Gov. Evers stops in Medford to celebrate grant successes

Governor Tony Evers was in Medford last week to help celebrate small business success stories.

Evers along with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes stopped at Pouring Cats & Dogs in Medford on March 31 to visit with representatives of some of the 16 local businesses that received Main Street Bounceback Grants in the community.

In April 2021, Gov. Evers announced the state would dedicate $50 million toward helping small business owners open physical locations and communities fill vacant storefronts. These were awarded as $10,000 grants to the qualifying businesses.

According to Evers, the Main Street Bounceback grant program has now helped fill vacant storefronts in all 72 counties and has helped more than 3,600 small businesses and nonprofit organizations across the state. To date, in Medford the grants have brought in $160,000 in economic activity.

Natalia Schmitt, the owner of Pouring Cats & Dogs said her business would not be where it is today without the help of the grant program. “Without the grant I wouldn’t have been able to update my equipment, my computers, get as much inventory as I have in here, to be able to grow as fast as I have,” she said.

“I’m proud we’ve been a national leader in our work to invest in small businesses and ensure our main streets and our communities rebound and recover,” Evers said. “Small businesses are an essential part of our state and local economies. This program is about making sure we’re investing in our long-term economic success by helping entrepreneurs and new business owners achieve their business dreams while revitalizing main streets in every corner of our state, creating jobs, gathering places, and new opportunities for communities.”

Sue Emmerich of the Medford Area Chamber of Commerce, which is assisting local business owners with the grant process noted that small business owners excel at stretching every dollar and getting the most impact. She praised the simplicity of the grant process which is important as many small business owners lack the time and are hesitant to take advantage of programs because of the amount of time and paperwork involved.

An analysis from November 2021 showed that as a share of federal pandemic aid the state has received and directed by Gov. Evers, Wisconsin ranked second in the country for aid directed to economic development, and first in the country in aid allocated to businesses. Evers spoke to the crowd of about 30 area business leaders who joined in his visit that he realized that many of the people in the room likely did not vote for him, given the partisan demographics of Taylor County. However, he said that didn’t matter to him when it came to helping businesses and communities recover from the impacts of the COVID- 19 pandemic.

“We are all Wisconsinites,” Evers said, praising the work done especially at the local level to connect small businesses with the resources made available through the grant program.

“It takes a lot of work by a lot of people that work in economic development and Medford pulled together and really, it’s a miraculous thing,” Evers said.

During the visit, Evers sought feedback from the small business owners present. Jacko VanDerBerg, owner of Uncommon Ground in downtown Medford said that while this grant program was a help, there needed to be additional support in the future. Businesses such as his in the hospitality and food service industries were hit especially hard throughout the pandemic and he said it would take time to recover.

Hughes thanked him for his feedback and said the WEDC is in the process of developing additional programs targeted to small businesses that they hope to bring forward soon.

Funds for the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program are provided by the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The program is scheduled to run through June 30, 2022.