MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced Oct. 6 more than $100 million in investments aimed at providing additional economic stabilization for small businesses and communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new infusion of funds includes an additional $50 million for “We’re All In Grants,” an economic development grant program launched by Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) this summer. More than 26,000 businesses received “We’re all In Grants” statewide, but many continue to face economic challenges from the pandemic.
“Small businesses, including the tourism and lodging industries, are the backbone of our Wisconsin communities. The ongoing pandemic, combined with a lack of action at the federal level may force many of these businesses to shutter their doors for good,” said Gov. Evers. “That’s why we’re investing another $100 million in businesses and communities across our state. Our communities are in desperate need of additional federal support, but we can’t wait a moment longer to do what we can here in Wisconsin.”
The announcement also provided further investments in economic stabilization programs to support the lodging and tourism industry, live music and performance venues, cultural non-profits and privately owned movie theaters. These efforts are funded through the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and will help Wisconsin’s small businesses and venues that serve as cultural catalysts in communities across the state.
The new investments announced include:
● Over $50 million of $5,000 We’re All In Grants to more than 10,000 Wisconsin small businesses. The first phase of the program invested more than $65 million in grants for more than 26,000 businesses statewide. This round of We’re All In Grants will prioritize businesses most impacted by the pandemic, including restaurants and taverns, hair and nail salons and barber shops, and other services. It will be administered by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue in partnership with WEDC. Learn more about the program and apply at revenue.wi.gov.
“Wisconsin’s small businesses have demonstrated unbelievable creativity and ingenuity in adapting to the pandemic,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “However, many of them are already stretched to the limit and are concerned about just surviving for the next few months.”
● $20 million for the Wisconsin lodging industry. In 2019, visitors to the state spent $3.7 billion on lodging but recent reports indicate that up to two-thirds of all Wisconsin hotels face closure within the next 12 months without additional support. This investment will provide the lodging industry emergency resources to navigate a reduction in travel and cover the cost of implementing additional public health best practices as the pandemic continues.
● $15 million for live music and performance venues throughout Wisconsin. Music venues, which often serve as community gathering places and cultural hubs, were among the first small businesses to close and may be among the last to fully re-open. Many owners have been vocal in expressing the need for federal assistance to further supplement the state investments already made. Gov. Evers’ investment will help these venues that are shuttered and hopefully encourage a nationwide plan to save these businesses over the long term.
● $10 million to support privately owned movie theaters. Wisconsin movie theaters have not been spared the financial strain felt by movie theater companies nationally as content has been limited and activity limited across the state. This investment will assist privately owned movie theaters while federal support remains stalled.
● $10 million in additional support for non-profit cultural venues. The significant response to the original grant announcement several weeks demonstrates the challenges faced by these community centers of learning and culture. The additional support will bring the full investment in these treasures to $15 million and support local communities around the state.
● $4 million in additional investments for destination marketing organizations and tourism drivers, bringing the total investment by the Evers Administration to $12 million. These funds will help meet the demonstrated need based on the applications received in recent weeks after Governor Evers announced the program in September.
Gov. Evers announces nearly $50 million in COVID-19 support for Wisconsinites
Evers announced Oct. 5 an additional $47 million investment in COVID-19 support for child care, healthcare navigators and energy and rental assistance to Wisconsinites across the state. The effort is funded through the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and will be infused into existing CRF-funded programs and used for new programs as the pandemic continues to affect Wisconsinites.
“As we continue to fight this pandemic across our state, we need to make sure folks have the support they need from housing and food security, to making sure they have access to quality, affordable healthcare,” said Gov. Evers. “The investment announced today will provide critically important assistance for Wisconsinites as we continue to encourage folks to stay home as much as possible.”
A total of $10 million will be directed towards the COVID-19 Out-of-School Support Grant Program aimed at assisting Wisconsin organizations who are providing care to school-aged kids during the pandemic. Administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration, the program provides eligible organizations grant awards to cover pandemic-related impacts such as lost revenue, increased staffing costs, cleaning and sanitization, and additional costs to ensure high-quality programming otherwise impacted by COVID-19.
“Our out-of-school support providers are a critical part of the team of entities ensuring Wisconsin kids are getting what they need, whether their traditional school setting is in-person or virtual this year,” Gov. Evers continued. “What’s best for our kids it what’s best for our state, and these organizations are stepping up in a big way to make sure our kids have a safe place to go during this unprecedented pandemic.”
With winter on the horizon and as temperatures drop, making sure Wisconsinites have access to safe, warm housing is critical. Another $10 million will be invested in the successful Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program (WRAP), in addition to the $25 million previously announced. To date, WRAP has helped nearly 10,000 households across the state as of Oct. 5. Additionally, $10 million will go toward the Food Security Initiative in recognition of the role the program has played in combatting hunger. This investment is on top of the $15 million previously allocated to this program.
To ensure Wisconsinites not only have access to housing but can pay their utility bills as they head into the winter months, $15 million of the funds will be invested in Wisconsin’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a program that is currently federally-funded and helps Wisconsinites with their heating costs. Interested individuals can visit
homeenergyplus.wi.gov/ or call 866-432-8947 for application and program details. An additional $1 million investment will be directed towards the Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund (KWW/CF), a non-profit that provides a statewide safety net to individuals facing energy-related emergencies. Interested individuals can visit kwwf.org/apply to learn more about the KWW/CF application and process.
Finally, ensuring everyone has access to quality, affordable healthcare continues to be a top priority, especially as COVID-19 surges across the state. Given the increasing number of Wisconsinites facing unemployment and the loss of employer-sponsored health insurance during the pandemic, $1 million will be invested in the statewide health insurance navigator organization to help residents purchase health insurance on the federal marketplace or to enroll in BadgerCare.
For many Wisconsinites, this may be their first time selecting a plan on the exchange, which can be a complicated process. This funding will help increase consumer education and access to healthcare navigators who can walk individuals through the process of selecting and purchasing an individual or family plan or in enrolling for BadgerCare if they are eligible. Wisconsinites can learn more about their health insurance options at WisCovered.com.
