Governor Jim Doyle today announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $5.9 million EDA grant to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to administer the Auto Adjustment Entrepreneurial Support Initiative to foster economic growth and job creation for six counties affected by the auto closures in southeastern Wisconsin and North Central Illinois. The grant will serve Kenosha, Racine, Rock and Walworth Counties, as well as Boone and Winnebago Counties in Illinois.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will lead a collaborative, multidisciplinary initiative to create new economic opportunities in Southeastern Wisconsin. The initiative will:
- Facilitate the start-up, expansion, and attraction of businesses to the region;
- Implement worker retraining;
- Promote best practices for growth;
- Assist businesses that want to begin or expand the export of their products; and
- Develop clean energy businesses and jobs.
The total project cost is anticipated to exceed $17 million. Key partners include Blackhawk Technical College, Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation, Gateway Technical College, Growth Dimensions, Northern Illinois University’s Center for Government Studies, Rock Valley College, Rockford Area Economic Development Council, Rockford College, and Wisconsin Business Incubation Association.
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