Resources for Businesses
Created in 1953, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) continues to help small business owners and entrepreneurs pursue the American dream. SBA is the only cabinet-level federal agency fully dedicated to small business and provides counseling, capital, and contracting expertise as the nation’s only go-to resource and voice for small businesses.
The Wisconsin SBDC offers consulting, education, referrals, sophisticated tools and resources, whether you’re just getting started or looking for ways to improve your business.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA), founded in 1975, is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to expanding Wisconsin’s economy. Driven by the needs of our 450-plus members, we represent the economic development interests of both the private and public sectors through leadership on statewide initiatives to advance economic development in Wisconsin.
This page is designed to provide the latest, best information to our clients and the citizens of Wisconsin on resources aimed at maintaining the vitality of the companies upon which our economy depends.
DWD efficiently delivers effective and inclusive services to meet Wisconsin's diverse workforce needs, and advocates for the protection and economic advancement of all Wisconsin workers, employers, and job seekers.
More than 1.7 billion people around the world are unbanked and can’t access the financial services they need. Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 in San Francisco, with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive.
MEDC works in partnership with area banks and other non-profit lenders to provide low interest loans to businesses in Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, Ozaukee, Walworth, Waukesha, and Washington Counties.
For more than 150 years, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) has been serving area businesses as a private, not-for-profit organization. Today we represent 1,800+ member businesses with more than 300,000 employees in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties and beyond.
LISC invests in overlapping program areas that reach into every corner of community life.Our approach is comprehensive, data-driven and—most important—guided by what community members want for themselves, their families and the places they call home.
The Economic Development Division markets tax-deeded foreclosures for all county municipalities with the exception of the City of Milwaukee.
Projects
Innovation Campus is a portion of land in the northwestern quadrant of the Wauwatosa Life Sciences District, sold to UW-Milwaukee in 2009 for the development of a new College of Engineering and Applied Science campus. While this land has seen some development in the past 11 years (the UWM Industry Accelerator Facility, Echelon Apartments, Residence Inn by Marriott, ABB, Inc. offices), the planned construction of the new UWM campus on this site has become impracticable.
In evaluating potential uses for this parcel of land, UWM has decided to sell a large portion to a third party for development. Local commercial real estate development company Irgens is hoping to purchase this land to create a high-quality business park, similar to their Research Park development nearby.
The below presentation illustrates the history of the land now known as Innovation Campus, as well as its current status, and plans for future use. Irgens hopes to develop this currently-unused property into a business park that should prove a valuable addition to the community, bringing in new companies and additional jobs, while retaining elements of natural landscaping and leaving untouched the protected environmental areas nearby.
Irgens Presentation
Milwaukee County is proud to support Milwaukee Public Museum’s plans for their new Museum of Nature & Culture, which took a step forward in development with the signing of a Development Agreement between the two parties. The new museum project will safeguard and display the Collections belonging to the County in a state-of-the-art facility on the corner of North 6th Street and West McKinley Avenue for the benefit and enjoyment of Milwaukee County residents. Construction of the new building is set to start in Spring 2024, and estimated to be complete and ready for visitors by Spring 2027.
Milwaukee County has reached a series of agreements to sell land associated with the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC) to members of the MRMC. Copies of the relevant real estate option agreements are available below.
Land Bank Option Agreement
Children's Hospital Option Agreement
Children's Hospital II Option Agreement
Froedert Hospital Option Agreement
Froedert Hospital (Kathy's House) Option Agreement
Medical College Option Agreement
BloodCenter Option Agreement
Opportunity Zones
The Economic Opportunity Zones program was created as part of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act passed by the Federal Government in 2017. Within Milwaukee County, 37 census tracts have been approved as Opportunity Zones.
Map of Milwaukee County's Opportunity Zones