560.14(3)(a)(a) The department may make grants from the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (fg) to a community-based organization to fund any of the following:
560.14(3)(a)1.
1. The operation of an existing business incubator or technology-based incubator.
560.14(3)(a)2.
2. Technical assistance in the process of starting a business incubator or technology-based incubator, including a feasibility study of the need for and the initial design of the incubator.
560.14(3)(a)3.
3. Starting, expanding or rehabilitating a business incubator or technology-based incubator.
560.14(3)(a)4.
4. The creation of a revolving loan fund for tenants of a business incubator or technology-based incubator.
560.14(3)(b)
(b) The department may not make a grant under this subsection unless all of the following apply:
560.14(3)(b)3.
3. The total amount of grants under this subsection to a community-based organization do not exceed 50% of the total cost of the project for which the grants are made, unless the department determines that the area where the funds will be used is in extreme financial hardship. The department may consider in-kind contributions when determining the total cost of a project under this subdivision.
560.14(3)(b)5.
5. The community-based organization receiving the grant provides a written policy relating to how stable, maturing businesses in the business incubator or technology-based incubator will establish themselves outside of the incubator within a reasonable period of time.
560.14(3)(c)
(c) In making a grant under this subsection, the department shall consider all of the following:
560.14(3)(c)1.
1. The potential of the business incubator or technology-based incubator to help start businesses.
560.14(3)(c)2.
2. The potential of the business incubator or technology-based incubator to provide employment opportunities.
560.14(3)(c)3.
3. How the unemployment rate in the area in which the business incubator or technology-based incubator is or will be located compares to the state average.
560.14(3)(c)4.
4. How the household income levels of persons residing in the area in which the business incubator or technology-based incubator is or will be located compare to the applicable median household income.
560.14(3)(c)5.
5. How the assessed value of real property in the most recent assessment in the area in which the business incubator or technology-based incubator is or will be located compares to the assessed value of that property in the assessment 2 years before the most recent assessment.
560.14(3)(c)6.
6. How the percentage of households receiving aid to families with dependent children under
s. 49.19 in the area in which the business incubator or technology-based incubator is or will be located compares to the percentage of households receiving aid to families with dependent children in the state.
560.14(3)(c)7.
7. The percentage of members of the workforce in a city, village or town in the area in which the business incubator or technology-based incubator is or will be located that were permanently laid off by their employer in the 18 months immediately preceding the application.
560.14(3)(c)8.
8. Whether the business incubator or technology-based incubator is or will be located in an area that has been designated as a development zone under
s. 560.71, a development opportunity zone under
s. 560.795 or an enterprise development zone under
s. 560.797.
560.14(3)(d)1.1. The proceeds of a grant under
par. (a) 1. or
3. may be used to defray salaries, fringe benefits and other personnel, administrative and operating costs of the business incubator or technology-based incubator.
560.14(3)(d)2.
2. The proceeds of a grant under
par. (a) 2. or
3. may be used to fund those salaries, fringe benefits and other personnel, administrative and operating costs of the community-based organization that are directly related to starting, expanding or rehabilitating a business incubator or technology-based incubator.
560.14(3)(e)
(e) Grants under this subsection may not exceed whichever of the following applies:
560.14(3)(f)
(f) The department may not do any of the following:
560.14(3)(f)1.
1. Make grants under
par. (a) 1. to fund the operation of a particular business incubator or technology-based incubator in more than 5 years.
560.14(3)(f)2.
2. Make more than 2 grants under
par. (a) 2. for a particular business incubator or technology-based incubator.
560.14(3)(f)3.
3. Make more than 2 grants under
par. (a) 3. for a particular business incubator or technology-based incubator.
560.14(3)(f)4.
4. Make more than 2 grants under
par. (a) 4. for a particular business incubator or technology-based incubator.
560.14(4)(a)(a) Subject to
par. (b), the department may make a grant under this subsection from the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (fg) to a community-based organization for regional economic development activity if all of the following apply:
560.14(4)(a)1.
1. A political subdivision in the region in which the economic development activity will be conducted joins in the application for the grant with the community-based organization.
560.14(4)(a)2.
2. The economic development activity is unique to or within the region.
560.14(4)(a)3.
3. The economic development activity is consistent with any economic development policy or plan of the political subdivision.
560.14(4)(a)4.
4. The economic development activity will likely stimulate investment in the region's economy or create or retain jobs in the region.
560.14(4)(a)5.
5. The community-based organization will receive contributions from private sources and from political subdivisions in the region for the economic development activity. The contributions may be in cash or in kind.
560.14(4)(a)6.
6. The applicants submit a plan that describes the economic development activity, how the economic development activity satisfies the criteria under this paragraph, how the grant will be administered and how the grant proceeds will be used to support the economic development activity; and the secretary approves the plan.
560.14(4)(a)7.
7. The applicants provide documentation of the contributions required under
subd. 5.
560.14(4)(b)
(b) For grants under this subsection, the department may not award in any fiscal year more than the greater of $100,000 or 10% of the amount appropriated for the fiscal year under
s. 20.143 (1) (fg).
560.14(5)
(5) The department shall do all of the following:
560.14(5)(a)
(a) Develop an application to be used for grants under this section and furnish the application to applicants upon request.
560.14(5)(b)
(b) Promulgate rules to develop criteria for evaluating applications for grants under this section.
560.14(5)(bm)
(bm) Promulgate rules with respect to how the department will administer the grants under this section.
560.14(5)(c)
(c) Consistent with
subs. (2),
(3) and
(4), award grants under this section on a competitive basis, using the criteria developed under
par. (b).
