If you are assisting a client Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’s (WEDC) $10,000 Main Street Bounceback Program, one of the required documents for submittal, is a letter vouching for the business and its location. CARW has been approved to provide this letter to you, for inclusion with the application for the grant. Contact Alexis at [email protected] and she will get it to you.
This grant is for ANY type (for-profit, non-profit, LLC, sole proprietorship) of new or expanding business moving into ANY empty commercial space. It does not have to be downtown and it does not have to be a store front. An equal move from 500sf to another 500sf would NOT qualify. The grant is $10,000 for the business owner to use as they please. There is no reporting back on the use of funds.
About the Main Street Bounceback Program:
Eligibility: New or existing businesses that lease or purchase a vacant commercial space as of January 1, 2021, and before June 30, 2022, are eligible for Main Street Bounceback Grants. Your business will not qualify for grant funds if you are renewing an existing lease or will be vacating a commercial space to move to another space. This should be an expansion of space. Your business may qualify for the grant if it signed a new lease prior to January 1, 2021, ONLY IF the start date of the lease was January 1, 2021 or later.
Landlords and real estate investment firms that intend to hold the property for investment purposes are not eligible. Businesses that are part of a national or regional chain are also ineligible unless the business is an independently owned and operated franchise.
Application Process: To apply for the Grant please use the link below, which is a secure website through Formsite. https://fs11.formsite.com/WnZLwY/ulerilm1dp/form_login.html
By creating a login and password you won’t need to complete the application and provide the necessary attachments at one time but will be able to save your progress and return to complete your application prior to submitting. Incomplete applications will take longer to review and process, so please be sure you have fully completed the application and attached ALL the necessary documents prior to submitting.
Click here for information on the program, which is sponsored through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), and the regional economic development partner, the Milwaukee Development Corporation (MDC).
Pasted below is a sample support/acknowledgment letter which MUST be included with your application. The letter should be on the letterhead of a regional economic development organization, local municipality or elected official, Chamber of Commerce, Business Improvement District, Qualified Commercial Real Estate Association. Main Street or Connect Community organization and include all the information in the sample letter.
The program is open through June 30, 2022.
Questions can be directed to: [email protected].