A Democratic-authored bill would use state funding to revive the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.’s Main Street Bounceback program and establish it permanently in Wisconsin statute, WisBusiness reports.
The co-sponsorship memo sent to other lawmakers last week by Sen. Kelda Roys of Madison and Rep. Alex Joers of Waunakee highlighted the success of the program, which was funded by the federal American Rescue Plan act.
The Main Street Bounceback program has distributed over 9,400 grants to small businesses across every county in the state since its launch in 2021. The funds help cover the cost of opening a new location or expanding into an existing vacant commercial space.
Authors of the legislation say it would create a permanent program at the state level using the same framework to help companies seeking to grow. The bill would appropriate $25 million in general purpose revenue per year during the 2025-27 fiscal biennium to be used by WEDC to award the grants.