560.15
560.15
Economic adjustment program. 560.15(1)
(1) The department, with the advice and assistance of the community response committees created under
sub. (3), and in cooperation with the department of industry, labor and job development, shall perform the responsibilities under
sub. (2) if the following conditions are met:
560.15(1)(a)
(a) A business, regardless of its size or form of organization, is considering ceasing its operations or has decided to cease its operations or has ceased its operations at any place of business located in this state; is considering laying off or has decided to lay off or has laid off, whether permanently or temporarily, any of its employes at any place of business located in this state.
560.15(1)(b)
(b) The department has received notification of an act by a business under
par. (a) from any of the following:
560.15(1)(b)4.
4. An employe of the business or a former employe laid off by an act under
par. (a).
560.15(1)(b)6.
6. A small business development center of the university of Wisconsin system.
560.15(1)(b)7.
7. A faculty member of the university of Wisconsin-extension.
560.15(1)(b)8.
8. An economic development coordinator of a technical college.
560.15(2)
(2) Upon notification of an act by a business under
sub. (1), the department shall provide assistance, or provide referrals to other persons or arrange and coordinate assistance from other persons, including federal, state or local governmental units, agencies or programs, other businesses, service organizations, educational institutions and financial institutions, to the following persons for the following purposes and upon the following conditions:
560.15(2)(a)
(a) A business which has performed an act under
sub. (1) (a), for the purpose of enabling continued or renewed operation of the business or avoiding or rescinding temporary or permanent layoffs, if the business requests or chooses to accept the assistance of the department.
560.15(2)(b)
(b) One or more employes of a business, or former employes laid off by an act under
sub. (1) (a), if the business has performed an act under
sub. (1) (a), for the purpose of retraining the employes or former employes, matching their skills with jobs for other employers or accomplishing the transfer of ownership, control or management of a business which has decided to or has ceased operations to employes or former employes, members of the community or others, if one or more employes or former employes request or choose to accept the assistance of the department.
560.15(2)(c)
(c) A business or one or more employes of a business or former employes laid off by an act under
sub. (1) (a), if the business has performed an act under
sub. (1) (a), for any of the purposes set forth in
pars. (a) and
(b), if the business and one or more employes or former employes request or choose to accept the assistance of the department.
560.15(2)(d)
(d) A business or one or more former employes of a business laid off by an act under
sub. (1) (a) or one or more employes of a business, if the business has performed an act under
sub. (1) (a), for the purpose of informing the business, former employes or employes of their rights and opportunities under
s. 560.16.
560.15(3)(a)(a) If a business, or one or more employes of a business or former employes laid off by an act under
sub. (1) (a), request or accept assistance under
sub. (2), the department shall send written notice thereof to the chief executive officer of the village, town or city where the business has or had its place of business.
560.15(3)(b)
(b) A chief executive officer receiving notification under
par. (a), after consultation with the business affected, may create a community response committee which shall consist of the following members to be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the chief executive officer:
560.15(3)(b)1.
1. A representative from the business if the business requests or accepts assistance under
sub. (2).
560.15(3)(b)2.
2. A representative from the employes of the business or former employes laid off by an act under
sub. (1) (a), if one or more employes or former employes request or accept assistance under
sub. (2).
560.15(3)(b)3.
3. A representative from the village, town, city or county where the business has or had its place of business.
560.15(3)(b)4.
4. A representative from a local economic development organization.
560.15(3)(c)
(c) A committee created under
par. (b) may appoint additional members to serve at the pleasure of the committee, or may otherwise request assistance from any persons, including representatives from any of the following:
560.15(3)(c)2.
2. A local campus of the university of Wisconsin system.
560.15(3)(c)3.
3. A county office of the university of Wisconsin-extension.
560.15(3)(c)5.
5. A regional small business development center of the university of Wisconsin system.
560.15(3)(c)6.
6. A district office of the department of industry, labor and job development.
560.15(3)(d)
(d) Each community response committee shall advise and assist the department in the performance of its responsibilities under this section.
560.15(4)
(4) All records received or created for the purposes of this section shall be closed to public inspection if the department, a chief executive officer of a village, town or city or a community response committee determines that public inspection of the records could adversely affect the business, its employes or former employes.
560.15(5)
(5) Each employe of the department, and each member of the community response committee, and each chief executive officer of a village, town or city and employes of his or her office shall keep secret all facts and information obtained in the course of performing their responsibilities under this section. This subsection does not prohibit the public inspection of records to the extent permitted under
sub. (4) nor meetings in open session to the extent permitted under
s. 19.85 (1) (i).
560.16
560.16
Employe ownership assistance loans. 560.16(1)(a)
(a) "Board" means the development finance board.
560.16(1)(b)
(b) "Business" means an employe-owned business or an existing business which is the subject of an application for a loan under this section.
560.16(1)(c)
(c) "Employe-owned business" means a business located in this state which is organized in a manner determined by the secretary to involve substantial employe participation or a cooperative organized under
ch. 185 or a corporation in which the employes own the stock of the corporation through an employe stock ownership plan as defined under
26 USC 4975 (e) (7) and in which:
560.16(1)(c)1.
1. A majority of the voting rights are held by employes and any employe who has stock allocated to the employe is entitled to vote;
560.16(1)(c)2.
2. Shares are voted in such a manner that the vote of the majority of employes controls the vote of the majority of shares;
560.16(1)(c)3.
3. Voting rights on corporate matters for shares held in a trust for the employes shall pass through to those employes, at least to the extent required by the pass-through voting requirements under
26 USC 409A (e); and
