2025 TOP RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES Winners |
Capital Access Clinic | 2025 Nomination
Recognizing this gap, the Capital Access Clinic at UW-Eau Claire focused its efforts on providing specialized technical assistance with developing financial projections to entrepreneurs statewide. The CAC’s expert team of financial consultants, including CPAs and former lenders, engage in one-on-one meetings with clients, guiding them through the creation of high-quality three-year financial projections. This process includes industry-specific analysis and guidance regarding various lending products, ensuring entrepreneurs understand and feel confident about the data supporting their projections. With this high-level support from the CAC, small business owners better understand their business operations from a financial lens in addition to improving their odds of securing capital to grow or start their business. | Savor the River Valley | 2025 Nomination
They had casual conversations with prospective stakeholders, then actual meetings. Operating with just a flipchart and markers, community brainstorming sessions molded a vision for a collaborative, inclusive initiative of farmers, chefs and makers who would support each other in highlighting how our food community shines. Five core initiatives have evolved in three short years, fueled by substantial volunteer time, shared resources and modest initial funding. Savor the River Valley is a grassroots food tourism initiative that encompasses the River Valley School District, which is over 300 square miles inside the Lower Wisconsin Riverway valley. It includes over forty farmers, food processors, food retailers, and restaurants. Read More About the Initiative |
The Capital Access Clinic (CAC), established in 2021, is an economic development initiative aimed at addressing challenges accessing capital faced by both aspiring and existing small business owners. Through its outreach efforts, the CAC identified a significant need among entrepreneurs for financial knowledge and expertise to better support their businesses. Many small business owners, especially in rural areas, lack the resources to effectively create and understand their own three-year financial projections, which are essential for accessing capital and strategic business planning. The CAC prioritizes working with rural areas by forming alliances with Economic Development Organizations (EDO) and banks that serve those areas. Through this connection, they refer their clients to the CAC for comprehensive support in starting a business and securing funding. This crucial referral network ensures that rural communities receive the necessary resources and assistance to foster economic growth and development.
How can we increase the visibility of our dynamic food scene and turn it into an economic engine for our communities?” This is the question Patti Peltier and Stef Morrill Kerckhoff, Executive Director of River Valley Commons, sought to answer in 2021 when the idea of Savor the River Valley was born.
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Adams County Homestead Credit Incentive | 2025 Nomination Adams County Economic Development introduced the Homestead Credit Incentive in 2024 to support the construction of new homes and encourage workers to establish residency in Adams County through the purchase of existing properties. Those who are eligible receive $2,500 at the time of closing/purchase. Adams County, like many other localities in Wisconsin, is experiencing a housing shortage and sees a large influx of people who work in the area but live in other counties. The credit is designed to give buyers an incentive to purchase homes, which will hopefully encourage residency in Adams County. Adams County Economic Development allocated $10,000 for the program in 2024 and has increased that allocation to $20,000 for 2025 with some application already accepted. | Ambulance & Emergency Medical Services | 2025 Nomination "In 2022 four town chairmen from Boulder Junction, Manitowish Waters, Presque Isle, and Winchester in northwest Vilas County were approached by a constituent who was concerned about the level of ambulance service that citizens of the municipalities were getting from all volunteers EMT’s. A series of meetings were held including volunteer EMT’s and it was recommended that a consultant be hired to conduct a study of current operations and develop plans that might be implemented to improve service. The four towns agreed to hire Strategic Management & Consulting to conduct the study and present recommendations to the towns |
American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation | 2025 Nomination Since it's inception the American Birkebeiner Foundation has bee dedicated to improving the economic, social and health aspects of our expanded community covering 7 towns and 2 counties. Promotion of year-round athletic and educational events encourages tourism, outdoor and indoor healthy activity, socialization and exposure to world wide culture by residents and visitors alike. | Beach Bash Health Fair | 2025 Nomination In June of 2024, Spooner Health partnered with Lakeland Family Resource Center and Washburn County Public Health to bring a community health fair to Lakeland Family Resource Center's Beach Bash family event in rural Shell Lake, Wisconsin. Fifteen health-related booths shared health education information, giveaways, and activities with over 400 attendees. This well-attended event attracted residents of all ages and offered not only the health education booths, but family activities and a free meal. There was no charge for this event for attendees. |
