Wisconsin Economic Development Institute Update

Last spring, the Wisconsin Economic Development Institute (WEDI) – WEDA’s non-profit, non-partisan foundation – published it’s Childcare and the Workforce report that illustrated how the scarcity of childcare in Wisconsin is making it increasingly difficult for many workers looking to enter, re-enter, or remain in the workforce.

The report was WEDI’s first research project in over a decade and signaled WEDI’s return as a key information resource for Wisconsin’s economic development community. WEDI continues to advance its mission and is excited to announce its next research project – the Wisconsin Economic Development Handbook – to provide stakeholders, policymakers, and the public with critical information to promote economic growth and prosperity.

The project, which is currently being developed with a target completion date of July 2024, will establish a user-friendly, web-based interface that summarizes Wisconsin’s economic development programs across all state agencies. The Handbook will list each economic program by state agency and include the following info: 1.) Name of program; 2.) Purpose of program; 3.) Program criteria and requirements; 4.) Overall available funding for the program; and 5.) An example of a successful project that utilized the program.

The Handbook will also identify state economic development programs that require job creation for eligibility and whether economic development practitioners struggle to take advantage of incentives tied to job creation.

Stay tuned for project updates in future editions of the WEDA Wire and other WEDA publications.