Media Contact:
Mike Richards, Board Secretary/Treasurer
mmaln@msn.com or info@ifww.org
Phone: (715) 563-2592
March 22, 2013 – The Innovation Foundation of Western Wisconsin (IFWW) has been awarded a grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation. The Bremer Foundation Board of Trustees has approved a one year grant for $175,000.
Of the total grant awarded, $100,000 has been approved to be used towards the cost of hiring staff to help advance innovation based companies in western Wisconsin. With the Otto Bremer Foundation funding, the IFWW will be hiring an Executive Director to provide direct assistance to advance innovative products, while seeking to reduce or eliminate barriers for the client’s “go to market” strategy. The Executive Director will also manage customer relationships, contracts, and partnerships to improve the success of innovation-based companies in western Wisconsin.
The remaining $75,000 is to provide SEED Grants to area businesses that require direct technical assistance as part of and research process of developing a product. The funds will be eligible for individuals and or businesses located across western Wisconsin. The Otto Bremer Foundation does require that these innovation grants provide a dollar for dollar match. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation provided the IFWW a $100,000 grant in October, 2012 for SEED grants.
The West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission developed the IFWW application to the Otto Bremer Foundation.
ABOUT THE INNOVATION FOUNDATION:
The Innovation Foundation of Western Wisconsin (IFWW) is a non-profit organization focused on growing the regional economy by advancing innovation based companies through strategic placement of human and financial capital. To carry out this mission, IFWW works with entrepreneurs, innovators and businesses at critical points in the product and business development life-cycles to help them grow their businesses. For more information contact the IFWW by visiting them on the web at http://www.ifww.org.
