As part of our Regional Recovery Plan, the NCWRPC and the Regional Recovery Plan Advisory Committee identified five core pillars - Broadband, Childcare, Housing & Transportation, Workforce & Talent Attraction, and Tourism & Hospitality - that are crucial for economic recovery and resilience efforts throughout North Central Wisconsin in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help illustrate the importance of each core pillar, the NCWRPC has developed a series of assessment reports, one for each pillar, that focus on identifying and addressing the opportunities and challenges facing each of the five core pillars. Over the coming weeks, the NCWRPC will be sending out updates containing information about and access to each of the five core pillar assessment reports, starting with the Broadband Assessment Report in this newsletter.

The Broadband Assessment Report examines the status of broadband within the Region, the issues facing broadband within the Region, the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on broadband, and the benefits that improving and enhancing broadband accessibility will have for the Region. The Broadband Assessment Report concludes with a series of goals, priorities, and strategies that will help shape and guide the future vision for broadband within North Central Wisconsin.

For more information about the Broadband Assessment Report, contact Eric Sonnleitner at [email protected] or by calling 715-849-5510, Extension 306.

With the importance of broadband access rapidly increasing, it is essential to identify the areas where broadband expansion will have the largest impact. One way to identify these areas is to map areas within the Region that contain high development densities. By utilizing the NCWRPC’s GIS system we can show development patterns, and thus help identify areas of possible broadband needs.

The map below shows an example of development density in an area of Forest County. Expanding broadband into areas with higher development densities has a larger impact than expanding broadband into areas with low development densities. This is because expanding broadband into high-density areas can serve a larger number of residents and businesses, and also provide a higher return on investment for broadband providers, making investments more plausible for providers. Therefore, by identifying areas with high residential and business densities, this analysis will help decision makers and internet service providers identify the areas for broadband expansion that will make the largest impact.

For more information about broadband needs mapping, contact Andy Faust, GISP, at [email protected] or by calling 715-849-5510, Extension 305.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is partnering with the NCWRPC to administer the Main Street Bounceback Grants program which provides $10,000 grants to new or existing businesses and non-profit organizations moving into vacant properties in Wisconsin's downtowns and commercial corridors.

To date, the NCWRPC has received over 130 applications for the Main Street Bounceback Grants program and has awarded 97 applications throughout the Region. Click here to see a listing of grant awards by county throughout the Region. The NCWRPC is continuing to accept applications for the Main Street Bounceback Grants program through June 30, 2022.

Click here to learn more about the Main Street Bounceback Grants program. If your organization is interested in applying, please fill out the interest form on the bottom of the page to be contacted by someone at our organization. You can also visit our website to find application materials and learn more about the application process. Interested applicants can contact us directly via email at: [email protected] or by phone at 715-849-5510.

To download an application, please click here. Note that completed applications should be sent to [email protected].