Potosi, Wis. –Today, Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld and Department of Tourism Secretary-designee Anne Sayers toured Main Street businesses with Village President Mick Whitaker and former president Frank Fiorenza as part of a visit to highlight state investments. Governor Tony Evers made a combined $821,000 investment in Potosi as part of overall pandemic relief efforts, with Grant County receiving more than $47 million overall investment, including nearly $1 million for small business support.
“As Potosi Village President, I would like to thank Governor Evers and State Officials for their investment of recovery funds,” said Potosi Village President Mick Whitaker. “The Badger Bounceback Program and Covid-relief investments have made a difference in our small community to help business thrive. The pandemic took a toll on businesses, especially in rural areas. I would also like to thank the Secretary-designees for taking their time to visit Potosi and see the impact the funds have made to help these businesses bounce back from the pandemic.”
The Secretary-designees, Village of Potosi leaders, and local stakeholders toured the Potosi Brewing Company, met with business owners from Holiday Gardens and Events, Whispering Bluffs Vineyard, and visited a recently opened gift shop, A Little Bit of Everything, which received a $10,000 Main Street Bounceback grant. In all, these four businesses received over $140,000 in state grant funds.
“We’re so proud to see the ongoing business recovery that’s making a difference thanks to investments from Governor Evers,” said DOA Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld. “Local businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, and supporting them means ensuring we continue to bounce back ever stronger.”
“Tourism is both big fun and big business in Wisconsin,” said Tourism Secretary-designee Anne Sayers. “I am so grateful to Governor Evers for his thoughtful investment of recovery funds, which have helped many tourism businesses bounce back from the pandemic.”
Overall investments supporting small businesses have totaled over $1 billion statewide. Governor Tony Evers announced the Main Street Bounceback grant program in the spring of 2021 with the first grants made in August 2021, using $75 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, to help small businesses and communities grow by populating vacant storefronts with new businesses and nonprofits. Earlier this week, 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.
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.
