Wisconsin small business grants, loans and training funds (2026)

Wisconsin’s $79 million SSBCI split between WHEDA and WEDC

Treasury’s summary lists six Wisconsin capital programs. It says the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) helps run the Capital Access Program ⁠¹.

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Wisconsin signed its allocation agreement on February 8, 2023. By December 31, 2025, Treasury had disbursed $23,483,927 to the state, and the state had deployed $23,460,593. That is 29.6% of the full allocation, which means most of Wisconsin’s SSBCI money had not yet reached businesses at the end of 2025 ⁠².

Borrowing through the Capital Access Program and WHEDA’s CDFI programs

The Capital Access Program (CAP) is the SSBCI program with a public lender list. Each participating lender keeps its own loss reserve. The borrower and the lender each pay half of a 3% to 7% reserve fee. MEDC then adds a match: 4% on loans up to $75,000, 3% on loans from $75,000 to $150,000 and 2% above $150,000 ⁠³. For targeted loans, MEDC matches 150% of the fee, up to $5,000. Targeted loans are those to majority minority-, women- or veteran-owned firms, firms outside metropolitan areas, or loans made by nonprofit lenders ⁠³. Treasury’s summary describes a different fee range (1.5% to 3.5% of principal), so ask the lender which schedule it uses ⁠¹. The lender sets the rate, term and collateral, and taverns, liquor stores, gun shops, passive real estate and marijuana businesses are excluded ⁠³.

MEDC’s current CAP lenders are First Citizens Whitewater, Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, Northwest Side Community Development Corporation, One Community Bank, Peoples State Bank, Regional Business Fund, Waukesha State Bank and the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) ⁠³.

WHEDA’s $15 million share also funds the Collateral Support Program and the Subordinate Loan Participation Program. Both work through CDFIs and community banks. A subordinate participation carries the same terms as the partner’s main loan ⁠¹. As of October 2026, WHEDA’s financing page still says it is enrolling CDFI partners and will post borrower instructions later. It directs questions to [email protected] ⁠⁴. In practice, a borrower asks a CDFI or community bank whether it uses WHEDA’s SSBCI support.

WEDC capital for technology startups

WEDC’s SSBCI money goes almost entirely to high-growth companies, not to Main Street storefronts.

• Technology Development Loans are venture debt for companies with technology products that have national or global markets. WEDC lends up to 20% of an investment round, with warrants, and the rest of the round must come from private investors ⁠⁶. Treasury’s summary puts typical terms at five to seven years ⁠¹. To apply, you contact WEDC’s technology investment manager with a current business plan or executive summary ⁠⁶.
• Capital Catalyst grants of $250,000 to $2 million go to organizations that manage seed funds, and each one needs a 1:1 private match ⁠⁵. The current partners are Bridge To Cures, Doyenne Group, Greater Oshkosh EDC, Ideadvance and Racine County Economic Development Corporation. Your business applies to one of these funds, which may make a loan or an investment, never to WEDC directly ⁠⁵.
• The Wisconsin Investment Fund (Treasury’s table calls it the Wisconsin Forward Venture Fund) puts $50 million of SSBCI money into selected seed and early-stage venture funds, and their managers match it at least 1:1 with private capital. Founders pitch the fund managers directly, give up equity in exchange for funding, and should expect the process to take at least six months ⁠⁷.

SBIR Advance is WEDC’s match for federal research awards, run by the Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC) at the Universities of Wisconsin. It matches 50% of a Phase I SBIR/STTR award, up to $75,000, and pays up to $100,000 a year for two years to Phase II awardees. Payments come as you finish milestones such as Lean Startup training and a commercialization plan ⁠¹⁴. Phase I matches were not offered in the 27th round, and CTC says they are expected to return in the fall. Firms with more than three Phase II awards cannot apply ⁠¹⁴.

Grants that reach small businesses through local programs

WEDC’s Small Business Development Grant (SBDG) is the closest thing Wisconsin has to a state small business grant, but WEDC does not pay businesses directly. It funds economic development groups, membership organizations, municipalities, counties and tribal governments. They use the money for startup, facade and expansion grant programs or for financing for firms with fewer than 25 full-time employees ⁠⁸. WEDC set aside $1.5 million for fiscal 2027, in awards of $50,000 to $250,000. Applications closed October 2, 2026 ⁠⁸.

The previous round shows what local recipients do with the money. In that round, 19 organizations shared nearly $3.2 million, and they must pass 100% of it to small businesses ⁠⁹. Beaver Dam offers $5,000 grants to new brick-and-mortar businesses. Vernon County’s Elevate Vernon program gives grants of up to $10,000 with technical assistance. Ladysmith created down payment and rent help for startups, and Milwaukee County started a grant for buying or leasing commercial space ⁠⁹. Ask your county or city economic development office whether it holds an SBDG award and when its window opens.

