News Summary
Milwaukee County has introduced the ‘Building Bridges’ program, a grant initiative offering $200,000 to support small businesses. The program aims to create a liaison position for technical assistance and distribute $10,000 grants to help establish or expand brick-and-mortar businesses across the county. The first recipient, ‘All Goods’, a vintage clothing store, will use the funds for renovations. This initiative seeks to bolster local economies and enhance community support for small businesses.
Milwaukee County has launched the ‘Building Bridges’ program, aimed at providing crucial support to small businesses through a grant initiative totaling $200,000. This legislation was signed by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley on June 11, during a ceremony held at West Allis City Hall. The program is designed to create a small business liaison position to provide technical assistance and to oversee the distribution of $10,000 grants to qualifying small businesses throughout the county.
The main goal of the ‘Building Bridges’ program is to help establish or expand brick-and-mortar businesses in Milwaukee County, with an emphasis on revitalizing local commercial corridors. The initiative comes as a response to the growing need for enhanced support for small businesses, a point strongly emphasized by Crowley during his recent State of the County address. The funding for this program was secured through a collaboration with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), which provided the entire $200,000.
During the announcement, it was revealed that All Goods, a vintage clothing store located in Milwaukee County, has become the first recipient of the ‘Building Bridges’ grant. All Goods plans to utilize the funds for renovations on an old, vacant laundromat on Greenfield Avenue in West Allis. The City of West Allis is also contributing to this project by offering a low-interest loan to cover other renovations, including necessary structural, electrical, and plumbing work.
The program will facilitate grant applications from small businesses and includes the hiring of a small business liaison responsible for executing the program’s objectives effectively. Crowley has reiterated that small businesses form the heart of local communities and are essential for stimulating economic growth and stability.
In total, the Building Bridges program will distribute 20 competitive grants of $10,000 each to qualifying small businesses. Funding will be allocated through a combination of $200,000 from WEDC and an additional $600,000 from an existing county economic development fund established in 2011. Although this fund had not seen any new deposits since 2014, it still remains under the management of the county board.
The ‘Building Bridges’ program is designed to reach small businesses across all 18 supervisory districts of Milwaukee County, ensuring widespread support throughout the region. Additionally, the program will collaborate with various local chambers of commerce and organizations to further bolster assistance for small businesses.
The approval of the program by county supervisors met with minimal opposition, reflecting a strong consensus in favor of enhancing local economic development. This initiative represents a significant step forward in supporting Milwaukee County’s business landscape, particularly as local economies continue to navigate recovery and growth challenges in the wake of recent economic upheavals.
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Additional Resources
- Urban Milwaukee: MKE County Board Approves Small Business Grant Program
- Google Search: Milwaukee County small businesses
- JSOnline: David Crowley Pitches $10K Grants to Boost Small Businesses
- Wikipedia: Small business
- Urban Milwaukee: Crowley Delivers Building Bridges Grants
- Google Scholar: Milwaukee County economic development
- Urban Milwaukee: Crowley Praises County Board for Approving Building Bridges Program
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Small Business
Author: STAFF HERE MILWAUKEE WRITER
MILWAUKEE STAFF WRITER The MILWAUKEE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREMilwaukee.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Summerfest, Milwaukee Film Festival, and the Milwaukee Boat Show. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and Visit Milwaukee, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and brewing that power the local economy such as Harley-Davidson and MillerCoors. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Wisconsin's dynamic landscape.
