Bill > SB173

Introduced Session

This bill creates a grant program administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The bill requires WEDC to award rural creative economy development grants on a competitive basis to cities, villages, towns, counties, American Indian tribes and bands in this state, economic development organizations in this state, and nonprofit organizations in this state. A grant recipient must use grant moneys for any of the following purposes: 1. To develop or implement a plan to increase tourism, enhance visitor experiences, or bolster community development in rural areas in this state through the development or promotion of creative enterprises, including by supporting or expanding public arts performances and exhibitions, renovating or improving public spaces and vacant or underutilized buildings, supporting community-based arts education, supporting business accelerator programs, and providing technical assistance for creative businesses. 2. To market, brand, and promote local creative enterprises, public arts performances and exhibitions, or public spaces in rural areas in this state. Under the bill, such a grant may not exceed $50,000 and must be expended solely for the benefit of rural areas. Additionally, the bill prohibits WEDC from awarding a grant unless the grant recipient matches the amount of the grant with LRB-2300/2 KRP:skw 2025 - 2026 Legislature SENATE BILL 173 moneys raised from nonstate sources and limits the amount of in-kind match to no more than 25 percent of the match amount. The bill requires WEDC to submit a report on the effectiveness of the grants to the Joint Committee on Finance no later than May 1, 2027. For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Brad Pfaff (D)*,  Romaine Quinn (R)*,  Mark Spreitzer (D)*,  Patrick Testin (R)*,  Clint Anderson (D),  David Armstrong (R),  Mike Bare (D),  Elijah Behnke (R),  Jill Billings (D),  Chanz Green (R),  Rick Gundrum (R),  Francesca Hong (D),  Brent Jacobson (R),  Jenna Jacobson (D),  Tara Johnson (D),  Joel Kitchens (R),  Rob Kreibich (R),  Vincent Miresse (D),  Jeff Mursau (R),  Todd Novak (R),  Jerry O'Connor (R),  Lori Palmeri (D),  David Steffen (R),  Travis Tranel (R),  Ron Tusler (R), 

Representative Emerson added as a cosponsor (on 05/28/2025)

Official Document