Allison Whalen

By Joshua Schuetz

CEDA is expanding its Rural Entrepreneurial Ventures (REV) work into Wisconsin, thanks to strategic partnerships with Compeer Financial and the University of Wisconsin Extension. This initiative is designed to bolster rural entrepreneurship by connecting business owners with critical resources and personalized coaching.

REV offers entrepreneurs a range of networking and consulting opportunities, providing access to valuable information and customized guidance to help grow their businesses. According to James Hanke, CEDA’s Chief Operating Officer, the program’s goal is to create networks for rural entrepreneurs similar to those enjoyed by their urban counterparts.

“Networks that drive value for rural entrepreneurs do exist in these areas; they’re just somewhat fragmented,” Hanke said. “Providing a framework that puts those pieces together is an effective way to drive entrepreneurial growth and development.”

Currently, six Wisconsin communities are participating in the REV program, with two more set to join this fall. Hanke sees this as a chance to build synergy between CEDA’s existing initiatives and its new efforts to support local business.

One such initiative is CEDA’s ongoing work in Washburn County, located in the northwestern part of the state. The organization is helping to activate the county’s economic development corporation, and Hanke believes REV complements this mission perfectly.

“The REV program aligns nicely for us and provides some value-add to the work we’re already doing with the contracts we maintain for communities,” Hanke explained.

Hanke underscored the critical role that small and local businesses play in job creation and economic growth. While large companies often grab headlines, it’s the smaller, homegrown businesses that are driving much of the job creation in the U.S.

“Two-thirds of job creation has come from small businesses—local businesses that have grown and developed primarily in cities or larger metropolitan areas,” Hanke said. “These areas are very effective in developing support networks that give entrepreneurs access to the information, resources, and capital they need to succeed and grow.”

CEDA is also looking ahead to future opportunities to further expand its support for Wisconsin entrepreneurs. The organization is currently applying for a grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)—the state’s counterpart to Minnesota’s DEED—to bring its Rural Business Innovation Lab to Wisconsin. This lab focuses on scalable businesses in the natural resources value chain, offering even more tools and resources to help rural businesses thrive.

By Joshua Schuetz

After nearly a decade of planning, Dodge County is finally moving forward with a reuse center that will help reduce waste and give community members access to affordable building materials and household goods. The project got to the finish line thanks to the work of CEDA team member Laura Qualey and Dodge County waste management administrator Rita Cole.

“In Dodge County, I work with the environmental services department, and I’ve worked with them for two and a half years,” said Qualey. “This has been a pet project of Rita Cole, the waste management administrator. She’s always had this dream of having one of these reuse centers where people could drop off home goods and building materials, extra two-by-fours or tile, and things like that, to reduce the amount of solid waste going into the landfills at the transfer station.”

The county had secured a Greater Minnesota Recycling and Composting grant in 2022 for $123,000 to get the project off the ground. But when the city of Kasson decided not to build a road to the proposed site, the county had to divert funds toward building the road, leaving less money for necessary infrastructure like HVAC, making it impossible to operate the building in winter.

The breakthrough came when Qualey helped secure a $200,000 grant to push the project forward. “It will allow them to upgrade the insulation and plumbing for the bathroom and get some cameras because they can’t have the center open in the wintertime without these improvements.” The grant also includes funding to hire a staff member for one year, with the hope that the center will generate enough revenue to become self-sustaining.  As of October 14, the center has diverted 2,157 items, weighing a total of 32,555 pounds, from the landfill.

“They weigh everything that’s dropped off to keep track of how much is kept out of the landfill,” said Qualey. “They can convert that into statistics on the energy saved by not having to convert it to waste.”

The center will operate with designated drop-off and sale days, offering a wide variety of items, from building materials to athletic equipment, though electronics will not be accepted. “This is a great alternative to throwing these items in landfills,” Qualey said. “We’ve all been to thrift shops or rummage sales, and this offers the community something similar, while reducing waste at the same time.”

By Joshua Schuetz

The City of LeRoy faced a major challenge this year as the Highway 56 construction project tore through its downtown, severely affecting local businesses. The construction, which began in April, disrupted the usual flow of traffic through the small town.

“All the businesses along Highway 56 were impacted,” said Allison Whalen, a CEDA team member who serves the City of LeRoy. “It’s especially difficult because Highway 56 is not only the main street but also the only way to get from one side of town to the other.”

The town’s business corridor—home to a variety of retailers and services, including a lumberyard, a grocery store, a hardware store, a chiropractor, and two restaurants—were all affected by the project. In an effort to help mitigate the impact, the LeRoy EDA, with Whalen’s guidance, implemented a microloan program offering up to $250 in forgivable loans to help businesses cover advertising costs during construction. “We tried to be proactive,” Whalen said. “But when they started Phase II of the project early, it threw us for a loop.”

Realizing that more support was needed, local leaders, including Mower County Commissioner Polly Glynn, took action. “Commissioner Glynn came to our EDA meeting in September, wanting to understand the full effect of the construction. She took that information back to Mower County, and they developed a forgivable loan program specifically for LeRoy businesses impacted by the construction.” Mower County Administrator Trish Herron spoke to the inherent need for the financial relief that Mower County is providing to LeRoy. “Successful businesses in the county lift everyone. Losing a business, especially in a small town, has cascading impacts. It means people can’t access goods or services in their hometowns and it is a loss of stabilizing tax revenue”, Administrator Herron said. “There are foundational economic reasons for the county to intervene to provide gap financial support during an extended time of business interruption. But at the end of the day, local business owners are also our neighbors. It is heart breaking to see Mainstreet businesses on the verge of closing while the MnDOT builds a new Mainstreet.”

