Gov. Evers, WEDC Celebrate Record Year of Investments in Wisconsin Businesses and Communities

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), announced today that the Evers Administration made record investments in Wisconsin businesses and communities during fiscal year (FY) 2025, which ended June 30, 2025. In FY25, WEDC contracted for a total of 320 tax incentives, grants, and loans, totaling $91.5 million—the highest volume in the past five years—to help attract new businesses and enable existing businesses to grow.

“Our administration has been hard at work to support efforts to invest in local businesses, grow strong partnerships, provide essential financial assistance, and uplift local economies—and we’ve had record-breaking years to show for it!” said Gov. Evers. “My goal from the get-go has been to harness our Wisconsin ingenuity and innovation and invest in our homegrown talent by supporting businesses and industries of all sizes, from small businesses on Main Streets in every corner of our state to helping our state’s largest companies and world-class brands grow right here in Wisconsin. At the same time, we’re also working to welcome new innovators and industry leaders to our state, bringing with them thousands of high-quality, family-supporting jobs. Our work over the last six years has been about building an economy that works for everyone here in Wisconsin, and I look forward to seeing the continued positive impact of these investments in the years to come.”

“WEDC’s commitment to creating an economy for all means providing resources to communities in every corner of our state,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “In the past fiscal year, we’ve seen incredible creativity, innovation, and initiative from our local partners in creating communities where people and businesses want to live, work, and grow.”

In FY25, WEDC awarded a record 259 grants to businesses and communities, totaling $41.2 million—the largest amount awarded in five years. Among the highlights of WEDC’s grant programs in FY25 include:

• The Small Business Development Grant (SBDG) Program exceeded expectations, providing nearly $4.7 million to 29 local partners in 25 counties. Nearly 75 percent of the grants in which a community was the recipient went to communities with fewer than 15,000 residents, supporting rural revitalization and local entrepreneurship;
• Two longstanding grant programs—the Brownfields Grant Program and Idle Sites Redevelopment Program—reached the most communities since 2021, including first-time awards in Juneau, Vilas, Dodge, Langlade, and Taylor counties; and
• The Community Development Investment (CDI) Grant Program also expanded its footprint, with almost one-third of awards going to communities that had never received CDI funding, underscoring WEDC’s commitment to statewide development.

Brownfields, Idle Sites Redevelopment, and CDI grants helped spur the creation of affordable housing statewide, which community leaders have shared is critical to meeting local workforce needs. FY25 marked the highest year for housing-related grants since 2020, with 2,070 planned housing units across 16 counties. Projects ranged from the redevelopment of a former school in Randolph to a mixed-use library and housing complex in New Richmond, representing a $30 million investment—the largest in the city’s history.

The Evers Administration’s efforts to attract new businesses and strengthen existing Wisconsin employers also include assisting advanced robotics maker Yaskawa America Inc. to relocate its North American headquarters from Waukegan, Illinois, to Franklin, Wisconsin. The $180 million project, which WEDC is supporting with $18 million in performance-based Enterprise Zone incentives, will create more than 700 jobs, representing the largest job creation Enterprise Zone since 2016. Other notable projects supported by the Evers Administration through WEDC include the $57.5 million expansion at Worthington Cylinders in Calumet County, as well as the $45.5 million rebuild at Associated Milk Producers in Columbia County.

Additionally, the Wisconsin Investment Fund, the state’s largest public-private venture capital initiative launched by the Evers Administration in FY24, invested more than $8.6 million in 10 companies across 13 deals, marking the first cohort of businesses partnering with the $100 million public-private fund. To further assist startups, WEDC’s Entrepreneurship Partner Grant program awarded nearly $3 million to 22 organizations aiming to bolster more than 1,500 startups and small business entrepreneurs with technical and financial assistance.

Finally, during a time of increased focus on global trade and investments, Gov. Evers in FY25 led an international trade mission to Germany and France, his second international trade mission as governor, where he highlighted Wisconsin’s leadership in the biohealth and biotechnology fields and celebrated the start of the 50th anniversary of Wisconsin’s sister state relationship with Hessen, Germany. WEDC also helped Wisconsin businesses connect with potential partners during trade missions to Australia, China, and Mexico, yielding over $1 million in projected sales from the Australia mission and $2 million in new sales from the China mission. WEDC hosted international delegations and participated in SelectUSA events, generating nearly 100 foreign direct investment leads.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.