Press Release: DOA Visit Highlights Over $5 Million State Investment for Wauwatosa Businesses

STATE OF WISCONSIN

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

Tony Evers, Governor

Kathy Blumenfeld, Secretary-designee

DOA Visit Highlights Over $5 Million State Investment for Wauwatosa Businesses

DOA Secretary-designee Blumenfeld and Mayor McBride Tour Main Street Businesses Supported by Grant Funds

Wauwatosa, Wis. – Today, Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld toured Main Street businesses with Mayor Dennis McBride as part of a visit to highlight state investments. Governor Tony Evers made a $5 million investment in Wauwatosa small businesses as part of pandemic relief efforts, with Milwaukee County receiving more that $90 million for small business support.

The Secretary-designee, Mayor McBride and local stakeholders met with business owners from Delicious Bites and MyPT at the Tosa Yoga Center, which both received $10,000 Main Street Bounceback grants.

“Governor Evers knew filling empty storefronts on Wisconsin’s Main Streets and continuing to support local small businesses was crucial to the state’s bounce back from the pandemic,” said DOA Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld. “I am very proud of what we have accomplished, and it is incredible to witness the impact of these investments on not just businesses, but communities as a whole.”

“The Main Street Bounceback Program is a good complement to the Tosa Restarts Program that the City of Wauwatosa put in place two years ago,” said Mayor Dennis McBride. “The investment made by Governor Evers has helped Wauwatosa’s small businesses stay strong during a challenging time.”  

Governor Tony Evers announced the Main Street Bounceback grant program in the spring of 2021 with the first grants made in August 2021, to help small businesses and communities grow by populating vacant storefronts with new businesses and nonprofits. In September 2022, Governor Evers announced state will provide an additional $25 million investment into the program, for a total investment of $100 million to help entrepreneurs open new businesses or expand their existing operations. Overall investments supporting small businesses across the state total over $1 billion. 

Visit BadgerBounceback.wi.gov to view pandemic-related assistance information as well as the latest data and success stories about how COVID-relief investments are making a difference across the state. For updates on other recovery-related grant opportunities, sign up for the Badger Bounceback update list.