GCDC

News

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November 2026

Groundbreaking for Prairie Haus 2 in New Glarus

The groundbreaking on October 20th marked the beginning of construction for the Prairie Haus senior living complex in New Glarus. This 50-unit affordable rental property is expected to be completed by fall 2027. GCDC provided gap financing for the project through our Housing Development Fund. This project has been a great example of teamwork and partnership in addressing the housing challenges in Green County. We’re proud to be a partner!

Nikki Austin with Thrivent presented at a lunch and learn workshop on Business value and succession planning for the future. It was held on Thursday, November 5th at Blackhawk Tech with a great crowd of about 35 participants. This is a focused workshop designed for business owners who want to protect what they’ve built, and plan for what’s next. Goals include aligning your business, personal and financial goals, strengthening and accelerating business value—whether for growth or future transition, and exploring transition options aligned with your goals and vision. This workshop was a great start in helping business owners understand the importance of planning ahead and thoughtful understanding about the true value of your business and what your future goals are, both personally and for your business.

Keehn speaks at Conference on Rural Prosperity

GCDC's Community Development Coordinator, Teresa Keehn, spoke on a panel discussion at a conference on capacity building for rural prosperity, put on in Madison by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. She was asked to speak about the long success of the Green County Leaders program. It was a great event and discussion. Great job, Teresa!

The Workforce and Entrepreneurial Leadership Development (WELD) Program kicks off the first of eight sessions on Nov. 6th. The program has 34 participants from Green and Lafayette Counties. It is designed for individuals in the workforce and entrepreneurs looking to expand their business. Participants will gain skills in areas including:

• Developing effective communication and conflict management
• Leading teams and managing projects
• Gaining connections to community resources
• Growing civic engagement and community building

This program is offered in English and Spanish. Here's to a successful first year!

See the website for program details

Workforce and Entrepreneurial Leadership Development – Extension Green County

2026 Student Business Pitch Sessions Underway

The first two sessions of the GCDC Student Pitch Contest have progressed, helping students with the groundwork to develop a plan for their business ideas. There are 15 students participating this year. The sessions take place in the Launch Center at the new Monroe High School.

In the first session, Nora from SBDC gives a presentation to learn how to build a business plan and knowing your target customer. In the second session, students had the opportunity to meet with local business mentors to get advice, working to refine their business plans. One more planning session will take place before submitting and pitching their business plans with the chance to win prize money to get their business up and running. It's so fun to see the diverse and creative ideas these young entrepreneurs have to bring forward!

Ladies Leadership Holiday Event Planned for Dec 3rd

GCDC will be hosting a holiday event for the Ladies Leadership of Southwest Wisconsin in New Glarus at the Alpine on Thursday, Dec. 3rd from 4-6pm. The evening will include a toy drive, networking, ugly sweaters and wreath making. Thank you to Bank CMG for sponsoring the event! Register today!

Register for the event here:

www.givebutter.com/new-glarus-christmas

Community Wi-fi Networks

Coming Online

Seven Green County communities now offer a new service to its residents- Free Public Wi-Fi! Green County Board of Supervisors, in partnership with GCDC and each municipality, have worked this year to complete these important digital equity projects. Green County IT Committee had ARPA grants funds earmarked for broadband and voted to utilize these funds to broaden access in community public spaces. Monroe, Monticello, New Glarus, Brooklyn, Albany, Brodhead and Juda all now have their networks complete, and signage will be going up soon to let visitors and resident know that the network is available. Most of the networks are in the downtown areas, or a local park with easy community access. The primary goal was to make sure that Green County residents without affordable or quality internet options in their homes, would be able to find public connection, minimizing the digital divide in access. We appreciate the partnership and teamwork from all the local communities to successfully complete these projects.

SBDC Small Business Clinic in Monroe on December 10th

SBDC is holding a Free Small Business Clinic will be held on December 10th, from 8am-4pm at Ludlow Masion in Monroe. Come for the day or for a specific session. Participants can schedule 30-minute individual

sessions with consultants to discuss starting a business, financials, marketing, or legal matters, and/or participate in lecture-style sessions in a group setting. The event will feature lecture style and 1:1 sessions covering topics such as financials, marketing, legal matters, and A.I. as well as taxes, business planning, funding sources, and general business consulting.

Resources from local entities and entrepreneurial support at resource tables will be available all day as well as a panel of local experts who will discuss their experiences.

"Small businesses are the backbone of Green County's economy, but many small business owners don't have the time or budget to go looking for expert advice,” said Olivia Otte. “This clinic brings statewide expertise right here to Green County at no cost, so entrepreneurs at every stage can get practical answers and leave with a plan.

We're proud to partner with the SBDC and the Office of Business & Entrepreneurship to make that help easy to reach.”

Register today at: bit.ly/sbc-green

We’d like to congratulate the first few program participants on their new homes! We’re so glad they've chosen to make their homes here in Green County. We’ve had a great early response to this new program, with 39 first time homebuyers at various stages of the application process. This new program offers $10,000 grants to first time home buyers, in exchange for their time over the next five years, doing volunteer work in your community. We love to see people getting into their first homes, but also getting involved and investing in their new communities! Please help us get the word out about this amazing opportunity for those wanting to buy their first home in Green County.

Visit the website for more information and fill out the prequalification questionnaire: Welcome Home Green County | Green County Development

Want to be part of the impact we're making in our community?

Become a GCDC Investor

We welcome the opportunity to talk with you more about how your investment would help strengthen the economic health of Green County. In 2025, our investors saw an economic impact of $16 for every $1 invested, allowing us to bring in over $3,000,000 to support our initiatives and development programs.

See our website for investor levels and additional info:

Investors | Green County Development

The HCC house is making fast progress with the help of Kundert Construction, which brings a crew every year to set trusses and instruct the students on the process. We appreciate the support and could not make this program a success without our local trades companies.

This twin home is officially on the market! Each side is for sale separately: 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. Each side is for sale separately- 3 bedroom 2 bath. See the listing on Zillow: 1510 16th Ave, Monroe, WI 53566 | MLS #2035017 | Zillow

See the 2025 GCDC Annual Report

Check out what we've got going on and the impact we're making in the newly updated Annual Report. It's worth the read!

See the report here:

https://greencountydevelopment.com/investors/#reports