560.17(1)(a)
(a) "Board" means the rural economic development board.
560.17(1)(c)
(c) "Professional services" includes all of the following:
560.17(1)(c)1.
1. Preparation of preliminary feasibility studies, feasibility studies or business and financial plans.
560.17(1)(c)3.
3. Engineering studies, appraisals or marketing assistance.
560.17(1)(d)
(d) "Rural municipality" means any of the following:
560.17(1)(d)1.
1. A city, town or village that is located in a county with a population density of less than 150 persons per square mile.
560.17(1)(d)2.
2. A city, town or village with a population of 6,000 or less.
560.17(2)(a)(a) At the request of the board, the department shall make a grant or loan to a business to which the board has awarded a grant or loan under this section.
560.17(3)
(3) Subject to
sub. (4m), the board may award a grant under this subsection to a business if all of the following apply:
560.17(3)(a)
(a) The amount of the grant does not exceed $15,000.
560.17(3)(b)
(b) The business, together with any affiliate, subsidiary or parent entity, has fewer than 50 employees.
560.17(3)(c)
(c) The business is located in a rural municipality.
560.17(3)(d)
(d) The business is starting or expanding its operations.
560.17(3)(e)
(e) The proceeds of the grant will be used by the business as provided in
sub. (5).
560.17(4)
(4) Before awarding a grant under
sub. (3), the board shall consider all of the following:
560.17(4)(a)
(a) The extent to which the start-up or expansion of the business will create new jobs.
560.17(4)(b)
(b) The economic condition of the rural municipality.
560.17(4)(c)
(c) The number of new jobs created by the business in relation to the amount of the grant.
560.17(4)(cm)
(cm) In relation to the amount of the grant, the number of existing jobs that will be retained by the business if the grant is awarded and that likely would not be retained if the grant is not awarded.
560.17(4)(d)
(d) The degree to which the new or expanded operations of the business will provide beneficial services to the rural municipality where it is located.
560.17(4)(e)
(e) Whether financing is available from other sources.
560.17(4)(f)
(f) Whether the business would be able to start or expand its operations without a grant.
560.17(4m)
(4m) Of the total amount awarded in grants in a fiscal biennium under
sub. (3), the board shall award not less than 25% and not more than 50% for purposes related to an agricultural business. The board shall give priority under this subsection for grants that will be used for purposes related to a dairy farm, as defined in
s. 97.22 (1) (a).
560.17(5)
(5) A business shall use the proceeds of a grant under
sub. (3) to pay for any of the following:
560.17(5)(a)
(a) Professional services related to starting or expanding the business.
560.17(5)(b)
(b) Management assistance continuing after the start-up or expansion.
560.17(5c)(a)(a) Subject to
par. (b), the board may award a grant under this subsection to a person or business proposing to start up, modernize or expand in this state a dairy farm, as defined in
s. 97.22 (1) (a), or other agricultural business if all of the following apply:
560.17(5c)(a)1.
1. The dairy farm or other agricultural business is or will be owned by the person or business.
560.17(5c)(a)3.
3. The grant proceeds will be used to pay for services related to the start-up, modernization or expansion of the dairy farm or other agricultural business, or for management assistance, as defined in
s. 560.20 (1) (cf), continuing after the completion of the start-up, modernization or expansion of the dairy farm or other agricultural business.
560.17(5c)(a)4.
4. The grant is likely to result in the start-up, modernization or expansion of the dairy farm or other agricultural business.
560.17(5c)(b)
(b) The total amount of grants awarded under this subsection in any fiscal year may not exceed $500,000.
560.17(5m)(a)(a) Subject to
par. (cm), the board may award a grant or loan under this subsection that does not exceed $100,000 to a business if all of the following apply:
560.17(5m)(a)1.
1. The business, together with any affiliate, subsidiary or parent entity, has fewer than 50 employees.
560.17(5m)(a)4.
4. The business successfully demonstrates the feasibility of the project.
560.17(5m)(a)5.
5. Financing is unavailable from any other source on reasonably equivalent terms.
560.17(5m)(b)
(b) A business shall use the proceeds of a grant or loan under this subsection for any of the following:
560.17(5m)(bm)
(bm) If a business receives a grant or loan under this subsection for the purpose specified in
par. (b) 3., the department shall ensure that an employee of the business has the option of accepting or declining any relocation assistance that is available as a result of the grant or loan.