Brodhead Chamber of Commerce | 2025 Nomination The Brodhead Chamber of Commerce’s initiative, "Revitalizing Brodhead Through Collaboration and Innovation," focuses on boosting the local economy, fostering community pride, and preserving natural resources. Through events like the Home/Trade Show Expo and Covered Bridge Days, eco-tourism initiatives highlighting the Sugar River, and partnerships with conservation groups, the Chamber drives economic growth and sustainability. Innovative programs like youth engagement, Shop Local campaigns, and regional collaborations ensure lasting benefits for businesses, residents, and visitors, making Brodhead a thriving rural community. | Family Connections of Southwest Wisconsin (FCSWWI) | 2025 Nomination Family Connections of Southwest Wisconsin (FCSWWI) is a non-profit organization and trusted resource that is dedicated to educating and supporting families in the communities of Grant and Lafayette counties, with the goal of building strong families. Established on July 1, 2007, through the merger of the Family Center of Grant County and Southwestern Wisconsin Child Care Resource and Referral, the organization aims to enhance the well-being of children and families in the community. January 2023 we opened a satellite office in Darlington, WI. Opening the Darlington office allows FCSWWI to expand its reach, ensuring that more families have access to critical resources and support services. The expansion is particularly important given Darlington’s high Hispanic population, as it enables the organization to offer bilingual resources and community engagement that meet the specific needs of all families. |
Housing Initiatives: Fort Atkinson | 2025 Nomination Such a large-scale project required the cooperation of many local organizations to come to fruition. In addition to the collaboration with the Homeless Coalition and Habitat for Humanity, the Fort Community Foundation provided generous financial support. For the two homes managed by the Homeless Coalition, the Fort Community Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant, enabling the relocation and renovation of the properties. The Foundation awarded a $132,000 grant to the Habitat for Humanity project. The two houses under the management of the Homeless Coalition were renovated with the support of local businesses and volunteers. Contributions from Mike Foerster and A+ Environmental Inc., Riedl and Son Exteriors, JM Carpets, and other community partners have made these properties true homes for incoming families. Riedl and Son Exteriors re-roofed one of the houses at cost, and JM Carpets donated large area rugs for the family rooms. | New Freedom Transportation Volunteer Driver Program | 2025 Nominations New Freedom Transportation provides affordable transportation to the frail elderly and disabled person in 42 rural areas in Wisconsin. Medical trips as well as personal business, education, nutrition and social. By collaborating with local agency such as both managed care programs, DVR, IRIS, 85.21 programs designed to help persons who are frail elderly and persons with disability be able to participate in their communities. This helps them to have access to medical service and fresh foods. By providing social and personal business has shown that the rate for suicide in rural areas is less and less depression and mental health issues. Our program provides over a 1000 rides per month to persons living in rural areas. |
New Richmond Community Library | 2025 Nominations New Richmond's existing library was built in the early 1960s, and had one addition constructed in 1989. Since then, the community's population has grown significantly. Many options were explored, such as expanding the current building, retrofitting an existing building, or building new. In 2021, the City took a new approach, publishing a request for qualifications for a private developer interested in a public-private endeavor. The City received 9 proposals, and ultimately selected Three Sixty Real Estate Solutions. It took a few years to work through preliminary and final design, creation of a development agreement, securing financing, and many details due to the complexity of the project, but in the end, the project broke ground in the fall of 2024. A 30,000 square foot library with underground and surface parking and 69 market-rate apartments above the library, as well as a stand-alone 9-unit townhome building, are currently under construction. The entire project cost is nearly $30 million and represents the largest public-private partnership in the community's history. The library will be owned by the Community Development Authority and leased to the City, and the apartments will be owned by Three Sixty Real Estate Solutions, through a condominium arrangement. A tax increment district was also created. | Revitalizing the historic Rural Store in Rural, WI | 2025 Nomination The property at E1380 Main Street in Rural, WI consists of two buildings: the Rural Store is on the WI Historic Registry, whereas the old gas station, known as The Weller Store, is not, though is has a lot of local history. The former owner, Robert Weller, operated the store as an antique/knick-knack/ice-cream shop for most of his adult life. The village of Rural is an adorable hamlet, tucked into a valley south of Waupaca. A small dam creates a beautiful pond with many types of wildlife. The Crystal River snakes through the village with three quaint bridges over it. The village contains six square blocks of historic homes, a Bed & Breakfast created from an old farm at the southeast corner, a cemetery where many of the village families have been buried, and the smallest business district you'll ever see. That business district was in a state of disrepair and slotted for demolition before my family saved it. My parents had the fortune of being in a position to save this historic property and revitalize it. Since acquiring the property, we have worked as a family and enlisted the aid of our community to clear out hazardous material, renew the facade of the old building, get a new roof, fix plumbing and electrical issues, maintain the structural integrity of the building, and organize the antique and vintage items for the newly created sales floor. |
Warrens Cranfest | 2025 Nomination Going into it's 52nd year, Warrens Cranfest boasts crows of 120,000 in the little village of Warrens, WI. Nearly every area business and non-profit organization in the Tomah/Warrens area and outlying communities are positively affected by this annual event. Run by a board of directors, the membership organization meets on a monthly basis to plan the festival each year. As offshoots of the festival, there is a beautification program and young lady leadership program (Cranberry Queen and Princesses). Organizations can be involved in volunteering, fundraising, and organizing a group for the parade. Celebrating agriculture and one of the nation's top two exporters of the cranberry, this rural festival brings in over $100k people each year, spending money and supporting the area's rural Wisconsin economy. |