A Joint Initiative Between     Heart of Wisconsin     Business & Economic Alliance and     Community Foundation of     South Wood County

Home About Us B2B Club Breaking News Contact Donate Events / Programs Feedback Ideas Incubator Industry Clusters Links / Resources Progess Funds Progress Teams Public Art / Murals Publications		Breaking News September 23, 2005 - Community Progress Initiative Receives USDA Rural Development Grant September 23, 2005, Wisconsin Rapids, WI … At the Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance’s Economic Indicators Breakfast this morning, Wisconsin Department of Commerce Secretary, Mary Burke was present as Frank Frassetto, State Director of the US Department of Agriculture - Rural Development, announced a Rural Business Opportunity Grant award to the Community Progress Initiative. The $49,000 grant will be used to assist the Community Progress Initiative’s Industry Clusters in determining feasibility of new business development opportunities and to continue to provide Business Development Technical Assistance. The Technical Assistance includes one-on-one assistance for business start-ups and expansions, Entrepreneurial Boot Camp coordination, small business development resources, and the Entrepreneurial Business to Business Club. The Rural Business Opportunity Grant offers funding assistance to communities on a competitive basis through the US Department of Agriculture – Rural Development Programs. Only two applications are forwarded on from Wisconsin, by Frassetto in his role as USDA State Director, to compete nationally for the limited pool of $1 million. This is the second year that the Community Progress Initiative has been successful at the highly competitive national level. Last year’s grant of $49,000 also funded Industry Cluster support, Entrepreneurial Support services, Business Development assistance, and the New Ideas Speaker Series. “We are very pleased to receive this grant award,” stated Connie Loden, Executive Director of the Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance. “The resources assist the Clusters in their efforts to identify areas with the highest feasibility for success, in addition to providing the assistance entrepreneurs need in their quest to develop new businesses or expand existing ones.” The Community Progress Initiative, which began in April of 2004, has been recognized as a model in community economic development by the Small Business Administration as one of 19 Best Practice examples and as Wisconsin Rural Partners’ Top Rural Development Initiative. Top Community Development professionals across the US are working with organizers at Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance and Community Foundation of South Wood County to study the Community Progress Initiative’s use of all of the social capitals necessary to revitalize and sustain healthy, vibrant communities. Additional speakers at the Economic Indicators Breakfast, in addition to USDA State Director Frank Frassetto and Wisconsin Department of Commerce Secretary Mary Burke, included Dr. Randy Cray and Dr. Gary Mullins of the Central Wisconsin Research Bureau at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The Breakfast was sponsored by M & I Bank, Stora Enso, Cartridge World, Wood County National Bank, and WoodTrust Asset Management.
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