Mower County swiftly allocated $80,000 for emergency relief, with businesses able to apply for loans between $5,000 and $10,000. “Aaron Keenan from the Development Corporation of Austin (DCA) quickly created the criteria and process for the forgivable loan program and drove to LeRoy to meet with eight businesses in one day to help them get their applications in,” Whalen said. “We encouraged them to bring their stories and data on how the construction affected their business.”

As Highway 56 nears completion, Whalen and the local business community remain hopeful that the aid will provide much-needed relief. However, the long-term impact of the construction is still a concern. “When you disrupt people’s habits, they may not come back,” Whalen noted. Some businesses have adapted by utilizing back entrances or alleyways, but even that solution has brought new challenges. “These alleys aren’t meant for heavy traffic, and diverting customers there isn’t ideal.”

Despite the hurdles, Whalen is confident that LeRoy’s businesses will weather the storm, especially with the assistance from the DCA and Mower County. “We’re doing our best to make sure everyone gets the help they need,” Whalen said.

Whalen emphasized that having an Economic Development Authority and a CEDA representative in LeRoy played a crucial role in the response to the construction crisis. “Because LeRoy has a CEDA representative, we were able to facilitate a quick turnaround by working with the DCA, getting the businesses the face-to-face support they needed and then distributing the funds within days. It’s been a great joint effort.”

By Joshua Schuetz

In August, CEDA’s 2024 Regional Development Tour brought together local leaders and regional representatives to explore communities across southern Minnesota, highlighting their achievements and showcasing local businesses. The tour offered participants a firsthand look at the innovations driving growth in the region.

This year, the spotlight was on Lake Crystal, Le Sueur, and Mapleton, with a packed schedule covering key areas like education, child care, and agricultural production. Jack Wheeler, a CEDA team member who led the tour, emphasized the value of engaging with these communities.

“We started with a tour of the Maple River School District’s new facility, which includes unique amenities like direct playground access for each preschool classroom,” Wheeler explained. “We also did a cheese tasting at Agropur and enjoyed lunch from Infusion Baking Company, based in Lake Crystal.”

Local leaders played a key role in the event, with Lake Crystal Mayor Todd Wiens, Mapleton Mayor Jeff Annis, and Le Sueur City Administrator Joe Roby in attendance. They shared insights into their cities’ projects, achievements, and ongoing challenges, fostering dialogue with other attendees.

Wheeler highlighted how the event facilitated networking and the exchange of ideas, noting that local officials could share strategies for tackling challenges within their own communities.

“One great example of information sharing came from Bricelyn’s city clerk, who asked about aquatic amenities in the communities on the tour since they’re working on similar projects,” he said.

Le Sueur’s City Administrator Joe Roby also sparked interest among participants by discussing the arrival of a new cannabis business in his community. “This was a major point of interest for other city officials in attendance, as they’re facing similar questions about these businesses right now,” Wheeler added.

Representatives from regional economic development groups, including the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and the Region Nine Development Commission, also participated in the tour. Lake Crystal, Le Sueur, and Mapleton each had a video created by CEDA on their behalf. According to Wheeler, feedback from attendees and communities was overwhelmingly positive.

“People appreciated the hands-on approach these cities took,” he said. “While organizing the tour involves a lot of moving parts, we’re proud of this year’s success and look forward to building on it next year.”

By Joshua Schuetz

The City of Winnebago will soon launch a housing rehabilitation program aimed at helping low-and-moderate income residents to repair their homes.

The program, which is modeled after the state’s Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) was developed by CEDA team member Jennifer Howard, who applied for funds from the Blandin Foundation to seed the program.

“It was Jennifer Howard who started this-this is her program, and I’m just taking care of it and wrapping it up while she is mobilized with the National Guard,” said CEDA team member Dave Schmidt. “We received $120,000 from the Blandin Foundation and we have an additional $20,000 from the SCDP that we will put in the same fund to move forward with the program.”

Schmidt also works in CEDA’s planning department and said Winnebago’s housing rehabilitation needs align with those of similar communities.

“As we’ve been doing these housing studies with small towns in Greater Minnesota, we’re seeing that 50 to 70 percent of the housing stock in these cities was built prior to 1960,” Schmidt said. “If those homes aren’t maintained, communities can lose that housing stock due to dilapidation, which worsens the housing shortage.”

Winnebago’s program is designed to help prevent that from happening. Schmidt said the program’s goal is to rehabilitate up to 10 homes in town. The program will be structured as a 100 percent forgivable loan, forgiven over 10 years, with a maximum of $15,000 per applicant.

Schmidt said the application structure is currently being developed, but residents are already calling the Winnebago EDA with inquiries about the program.

“We presented it to the city council, and it was in the local paper and already we’ve had multiple calls in from residents asking to be notified when applications are available,” he said. “That tells us there’s interest, which is exciting.”