Economic stability and growth of the region was a major factor in the creation of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NWRPC) in 1959 by local units of government. Today, NWRPC continues to provide professional services to local units of governments, communities, and businesses in an effort to strengthen the regional economy and assist businesses with the retention of local jobs and the creation of higher skill/higher wage jobs.
Professional services include preparing state and federal grant applications, such as Wisconsin Department of Commerce economic, public facility, and planning grants and Economic Development Administration grants; creating local economic development strategies; construction and management of economic development facilities, such as enterprise centers; facilitating local business expansions; and Tax Increment District and project plan development.
NWRPC’s partnership with the Northwest Wisconsin Business Development Corporation’s (NWBDC) and Northwest Wisconsin Regional Economic Development Fund (NWREDF) revolving loan funds and Wisconsin Business Innovation Corporation’s (WBIC) business technical assistance contribute to the regional economic development efforts. Additionally, WBIC formed and manages the only community-based venture capital fund in the Northwest Region, the Wisconsin Rural Enterprise Fund, LLC (WREF).
In 1973, the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce designated the Northwest Regional Planning Commission as an Economic Development District (EDD). As a result, a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is prepared to guide the economic growth of the District.
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
In 2003, Northwest Regional Planning Commission prepared a major update to the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The CEDS provides an analysis of local conditions; identifies the problems, needs, and opportunities of the district; defines the vision, goals, and objectives of the district; and designates and coordinates strategies and/or activities to accomplish and implement its goals. Furthermore, the CEDS includes two lists of projects provided by local units of government, local economic development organizations, and tribal nations. One list contains projects completed in 2002 for the region and the second list consists of prioritized community and economic development projects for the years 2003-2007.