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North Central Wisconsin
Regional Planning Commission
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Serving Adams, Forest, Juneau, Langlade, Lincoln,
Marathon, Oneida, Portage, Vilas, and Wood Counties since 1973
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
NCWRPC Helps Secure $3.1 Million in EDA Investments
NCWRPC Completes Juneau County Housing Study
Central WI Economic Development Organizations and Municipalities Meeting
USDA Forestry Funding Available
EDA Grant Programs Overview
Is it Time to Update Your Comprehensive Plan?
EMSI Analyst Reports
NCWRPC Commissioners
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NCWRPC Helps Secure $3.1 Million in EDA Investments |
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced in late September that it has awarded two projects totaling $3.1 million in North Central Wisconsin to make critical infrastructure improvements and equipment purchases necessary to support current and future business needs. NCWRPC helped prepare the grant applications for both projects.
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Lac du Flambeau Band in Lac du Flambeau will receive a $2.6 million EDA grant to support the construction of a molding plant for a Tribally owned enterprise. The project is expected to create or retain more than 80 jobs and generate $500,000 in private investment, according to grantee estimates.
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Northcentral Technical College in Wausau will receive a $510,430 EDA grant to support sawmill and forest products workforce development. The project, to be matched with over $510,430 in local funds, is expected to create or retain more than 40 jobs and generate $4.4 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.
Please read below for more information about the funding programs offered by the EDA and how the NCWRPC may be able to assist.
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NCWRPC Completes Juneau County Housing Study |
In 2023, the Juneau County Health Department worked with the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC) to update the County’s 2018 Housing Study. Surveys, interviews, and public open houses revealed the housing challenges that this rural county has. Most new construction is seasonal and above $400,000, but it is difficult to find starter homes and affordable apartments throughout the County. There are also concerns over the condition of existing housing stock, much of which is aging.
This assessment recommends building housing of all styles to meet a projected demand of 1,300 units by 2040, especially new construction that is under $400,000 for purchase or $1,250 per month to rent. The document lists a variety of strategies the County and its municipalities could use to attract developers to the area by enabling zoning that allows for a greater variety of housing options, exploring programs that could rehabilitate existing housing, and identifying creative ways to fund infrastructure serving new development. Included are housing profiles for each municipality with public water and sewer that can be printed and distributed to developers who may be interested in building new housing in Juneau County.
For more information about the Juneau County Housing Study, please contact Sam Wessel at 715-849-5510 extension 303 or swessel@ncwrpc.org. |
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Central WI Economic Development Organizations and Municipalities Meeting |
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Centergy is excited to invite you to the Economic Development Organizations and Municipalities meeting! In partnership with the WEDC we want to create active conversations and connections in the region.
The Meeting will be held Tuesday, November 28 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Pittsville Community Hall in Pittsville (5291 3rd Avenue, Pittsville, WI 54466). Registration is required for this event.
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We kindly request that only Economic Organizations and Municipalities attend this event due to limited space. This event is not open to the general public, and we regret to inform you that media coverage is not permitted.
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USDA Forestry Funding Available |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is making nearly $50 million in grant funding available for projects that support crucial links between healthy forests, strong rural economies, and jobs in the forestry sector.
Made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the funding will spark innovation, create new markets for wood products and renewable wood energy, expand processing capacity, and help tackle the climate crisis.
The open funding opportunity comes through the Forest Service’s three key grant programs to support the forest products economy: Wood Innovations Grant, Community Wood Grant, and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Programs. The agency is seeking proposals that support innovative uses of wood in the construction of low carbon buildings, as a renewable energy source, and in manufacturing and processing products. These programs also provide direct support to expand and retrofit wood energy systems and wood products manufacturing facilities nationwide.
Application due dates:
- Wood Innovations Grant - December 15
- Community Wood Grant - December 15
- Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance (WPIA) Grant - December 1
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EDA Grant Programs Overview |
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As the only federal government agency focused exclusively on economic development, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) plays a critical role in facilitating regional economic development efforts in communities across the nation. Two of EDA's most common funding programs are described below.