The pandemic-era Main Street Bounceback Grant program gave about $95 million to about 9,500 businesses. The governor’s 2025-27 budget proposed $50 million to restart it with grants of up to $10,000 ⁠⁹. As of October 20, 2026, WEDC lists no relaunched Bounceback program, so treat any site still advertising it as out of date.

Wisconsin Fast Forward pays for training, not payroll

Wisconsin Fast Forward is a state-funded grant program for employer-led skills training. Grants run from $5,000 to $400,000, and a consortium of employers can apply for more ⁠¹⁰. The grantee must put up a 50% match in cash or in-kind. DWD pays only after you spend the money and keeps 2% until you meet your targets: 85% of trainees complete the training, 75% earn higher wages, 65% are placed in jobs and 75% earn credentials ⁠¹⁰. The money covers curriculum, instructors and training materials. It does not cover trainee wages, capital equipment or remodeling ⁠¹⁰.

Two conditions rule out most startups. An applicant in operation for less than 24 months may be disqualified, and DWD asks for three years of financial statements to judge whether you can carry the grant ⁠¹⁰. The January 2026 round closed February 18, 2026. DWD then opened about $5 million on August 20, 2026, with applications due October 5, 2026. Since 2013, the program has funded 516 projects worth more than $58 million ⁠¹⁰⁠¹¹. The Office of Skills Development posts each new round on the Fast Forward website.

IMAG export grants while SBA’s STEP money stalls

The SBA’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) directory lists a $350,000 fiscal 2023 award to WEDC and no fiscal 2024 award for Wisconsin ⁠¹³. WEDC’s own International Market Access Grant (IMAG) is the export grant to use now. It reimburses short-term export projects: up to $10,000 per grant, with a lifetime limit of three, or up to $30,000, with a limit of six, for companies that completed ExporTech ⁠¹². You must spend a 30% match yourself. Eligible costs include trade show booths, translation, foreign certifications such as CE marks, foreign IP filings, Gold Key services and export consultants. Travel and lodging count only toward the match ⁠¹².

To qualify, a business must have been registered and operating in Wisconsin for at least one year and have gross revenue under $50 million. At least 35% of the product’s value must come from Wisconsin inputs ⁠¹². Applications open July 1 and close October 31, 2026, or earlier if the budget runs out. A February 1 to March 15 round is possible but not guaranteed. Submit at least six weeks before you need to start spending ⁠¹².

Building a Wisconsin funding plan with the SBDC

The Wisconsin SBDC offers no-cost, confidential consulting at 11 Universities of Wisconsin campuses and an office in Southwest Wisconsin. In 2024, its consultants served 5,354 clients, who started 289 businesses and raised $117 million in capital ⁠¹⁵.

1. Request SBDC consulting first

   Find your center by ZIP code and use its Request Consulting button. Bring a business plan, 12 months of cash flow projections and the amount you need. The consultant can tell you whether a CAP loan, a CDFI loan with WHEDA support or a local SBDG program fits ⁠¹⁵.

2. Ask a CAP lender to enroll your loan

   Contact a lender on MEDC’s list, such as WWBIC, Northwest Side CDC or Waukesha State Bank. The lender completes a one-page enrollment, and you pay your half of the reserve fee at closing ⁠³.

3. If collateral is short, ask a CDFI about WHEDA support

   Ask whether the CDFI uses the Collateral Support or Subordinate Loan Participation programs. If it does not know, email [email protected] ⁠¹⁠⁴.

4. Check your county and city for SBDG-funded grants

   Many local startup, facade and rent grants are paid from WEDC SBDG awards with their own deadlines ⁠⁹.

5. Plan training grants with a partner

   Line up a technical college or training provider, employer commitment letters and the 50% match before DWD opens the next Fast Forward round. Remember the 24-month operating test ⁠¹⁰.

6. File IMAG before October 31

   Request Network Wisconsin portal access from WEDC, name your target countries and budget the 30% match. Expect an initial decision in about four to six weeks and a contract before you can be reimbursed ⁠¹².

7. Reapply or change course if you are turned down

   A CAP decision is the lender’s credit decision, so another listed lender may decide differently. Fast Forward applications scoring under 50 of 100 points are denied but can be revised for a later round ⁠³⁠¹⁰.

For other Wisconsin help, see the Wisconsin overview, or compare states on the small business grants hub.