560.167(4)(a)(a) The department may approve an eligible business for reimbursement after considering all of the following:
560.167(4)(a)1.
1. The extent to which the business' export development plan demonstrates the potential of the product or service to be exported in a particular foreign market.
560.167(4)(a)2.
2. The extent to which the business' proposed reimbursable activities relate to the potential success of the product or service to be exported.
560.167(4)(b)
(b) The department shall give priority for reimbursements under this section to eligible businesses participating in the department's export mentoring program.
560.167(5)
(5) The department may not do any of the following:
560.167(5)(a)
(a) Reimburse an eligible business more than $5,000 in a 12-month period.
560.167(5)(b)
(b) Reimburse an eligible business more than $5,000 for participation in a trade show, U.S. trade show, or matchmaker trade delegation event.
560.167(5)(c)
(c) Reimburse an eligible business for participating more than one time in the same trade show, U.S. trade show, or matchmaker trade delegation event held at different times or in different locations.
560.167(5)(d)
(d) Reimburse an eligible business more than $15,000 over the life of the program.
560.167(6)
(6) An eligible business that is approved for a reimbursement under
sub. (4) shall provide to the department, within 90 days after the trade show, U.S. trade show, or matchmaker trade delegation event for which the reimbursement is sought, documentation detailing the costs for which the reimbursement is sought.
560.167 History
History: 1995 a. 27;
2001 a. 16.
560.17
560.17
Rural economic development program. 560.17(1)(a)
(a) "Board" means the rural economic development board.
560.17(1)(br)
(br) "Management assistance" means engineering and legal services and professional assistance in establishing or improving management systems, policies or procedures in such management concerns as financial planning, personnel, inventory control, production planning, purchasing, bookkeeping, record keeping and marketing.
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 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.
