LAFAYETTE COUNTY — Lafayette County will be awarding $15,000 to eight area businesses in May thanks to their Launch Lafayette County grant program.

Launch Lafayette County is an incentive program designed to assist existing and new Lafayette County businesses in updating their facilities, improving visibility, refining facades, and otherwise improving the prominence of a business within their community.

This year, the grant program received over 50 applications with requests totaling over $150,000, representing over $500,000 in anticipated improvement projects in Lafayette County.

The county was looking for a way to support local businesses amidst the pandemic, and Supervisor Scott Pedley was the first to suggest that the County look at a grant program for new and existing businesses. In conjunction with the Lafayette County Economic Development Committee, the Lafayette Development Corporation provides funds for the Launch Lafayette County Grant Program. Even though the program has limited funds, Economic Development Director, Allison Taylor, hopes that more funds will be available to award in future years, but is thrilled to be able to award over $15,000 in the third year of the grant. From exterior updates to interior remodels along with improved signage and facades, the grant dollars remained in Lafayette County and their impact can be seen across the communities. 

Launch Lafayette County Grant Recipients for 2023 are: Pederson Precision LLC — Argyle, The Corner Pub & Deli LLC — Argyle, Quality Inn & Suites — Belmont, AB Designs Salon LLC — Benton, The Viking Café — Blanchardville, Hair & Nail Connection II — Darlington, Main Furniture & Home LLC — Darlington, New Diggings General Store — Shullsburg.

The Development committees are truly focused on small business success in Lafayette County and are looking for even more ways to support local businesses through grant funding. The grant program will typically be available for local businesses to apply for each February, and funds will be awarded in March for the selected projects. 

Grant Recipients will present and showcase how they used the grant funds at the Lafayette Development/Economic Development Annual Meeting. 

For more information about “Launch Lafayette County”, contact Allison Taylor at allison.taylor@lafayettecountywi.org.