560.17(5m)(cm)
(cm) Of the total amount awarded in grants and loans in a fiscal biennium under this subsection, the board shall award not less than 25% and not more than 50% for purposes related to an agricultural business. The board shall give priority under this paragraph for grants or loans that will be used for purposes related to a dairy farm, as defined in 97.22 (1) (a).
560.17(5r)(a)(a) Under this subsection, the board may award to a business a loan that does not exceed $50,000 if all of the following apply:
560.17(5r)(a)1.
1. The business, together with any affiliate, subsidiary or parent entity, has fewer than 50 employees.
560.17(5r)(a)2.
2. The business is or will be located in a rural municipality.
560.17(5r)(a)3.
3. The rural municipality in which the business is or will be located satisfies either of the following criteria:
560.17(5r)(a)3.a.
a. The rural municipality is located in a county that has a median household income that is lower than the state median household income.
560.17(5r)(a)3.b.
b. If the rural municipality is located in a county that has a median household income that is higher than the state median household income, the rural municipality has a median household income that is lower than the county median household income.
560.17(5r)(a)5.
5. The operations of the business do not involve metallic mining activities.
560.17(5r)(a)6.
6. The owner of the business attends a class that provides instruction in writing a business plan, making a business loan application and managing a start-up business.
560.17(5r)(b)
(b) A business applying for a loan under this subsection must submit an application package that includes a business plan and such personal and business financial information as the board requires to enable the board to assess sufficiently the potential viability of the business. The department shall assist a business in preparing an application.
560.17(5r)(c)
(c) A business that receives a loan under this subsection may use the loan proceeds for any of the following purposes:
560.17(5r)(c)2.
2. The purchase of buildings, furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment or inventory.
560.17(5r)(d)
(d) If a business that receives a loan under this subsection uses the loan proceeds for employee relocation costs under
par. (c) 4., the department shall ensure all of the following:
560.17(5r)(d)1.
1. That an employee of the business has the option of accepting or declining any relocation assistance that is available as a result of the loan.
560.17(5r)(d)2.
2. That the compensation and benefits terms offered at the new location are at least as favorable as those offered by the business at its previous location.
560.17(6)
(6) Before awarding a loan under this section, the board shall do all of the following:
560.17(6)(a)
(a) Determine the terms for repayment of the principal amount of the loan.
560.17(6)(c)
(c) Establish all other terms and conditions of the loan after considering the circumstances of the particular business.
560.17(6m)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), in order to receive a grant or loan under this section a person or business shall contribute cash, from a source other than the state, in an amount that equals at least 25% of the total cost of the project.
560.17(6m)(b)
(b) The board shall determine whether, and the extent to which, in order to receive a loan under
sub. (5r), a business must contribute from a source other than the state a portion of the cost of the project, except that the board may not require a business to contribute more than 20% of the cost of the project. The contribution may be in cash or in kind. The board shall determine what services or materials may be used as in-kind contributions.
560.17(6r)
(6r) The board shall give priority for grants or loans under this section for projects related to brownfields redevelopment.
560.17(7)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (am), the department shall designate staff to evaluate applications for grants or loans and assist the board under this section. The board shall act on an application for a grant or loan at its next regularly scheduled meeting after the department determines that the application is complete, except that the board shall act on an application for a loan under
sub. (5r) and advise the applicant of its decision within 45 days after the department determines that the application is complete.
560.17(7)(am)
(am) The department of commerce and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection shall designate staff to evaluate applications for grants or loans for purposes related to agricultural businesses and to make recommendations and assist the board with respect to those applications.
560.17(7)(b)
(b) The board or department shall deposit all interest or principal payments received for loans made under this section in the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (ir).
560.17(7)(d)
(d) The department or board may not limit the time period during which applications for grants and loans under this section may be accepted.
560.175
560.175
Urban area early planning grants. 560.175(1)(a)
(a) "Early planning project" means the preliminary stages of considering and planning the expansion or start-up of a business that is or will be located in an urban area in this state.
