CONTACTS:
Development Office: Jeff Vitton, 262.635.3320
jeff.vitton@cityofracine.org
Mayor’s Office: Gretchen Herrmann, 262.636.9212
gretchen.herrmann@cityofracine.org
Too often entrepreneurs and new business owners are left on their own to navigate the changing tides of federal, state and local funding and other services available to them. There’s help, but it’s often scattered in various websites, government offices and development planning folders. And that helps no one. The City of Racine is pleased to announce the publication of a Business Development Services Portfolio, a concise list of tools and resources available to help businesses succeed. And while not an exhaustive list of all available resources, the Portfolio will help guide business owners to business development organizations that can assist them further. The portfolio is available on-line for access from anywhere at www.cityofracine.org/toolkit.
Mayor John Dickert attributes the level of assistance the City has available to the business community to valued partnerships: “The Business Development Services Portfolio is really proof that the City of Racine is doing everything we can for our business owners to navigate available local, state, and federal programs designed to help them grow,” Dickert noted. “We’ve done some great work with Launchbox, the business accelerator at Gateway Technical College. Our partnership with WWBIC is also yielding new businesses for minority-and women-owned businesses. These alliances, together with RCEDC and WEDC, are filling almost all the gaps entrepreneurs need for turning their great ideas to great new businesses. This portfolio pulls that information together in one place.”
The resources noted in the Business Development Services Portfolio are available to new or growing businesses and offer a wide array of programs to assist businesses from start-ups to established businesses across numerous industry sectors:
Capital funding,
marketing assistance,
analytics,
grants,
workforce development,
networking,
government contracting, and
site selection services.
These are just a fraction of the resources available to Racine-based businesses noted in the Portfolio. These tools can essentially help any business start, expand, and keep their business thriving in Racine. “Our partnerships and collaborations within the municipality and outside, such as with the Racine County Economic Development Corporation, help deploy business services efficiently and effectively. The Business Development Services Portfolio represents a concise summary of the outcomes of these partnerships.”
The Business Development Services Portfolio is available online at: www.cityofracine.org/toolkit.
