Sec. Godlewski: Highlights record-setting BCPL results as new fiscal year begins

MADISON, Wis. – As the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL) begins a new fiscal year, Secretary of State and BCPL Board Chair Sarah Godlewski is highlighting a record-setting year of investments in Wisconsin’s public schools, universities, and local communities. 

Working alongside fellow Commissioners Attorney General Josh Kaul and State Treasurer John Lieber, as well as the dedicated staff of the BCPL, the Board distributed a record-breaking $73.5 million to Wisconsin public schools through the Common School Fund and a record $2.3 million to the Universities of Wisconsin through the Normal School Fund. 

The Common School Fund distribution fulfills one of the BCPL’s most important responsibilities. Every public school district in Wisconsin receives support from the fund, which serves as the sole source of state funding for books, technology, digital resources, and other learning materials for Wisconsin’s public school libraries. 

This year, Secretary Godlewski traveled more than 900 miles across Wisconsin to see firsthand how these resources are making a difference for students, visiting schools in Eagle River, Rhinelander, Wausau, Ashwaubenon, Madison, Eau Claire, and Milwaukee. 

The BCPL’s record $2.3 million distribution from the Normal School Fund will provide merit scholarships for Universities of Wisconsin students and support environmental and forestry-related programs across the state. 

This record-setting year builds on the BCPL’s continued growth under Secretary Godlewski’s leadership as Board Chair since 2019. During that time, the BCPL has invested and reinvested $2 billion, distributed $414.5 million to Wisconsin public schools, and approved more than 1,100 State Trust Fund Loans totaling more than $678 million. 

Under Secretary Godlewski’s leadership, the BCPL has also diversified its investment strategy, including investments that support Wisconsin entrepreneurship and innovation while generating long-term returns for the School Trust Funds. 

Wisconsin companies supported through BCPL-backed investments include Madison-based EnsoData, which uses AI-powered technology to improve sleep diagnostics and patient care, and La Crosse-based Eneration, which helps healthcare systems reduce costs and improve sustainability through innovative energy solutions. These investments have helped support Wisconsin innovation and create hundreds of jobs across the state. 

The BCPL has also continued to help local governments finance critical community projects through the State Trust Fund Loan Program. Since 2019, more than 1,100 loans totaling $678 million have been approved to help Wisconsin communities finance housing, broadband, roads, clean water, renewable energy, public safety, and other critical local needs. 

Recent loans have helped support projects including a Rhinelander housing initiative aimed at addressing the region’s housing shortage and the Madeline Island Ferry Line, a critical transportation connection for residents, businesses, and visitors in northern Wisconsin. 

These investments put Wisconsin’s public dollars to work in Wisconsin communities while generating returns that directly benefit the state’s schools and students. 

“Secretary Godlewski’s leadership as BCPL’s Board Chair has been critical to our success managing School Trust assets,” said Tia Nelson, Executive Secretary of the BCPL. “No one has worked harder to protect and promote this key support for public school libraries than she has.” 

“At a time when many schools and local communities are being asked to do more with less, the work of the BCPL continues to be a bright spot,” said Secretary Godlewski. “I’m incredibly proud of what our staff and the entire Board have accomplished together. We’re investing in Wisconsin students, supporting local communities, and putting Wisconsin dollars to work right here in our state. As we begin a new fiscal year, I’m excited to keep building on that success.”