Ten rural communities from around the state, including Wittenberg and Gillett, will get help meeting their biggest economic development needs and planning for their long-term goals.
Under the Thrive Rural Wisconsin program administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, each participant will have access to up to $50,000 in grants, two years of technical assistance in planning and grant-writing and other services typically employed by larger communities.
Shawano County Economic Progress, Inc. will work with the village of Wittenberg to create a strategy that promotes growth for the village by establishing a redevelopment authority and commissioning a villagewide redevelopment plan for the downtown area.
Tourism and Economic Development Corporation for the Oconto County Region will assist the city of Gillett with two interrelated challenges — a shortage of quality, attainable housing and the need for a revitalize and economically vibrant downtown by developing a vision for downtown revitalization that will expand housing options through strategic infill development. The team will also work to identify larger areas of land adjacent to the city to support future housing and economic growth.
This is the second round of organizations participating in Thrive Rural. SCEPI participated in the initial cohort by assisting the village of Bonduel to attract more single-family and multifamily housing, revive its aging downtown and consolidate municipal offices.
“We have seen the impact that Thrive Rural Wisconsin has had on other neighboring communities and how Thrive Rural Wisconsin resources and assistance have turbo-charged development there,” said Peter Thillman, chief economic development officer of SCEPI. “We are excited to get that boost in Wittenberg and look forward to accelerating community development efforts, especially in the core of the village.”
WEDC’s Office of Rural Prosperity will partner with local economic development organizations to work with communities on projects related to housing, community development, small business development, regional collaboration and leadership capacity building.
“Building an economy for all means investing in our entire state, especially our rural communities,” said John W. Miller, chief executive officer of WEDC, the state’s lead economic development organization. “Small communities often have big goals and big ideas, but they don’t always have the staff or the experience to make those plans a reality. The goal of the Thrive Rural program is to help them build their economic development muscles so their communities will thrive.”
