WEDC provided $229 million to 303 businesses and other recipients in Wisconsin in the latest fiscal year, exceeding the prior year’s total of $198 million.
That’s according to Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Secretary and CEO John Miller, who discussed the state agency’s annual impact yesterday during a meeting of its Board of Directors. He noted the total is the highest for a given year since 2018. WEDC was created in 2011.
“This work encompasses all sorts of different areas we work in, helping communities create and retain vibrant downtowns, attracting businesses to our state and providing them with the resources to grow, enabling startups to progress from concept to reality and promoting Wisconsin goods and services throughout the world,” he said.
He noted the dollar figure also captures the agency’s work to attract foreign direct investment into Wisconsin from elsewhere around the world.
WEDC recently wrapped up a state trade mission to Africa. Gov. Tony Evers was scheduled to return to Wisconsin yesterday. He July 17 for the trip, which was to include visits to Ghana and South Africa, marking his fourth trade mission since taking office.
Miller yesterday said he and Evers last week met with leaders of Niche Cocoa in Ghana, which in 2022 announced plans to open its first North American manufacturing site in Franklin.
“We have exploded our cocoa bean imports into Wisconsin, we are now eclipsing some very notable states, one of them is Pennsylvania … so that’s a big deal for us,” he said. “Things are going well, and that relationship continues to grow.”
Miller yesterday also touted the agency’s most high-profile business attraction deal of the year: Eli Lilly’s expansion in Kenosha County, providing up to $100 million in tax credits for the $4 billion project. That includes $18 million for job creation and $82 million for capital investment.
“Eli Lilly is spending a huge amount of money, and so we hope that that finishes quickly and they quickly hire the 750 people,” he said.
Meanwhile, WEDC in fiscal year 2026 provided 225 grants to businesses, nonprofits and communities in the state totaling $39.26 million, reaching 67 of the state’s 72 counties, Miller said.
