began in September, with utility work now complete and roadway construction scheduled to resume in the spring. To date, eight out of 12 lots have been secured for new commercial development. Four lots remain available, with each lot priced at $35,000.
The village recently launched the Harrison Commerce Park — a retail, office and small business development located off County N between Schmidt and Manitowoc roads. This new commercial district will serve as Harrison’s central hub, featuring 13 lots with average two-acre sites for sale at $45,000 per acre.
“The village has received inquiries from small businesses looking to lease space. Multitenant commercial developers are encouraged to contact the village to learn more about possible developments,” Pelishek said.
• The Northwoods
Florence, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto Counties
New group provides input for UWGB campus in Marinette
A public nonprofit corporation has been created with an initial focus on helping decide the fate of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay campus in Marinette.
The Association for Community and Culture LTD was established in 2024 and held its first public meeting recently.
UWGB announced in 2024 that it was suspending in-person classes at the campus due to declining enrollment. At the time of the announcement, UWGB officials said they understood the value the campus, in particular the Herb Williams Theater, brought to the community.
Marinette County owns the buildings on the Marinette campus and has leased it to UWGB since 1967. The lease is supposed to end in 2042 but can be terminated on June 30 of any year if “appropriations by the legislature are insufficient to permit the continued operation of the university” or “state legislation concerning higher education in Wisconsin involves a fundamental change in the university’s branch campus program.”
At the ACC’s Jan. 15 meeting, Marinette County Administrator John Lefebvre spoke about the decision deadlines the county faces to address the lease with UWGB, as well as possible $2 million grants available for renovation or revamping plans.
“Having over 80 people attend our first Association for Community and Culture meeting highlights the shared passion and interest in shaping our community’s future,” said Wendy Dzurick, ACC president. “There seems to be genuine interest in citizen collaboration and partnership with local governments as we shape our future.”
In addition to Dzurick, the ACC directors include Trygve Rhude, Kurt Hellermann, Amy Schwaba and Paula Gruszynski.
Menominee Nation College collaborates with Lawrence
A $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation will allow Lawrence University faculty and students to explore environmental justice issues in the Fox-Wolf Watershed in collaboration with the College of Menominee Nation.
The three-year grant agreement will facilitate collaborative efforts between Lawrence and CMN, including an Indigenous-led residency program, community-engaged courses, faculty exchange and collaboration, and experiential learning opportunities for students. All efforts are focused on environmental justice and sustainability issues in a Fox-Wolf Watershed that includes the Lawrence campus in Appleton and the tribal college 60 miles to the north.
The grant will fund activities that will cultivate an abiding partnership between Lawrence and CMN, centered on the health and interdependence of the Fox and Wolf rivers.
The work aims to guide new conversations about the history and future of the Fox and Wolf rivers, including Lawrence’s place and voice in the watershed. Doing so in partnership with the Menominee improves the likelihood that the work will continue well beyond the three-year window of the grant.
The authors of the Mellon grant proposal pledged to study and teach about environmental justice issues while also seeking paths to greater sustainability in the region.
