The Business Council’s purpose is to create new opportunities for current and future generations of Wyomingites. To do this, we need to meet the economic development needs of all communities. 90% of Wyoming communities are rural, less than 10,000 people. These communities are important to the WBC so one of our initiatives in the new Strategy Refresh is to create a clear and flexible path for Rural communities to develop their economies. We are taking the information from our public meetings last fall and doing a deeper dive into how we can meet the needs of our rural communities.
We are looking into what current programs and services work and what could be changed to make them easier for rural communities to take advantage of. We want to know what the gaps are. We are taking the first quarter of the year to find out from our customers and partners what is needed before we roll up our sleeves and start designing a program to meet the needs of rural communities.
PROGRAM MENU
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
M A I N S T R E E T - Assist communities with downtown revitalization efforts
P L A C E M A K I N G - Transforming underutilized public spaces into vibrant community places
B R O A D B A N D E N H A N C E M E N T - $10 million in broadband infrastructure grants | Broadband Manager
C O M M U N I T Y R E V I E W S - Mini-strategic planning process designed & conducted with leaders, business owners & residents
H O U S I N G T O O L K I T - Tools to help communities tackle common struggles
N E X T G E N S E C T O R P A R T N E R S H I P S - Industry-led, community-supported partnerships that strengthen regional economies and connect people to jobs
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
A S I A T R A D E O F F I C E - Resource to businesses across our state looking to export their products
T R A D E & E X P O R T A S S I S T A N C E - Increase the value of exports for small businesses that are export-ready
S T A R T U P : W Y O M I N G - Programs & resources to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem & connectivity
M A D E I N W Y O M I N G - Assist Wyoming companies with the promotion of Made in Wyoming products
G R O W N I N W Y O M I N G - State-branded program to identify & promote Wyoming-grown products
M A R K E T R E S E A R C H - Assists in-state companies with a variety of market-related data & research
T E A M W Y O M I N G - Promotes Wyoming through a partnership approach to recruit companies to the state
FUNDING – LOANS
C H A L L E N G E L O A N - Provides < 50% of project cost (less than $1M) to local EDOs
L A R G E L O A N F U N D - No money advanced, funds reserved against loan to reduce risk for primary lender
B R I D G E L O A N S - Participation loans to increase access to capital, reduce effective interest rates & share risk
N A T U R A L G A S I N F R A S T R U C T U R E L O A N S - Direct loan for natural gas refueling stations
B R O W N F I E L D S L O A N S - Assist property owners in cleaning up environmentally contaminated sites & encourage redevelopment.
S M A L L B U S I N E S S I N V E S T M E N T C R E D I T - Access to capital by helping investors access small business investment tax credits
V A L U E A D D E D L O A N F U N D - Loans to businesses for any purpose which adds value to an ag product
G U A R A N T E E D L O A N S - No money advanced, funds reserved against loan to reduce risk for primary lender
M A I N S T R E E T L O A N S - Participation loans to increase access to capital, reduce effective interest rates, & share risk
FU N DIN G – GRA N TS
B U S I N E S S R E A D Y C O M M U N I T I E S G R A N T & L O A N P R O G R A M - Financing for publicly owned infrastructure that serves the needs of businesses
R U R A L D E V E L O P M E N T G R A N T - Grants and loans to organizations to improve the conditions of rural Wyoming
T R A D E S H O W I N C E N T I V E S - Reimburses < 50% of expenses for trade shows, networking events or trade missions
K I C K S T A R T G R A N T S - Grant program to serve startups
S B I R M A T C H I N G G R A N T S - Matching funds for WY companies who receive federal funds through SBIR/STTR
P L A C E M A K I N G G R A N T S - Transform under-utilized community spaces, making the area a better place to live work & play
M A I N S T R E E T G R A N T S - Technical assistance funding available for Main Street communities
H A A F G R A N T S - Funding to building owners for architectural services