When someone starts a business, they demonstrate that they believe in themselves and in their potential to offer something valuable and marketable. As Mayor of Milwaukee, I share this belief in our businesses and in our region. The advantage of doing business in Milwaukee is that we offer the power of partnerships to maximize the opportunities to grow businesses.

That’s why we’ve assembled a toolbox of resources designed to jump–start a new business, expand existing companies, and support businesses that would like to locate here. I encourage you to take a look at the tools we have available to help your business succeed. We can work together to make your business and our City a success. 

Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) MEDC is a private non-profit corporation offering financial resources to business in partnership with conventional lenders.

Tax credits Special state and federal tax incentives are available to businesses in Milwaukee.

Environmental assessment and brownfields Financial incentives are available for environmental assessment and brownfield redevelopment.

Site selection We can help you find an industrial or commercial site for your business.

Neighborhood and Business Development Team

Other resources Links to youth development and employment efforts, other financing and workforce resources and information about Milwaukee.

Second Mortgage Program
Businesses located in the City of Milwaukee can take advantage of fixed rate financing with interest rates as low as current U.S. Treasury rates. In conjunction with a conventional lender, MEDC can finance 25% to 40% of the total project cost, with a maximum of generally $500,000. Eligible uses include building construction, renovations or improvements, real estate purchases, equipment purchases, and long term working capital (working capital can be financed as part of a project that involves fixed assets). Projects totaling $80,000 to $2,000,000 are best suited to this program. MEDC's mortgage/lien generally takes a subordinated position behind the conventional lender's loan for the project. A minimum 10% equity injection is required from the borrower.

Capital Access Program
The Capital Access Program is structured as a public/private loan portfolio reserve program. Participating members, along with borrowers, set aside funds as a reserve against loan losses. This is accomplished through creation of a loan loss reserve which enables banks to be more aggressive while prudently making and structuring loans. The bank makes the approval determination, structures the loan, and simply files a one-half page form with MEDC.

Industrial Revenue Bonds
The City of Milwaukee and its Redevelopment Authority issues tax–exempt industrial development revenue bonds to finance projects for manufacturers. Bonds issued through the Authority are double tax–exempt. This program has provided nearly $685 million in financing to more than 200 Milwaukee firms.

BizStarts Milwaukee
BizStarts Milwaukee assists anyone interested in starting a business. The website www.bizstartsmilwaukee.com lists all service providers and classes available in the region for startups and has templates, articles, and information localized to the Milwaukee 7 region.

New Market tax credits
The New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) Program provides investors with a 39 percent federal tax credit over a 7 year period for making qualified equity investments in designated areas.

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
The Wisconsin Department of Commerce hs several tax credit programs available for businesses. The credits are awarded based on factors such as the jobs created, capital investment, economic impact, location in an economically distressed area, or other targeted applications. For more information, see wedc.org

Environmental Site Assessment Grants
The Brownfield Site Assessment Matching Grant Program is available for city of Milwaukee properties after a Phase I Site Assessment is completed and there are further environmental issues to be addressed.
Reimbursable grants up to $25, 000 are available.

Environmental remediation tax credits
Businesses locating or expanding in the City of Milwaukee's Development Zones, designated by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, may qualify for tax credits for initiating environmental remediation. Nearly all areas zoned for manufacturing uses in the City are included in the Development Zone.

Brownfields
MEDC, in partnership with the City of Milwaukee, has made the reuse and redevelopment of brownfields a high priority. We have a track record of participating in over 70 successful brownfield redevelopment projects.

Industrial sites in Milwaukee 
MEDC has industrial land sites ready for development. We can help you with the management and marketing of the development.

Commercial sites in Milwaukee
Search for sites in neighborhood commercial districts
and find out more about Milwaukee's commercial districts.

Milwaukee 7
ChooseMilwaukee.org is the website for the Milwaukee 7 regional economic development organization. It includes a land and building data base which can be searched for properties in southeast Wisconsin and the demographics surrounding that property.

Business associations
There are more than 40 local merchant groups representing many of Milwaukee's diverse neighborhood commercial areas.

Business improvement districts (BIDs)
Property owners in BID areas voluntarily collect annual assessments that are spent on streetscape, marketing, recruitment and other projects to enhance the local business environment. DCD staff are available to assist merchant organizations in developing a BID.

Capital improvement program
DCD has access to funds for improvements to the public way, such as lighting, landscaping, or special paving in conjunction with significant private investment from your project as well as on a cost–sharing basis with other local property owners.

Commercial sites
Search for sites in neighborhood commercial districts and find out more about Milwaukee's commercial districts.

Façade grants
Established by DCD to increase the physical appearance of Milwaukee’s commercial areas, the Façade Grant is a 50-50 matching grant not to exceed $5,000. Both property owners and leasers are eligible to apply.

Energy Efficiency Opportunities
Businesses located in the City of Milwaukee can take advantage of the Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me²) program. Me² helps you finance energy efficiency projects to improve your net income and cash flow from day one, with low interest rates, no-money down, and the potential to pass energy efficiency project costs to your tenants. Saving energy at your facility is a proven means to lower overhead and maximize profits. Your project must target a minimum 15 percent estimated energy savings (relative to the percent of floor space affected by the retrofit, or comparable reasonable baseline). Get started: complete and submit a commercial interest form.

Visit the Me2 website for more information.

Public improvement projects
DCD has the ability to partner with neighborhood merchant groups to make major improvements in commercial districts. Such improvements could include installation of harp lights, special paving materials at intersections, or other improvements in the public way.

Purchasing power profiles
Milwaukee is a strong market for retail development. The purchasing power profiles, developed by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, are designed to help businesses, developers, and organizations assess the advantages of urban density for underserved city neighborhoods and to spur economic development in central city Milwaukee.

Retail Investment Fund (RIF)
RIF funds retail development projects located in neighborhood business districts.

Spending power & economic indicators
Milwaukee has a strong market for retail business. Per capita personal income in metro Milwaukee, which totals $34.8 billion, is about 10 percent higher than regional and national averages.

Youth development and employment

Earn & Learn
Earn & Learn is the City’s program to assist young people make a successful transition to adulthood by providing opportunities to develop work-readiness skills while they earn wages.

Life Ventures Partnership
Life Ventures Partnership is a collaborative public/private initiative to promote the future vitality of Milwaukee’s regional economy by preparing young people to become:life-long learners, productive workers, and self-sufficient citizens.

Summer Youth Internship Project
Mayor Tom Barrett’s Summer Youth Internship Program (SYIP) provides youth with employment and life skills and helps them meet educational, job readiness and career exploration goals.

Financing resources

Tax Incremental Financing

Wisconsin Business Development

Wisconsin Department of Commerce labor training grants

Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation

Workforce resources

Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board

State Department of Workforce Development

Related links

Milwaukee 7

Invest in Downtown Milwaukee

BizStarts Milwaukee

Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce

U.S. Small Business Administration

Visit Milwaukee