The Best Business Grants in Wisconsin

City of Appleton

The City of Appleton offers multiple grant programs for businesses:

The Business Recruitment Grant offers $1,000 boost grants to businesses that need a little extra capital to move downtown or open a new business there.

The Façade Improvement Grant offers grants to businesses that need assistance in enhancing their exterior aesthetics. Businesses can receive between $2,500 and $5,000 to use on minor improvements (such as painting and lighting) or facade renovations (like window upgrades).

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$6,000

City of Green Bay

The Commercial Façade Building Materials Grant Program provides funding to enhance and revitalize the aesthetics of Green Bay’s commercial districts. It aims to address deteriorating property conditions and encourage enhancements by providing a financial incentive for businesses to invest in their property.

The Program is funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) provided by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It is managed and administered by the City of Green Bay’s Community & Economic Development Department.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$5,000

City of Kenosha

Property owners in the Uptown Area of Kenosha can apply for the new Uptown Area Facade Grant and the Uptown Area Business Recruitment and Retention Grant, two initiatives designed to revitalize the corridor and encourage continued investment in the neighborhood.

The facade grant program will provide up to $10,000 in reimbursable funding for exterior building improvements. The grants will cover up to 50 percent of eligible project costs and can be used for upgrades such as new windows and doors, awnings, signage, lighting, landscaping, fencing, siding, masonry work, and architectural services. The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Kenosha has allocated $50,000 for the program.

A second program, the Uptown Area Business Recruitment and Retention Grant, will offer up to $5,000 in reimbursable funding to support operational improvements for businesses in the area. The grant will cover up to 75 percent of eligible costs and may be used for purchases such as new inventory, equipment, marketing efforts, or technology upgrades intended to improve the customer experience.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000

Milwaukee County

The Building Bridges Small Business Program is designed to help Milwaukee entrepreneurs navigate resources and organizations to fuel commercial corridor revitalization. Elligible businesses can receive up to $10,000 in grants to start or expand brick-and-mortar commercial corridor businesses.

Applications are administered through partner agencies across Milwaukee.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000

Racine County

Through funding from Racine County, a Matching Grant Program (MGP) was established with the goal of providing a means for existing small and medium-sized companies to obtain the professional services necessary for a strong foundation for continued business growth and to provide jobs for Racine County residents.

This grant reimburses up to 50% of eligible cost – up to $5,000 per applicant. Additional grants are available specifically to residents of both Burlington and Sturtevant.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$25,000

WI Center for Technology Commercialization

The Business or Commercialization Planning assistance micro-grant can reimburse up to $5000, spent on hiring an approved, independent, third party to write a comprehensive business or commercialization plan for a Wisconsin business. Typically awardees are pursuing a Phase II SBIR/STTR grant in which a detailed commercialization plan is required. The program is limited to businesses in certain industries.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$5,000

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

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.

WEDC has set aside up to $200,000 for each of the next two years, with a $50,000 maximum per grant. Applicants may use the funds to cover consulting fees for business planning, feasibility studies, legal services, and accounting services to help new or existing cooperatives become established or further develop.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

WI Deparment of Agriculture

​The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection administers a Dairy Processor Grant program whose goal is to foster innovation, improve profitability and sustain the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities.

Eligible applicants must operate a licensed dairy processing plant in Wisconsin engaged in pasteurizing, processing or manufacturing m​ilk or dairy products. Recipients are chosen through a competitive process. A total grant up to $50,000 is available per dairy processor per year. The dairy processor is required to provide a match of at least 20% of the grant amount.​

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

WI Economic Development Corporation

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is partnering to offer Entrepreneurial Training Program reimbursement of up to 75% of the $1,000 course fee. The course is designed to help early-stage startups vet their ideas and learn how to develop an investment-ready business plan. Grant recipients must comply with requirements that include meeting attendance standards and completing a business plan within six months of starting the program.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$1,000

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Wisconsin companies can be reimbursed for specific expenses associated with a short-term export development project that will help to grow their presence in an international market. This grant program is tiered to provide a base amount of support (up to $10,000 per application, limited to three total grants per company), with a higher level of support (up to $30,000 per application, limited to six total grants per company) available for companies that have completed ExporTech.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$30,000

WI Center for Technology Commercialization

The WEDC provides grant matching for businesses that have received a Phase I or Phase II federal SBIR grant. Businesses that have received a Phase I award are eligible for a 50% matching grant, up to $75,000. Businesses that have received a Phase II award are eligible for 100% matching per year for up to two years.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$100,000

WI Center for Technology Commercialization

SBIR Assistance micro-grants are aimed at technology and research-based Wisconsin businesses, who intend to apply for SBIR/STTR federal funds. The business‘ SAM registration and SBIR submission must have a WI address. The grants cover reimbursement of costs up to $5000.00, incurred by a business in hiring an independent, approved third-party to assist in the development of federal Phase 1 SBIR/STTR research and development proposal.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$5,000

WI Center for Technology Commercialization

The Venture Pitch assistance micro-grant can reimburse up to $5000, spent on hiring an independent, third party to assist in the creation of an investor pitch deck, assemble a researched list of at least 5 investors to contact that includes the investor profile, the investment criteria, their portfolio, news releases of companies they invested in and create an advanced and well thought out financial and P&L model with market size, costs, pricing, sales key assumptions.

To be eligible for this grant, applicants must have received a Phase I or Phase II SBIR/STTR award.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$5,000

City of Waukesha

Funded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), this program offers matching grants for eligible improvements to commercial properties in Downtown Waukesha and nearby central city areas.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$2,000

Dunn County

The Dunn County Small Business Development Grant Program will offer eligible businesses up to $10,000 of funding to continue growing their operations and become more efficient.

The grant funding can be used to access technical assistance through organizations like Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council and the Center for Innovation and Development at the University of Wisconsin Stout, help startups cover the cost of commercial space, and to match funding granted through other Economic Development Loan Fund Programs like the Revolving Loan Fund or Regional Business Fund.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000