City Seeks State Funds for Small Businesses

The West End Conservatory, 4716 W. Vliet St. received grants from the city in 2018. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

It’s not a huge grant and the city is not guaranteed of getting it, but members of the Common Council were excited about what it could do for Milwaukee.

Milwaukee’s Department of City Development (DCD) is vying for a $250,000 grant from a newly-created Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation program. The program would help the city fund the startup or expansion of other small businesses.

“We do anticipate that this is going to be a highly competitive statewide competition [for the funds]” said Matt Rejc, head of the city’s Commercial Corridor Team, in explaining the proposal to the  Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee Tuesday.

The city would be able to use the funding differently than its existing commercial matching grant programs. “It could give us the possibility of helping out with soft costs as well. Typically we tie all of our funds to brick-and-mortar improvements,” said Rejc. “Soft costs” broadly include technical costs like accounting, design, marketing, licensing and other costs that are not directly tied to physically building something.

Rejc said the city is exploring requiring a business improvement district to nominate a business or working with other technical assistance groups.

“This is really exciting,” said committee chair Alderman Jonathan Brostoff.

“This is excellent,” said Ald. Russell W. Stamper, II. He encouraged DCD to pursue partnering with business improvement districts to provide matching funds.

Citing situations in her own district, Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa said DCD also needs to build a framework for businesses that aren’t located within a BID to apply. Rejc said that was certainly a consideration.

The local grants, when awarded, would range from $10,000 to $25,000. The maximum amount the city can apply for is $250,000.