Public Works
EDA’s Public Works program helps distressed communities revitalize, expand, and upgrade their physical infrastructure. This program enables communities to attract new industry, encourage business expansion, diversify local economies, generate local investment, and create or retain long-term jobs through land acquisition, development, and infrastructure improvement projects that establish or expand industrial or commercial enterprises.
Public Works program investments help facilitate the transition of communities from being distressed to becoming competitive by developing key public infrastructure. Examples of projects that have been funded previously include, but are not limited to:
- Creation or expansion of industrial parks
- Creation or expansion of business incubator and accelerator facilities
- Water and sewer system improvements
- Construction or expansion of facilities for workforce development
Economic Adjustment Assistance
The Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program is EDA’s most flexible program; it provides a wide range of technical, planning, and public works and infrastructure assistance in regions experiencing adverse economic changes that may occur suddenly or over time. These adverse economic impacts may result from a steep decline in manufacturing employment following a plant closure, changing trade patterns, catastrophic natural disaster, a military base closure, or environmental changes and regulations.
EDA utilizes EAA investments to provide resources that help communities experiencing or anticipating economic dislocations to plan and implement specific solutions to leverage their existing regional economic advantages to support economic development and job creation. Examples of projects that have been funded previously include, but are not limited to:
- Construction or upgrading of public infrastructure
- Development and implementation of long-term disaster recovery and resiliency plans
- Enhancement of infrastructure to make it more resilient to natural disasters
- Procurement of equipment for workforce training programs
- Activities necessary to strengthen cluster acceleration and expansion
- Capitalization or recapitalization of revolving loan funds (RLF's)
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Members of the NCWRPC can request assistance to seek EDA funds. The NCWRPC provides technical grant writing and administrative assistance to communities seeking funds. Over the years, the NCWRPC has helped secure over $30 million in EDA funds for projects throughout our ten-county region. Types of projects that the NCWRPC has provided assistance for over the years include industrial park expansions, wastewater treatment facility improvements, flood mitigation studies, business incubator studies, and recovery strategies.
If your community is looking for funding to help spur economic development efforts, contact Dennis Lawrence at 715-849-5510 extension 304 or dlawrence@ncwrpc.org. |
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Is it Time to Update Your Comprehensive Plan? |
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Every ten years your comprehensive plan needs to be updated. So every plan completed in 2013 or earlier is due for an update. An update can range from a total rewrite to a simple map amendment.
NCWRPC staff has substantial experience working with communities to develop and update comprehensive plans. Since 2000, we have completed over 100 comprehensive plans in our ten-county region. The NCWRPC website provides a variety of information and contains links to many of the plans that have been completed. Visit www.ncwrpc.org.
We can help. Give our office a call and we can discuss the best approach for your community. Contact Dennis Lawrence at 715-849-5510 extension 304 or dlawrence@ncwrpc.org. |
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The NCWRPC continues its partnership with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to provide economic development analysis data throughout the Region. A comprehensive economic modeling program, called Analyst, developed by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) is a tool that provides industry/ occupation data, impact assessments, and economic base analysis information.
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Adams County
Rocky Gilner
Rick Pease
Appointment Pending
Juneau County
Kenneth Winters
Betty Manson
Appointment Pending
Lincoln County
Loretta Baughan
Gene Simon
Hans Breitenmoser
Oneida County
Ted Cushing
Harland Lee
Steven Schreier
Vilas County
Robert Hanson
Holly Tomlanovich
Appointment Pending
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Forest County
Cindy Gretzinger
Paul Millan
William Chaney
Langlade County
Reinhardt Balcerzak
Angela Close
Ronald Nye
Marathon County
Craig McEwen
David Oberbeck
Appointment Pending
Portage County
Allen Haga Jr.
John Pavelski
Larry Raikowski
Wood County
Jason Grueneberg
Douglas Machon
Dave LaFontaine
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North Central Wisconsin
Regional Planning Commission
210 McClellan Street, Suite 210
Wausau, WI 54403
715-849-5510
Fax: 715-849-5110
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