E-Newsletter Volume 10, Issue 11 / November 2020 |
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The Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission is excited to announce that our office location has moved and is now located at 1861 Nimitz Drive, De Pere, Wisconsin 54115.
We are very excited about our new location and, as always, remain committed to providing the same great planning services to our member communities as we have in the past. While our office still remains closed to the public due to COVID-19, staff can still be reached at our same phone number of 920-448-2820 or through email.
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Funding Opportunities for Local Units of Government and Businesses |
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EDA Sprint Challenge - In mid-September, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) released the new Scaling Pandemic Resilience Through Innovation and Technology (SPRINT) Challenge, a $25 million national competition funded by the CARES Act which will enable organizations across the country to address the economic, health, and safety risks caused by the coronavirus pandemic through entrepreneurship and innovation.
Individual grants will be awarded up to $500,000 over a 12-month period of performance or up to $750,000 over an 18-month period of performance. Eligibility is open to cities, counties, states, other political subdivisions of states, and Indian Tribes; public or private nonprofits; institutions of higher education; and EDA-Economic Development Districts.
Project focuses may include, but are not limited to, scaling innovative biotechnology, health security, and supply chain technologies and solutions to market; increasing regional, national, and government connectivity across innovation clusters to support commercialization and entrepreneurship; developing new and unique investment capital models to address the financial needs of entrepreneurs; or developing and scaling innovative entrepreneurship support models to address the virtual and remote work environment of the pandemic.
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CDBG-CV - The State of Wisconsin received CDBG-CV funding for Wisconsin non-entitlement units of government through the CARES Act. These funds must be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, principally for the benefit of persons of low and moderate income.
Funds to seven geographic regions of the state, two of which are found in the Bay-Lake Region. The Northeastern Housing Region, which includes Door, Marinette, Brown, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan counties, was awarded $4,866,697. The Northwoods Housing Region, which includes Oconto and Florence Counties, was awarded $1,449,662. This is a competitive application process in which applicants will be competing against other applicants for the allocated funding within their region.
Potential Projects may include, but are not limited to, the following: renter assistance/emergency payments for up to six months; business assistance grants; PPE purchases; transitional housing; childcare/daycare centers; homeless shelters; senior centers; drug abuse programs; isolation centers; temporary housing; and assistance to communities to address lMI student needs to access online classes.
Those wishing to apply must complete and submit an Intent to Apply Form (ITA) which will identify the applicant, proposed use of funds, readiness to implement, and delivery strategy for the project or program. To be considered for funding, the ITA must be submitted no later than November 20th, 2020.
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Wisconsin Fast Forward Program - The Department of Workforce Development's Office of Skills Development (OSD) Wisconsin Fast Forward standard (WFF) grant program was created to help fund the development of innovative and collaborative customized worker training programs that target unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers.
The grants are available to all industry sectors and companies of any size. Grant award amounts may range from $5,000 to $400,000. Cash or in-kind match equal to 50% of the grant award amount is required. For more information and to apply, please see the Grant Program Announcement located here for a summary of program requirements. Applications are due Monday, November 30, 2020 by 3 p.m. CST.
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2020 Annual CEDS Survey - Due 11/9 |
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The Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission is responsible for developing and updating the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) document. As part of this process, the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission recently sent the 2020 Annual CEDS Survey to each unit of local government within the region. The survey asks each community to identify priority community and economic development projects to be incorporated into the document. Projects that are listed in the CEDS may help to secure EDA funding and/or other federal and state funding.
Communities may complete and submit the survey by mail, email, or by using an online form found here. To ensure your community’s projects are included in this year’s update, please complete and submit surveys no later than Monday, November 9th, 2020.
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Kewaunee County Invasive Species Treatments |
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In October, the Commission concluded invasive species treatments within Kewaunee County. This third and final year of treatments was provided by the EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant that Bay-Lake RPC received back in 2017. During the 2020 treatment season, 274 acres of invasive species were treated within the county.
Over the past three years, the Commission was able to treat 1,002 acres of invasive species within Kewaunee County. A table showing the final treatment acreages is shown to the right. These treatments occurred within rights-of-way, along river corridors and over the properties of 470 individual landowners!
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Want to help make an impact in our region? Below are links to the open public input and surveys that are currently available.
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Upcoming Events & Meetings |
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Florence County Comprehensive Plan Update Open House/Public Hearing
Wednesday, November 4th, 5:30pm
Florence County Courthouse
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Town of Pierce Zoning Ordinance Update Open House/Public Hearing
Wednesday, November 18th, 6:00pm
Pierce Town Hall
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Happy Thanksgiving!
The Bay-Lake RPC office will be closed Thursday, November 26th in observance of Thanksgiving.
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- December 11, 2020 -
Bay-Lake RPC Full Commission Meeting
Virtual Online Meeting
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Available Grant Opportunities |
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Do you want to know more about planning services or grants available? |
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The staff of the Bay-Lake RPC are happy to speak to your boards/councils, committees, organization, or community groups about what is happening in our region. We are also available to assist communities and counties with meeting facilitation.
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