A statewide economic development corporation for Native entrepreneurs is giving out 32 grants at $5,000 each for business owners.
The Wisconsin Indigenous Economic Development Corporation is in the process of selecting those recipients.
As part of the program, they surveyed Wisconsin-based Indigenous Entrepreneurs about the contributions of Native-owned businesses.
While they haven’t completed their full analysis yet, they say that entrepreneurs report that a lot of their problems have to do with access to capital.
These grants will go towards helping business owners keep their doors open, while they can work on bigger solutions.
The corporation is a coalition of non-profit organizations whose stated mission is building the financial sovereignty of Native individuals, families, and businesses to expand community development.
The funding for the program comes from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).
The call for applicants received over over 100 applications from startups to existing businesses.
As for when the winners will be named, program organizers say they’ll be in communication with those business owners.
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
