New North, Inc., the regional economic development corporation serving the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, is seeking input from partners and key stakeholders as it works to develop a proposal for the state’s Workforce Innovation grant. Gov. Tony Evers announced the $100 million initiative, designed to address Wisconsin’s post-pandemic workforce needs, on July 14 in Green Bay.
New North is leading regional efforts to originate a comprehensive plan that features leading-edge approaches and locally led initiatives aimed at long-term solutions to workforce challenges. While innovative and new strategies are the centerpiece of the governor’s initiative, existing approaches that can be scaled and replicated across the broader region also are eligible.
Ideas and recommendations for the proposal New North is building can be submitted through an online form here. New North encourages sharing the form with local partners and stakeholders, and additional information is available on New North’s Talent Hub website. The organization also welcomes identification of regional gaps and barriers to employment that need to be addressed.
In the coming weeks, New North plans to convene a series of in-person and virtual meetings with partners and stakeholders to discuss proposed ideas, solicit additional feedback and finalize collaborative strategies.
“The more information and input we receive during the initial submission process, the more comprehensive and competitive our region’s completed proposal will be,” said Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North, Inc.
Program proposal guidelines are expected to be released in the latter part of August, according to Rebecca Deschane, vice president of talent development for New North, Inc. The finalized, collaborative proposal must demonstrate a connection to pandemic recovery efforts. Recent state administration visits have focused on issues such as child care, transportation and housing, Deschane said.
The state’s Workforce Innovation grant program will disperse $50 million in fall 2021 and $50 million in spring/summer 2022. Grant awards will range from $250,000 to $10 million.
