Ready to Grow

The Village of Sussex has a variety of financial resources available that can assist with the expansion of existing businesses or the start up of new businesses. Many of these resources are available directly from the Village or cooperating agencies in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. Other resources are available through the State and Federal government. Regardless of the source of assistance, Village staff is available to answer questions and assist businesses in accessing these programs. Contact us to learn what may be available for your business. 

The Chamber (serving Sussex, Menomonee Falls, Lannon and Lisbon), with offices in Sussex and Menomonee Falls, is very active and offers additional programs, including networking events, and educational seminars to local businesses.

Small Business Resources

The Village of Sussex supports small and start-up businesses with access to SCORE, and other SBA programs. Many of these programs are linked through the Waukesha Center for Growth, which the Village of Sussex is a member of.

SE Wisconsin SCORE is dedicated to helping small businesses start, grow, and achieve their goals through education and mentorship.

U.S. Small Business Administration is a federal agency dedicated to small business and provides counseling, capital, and contracting expertise

The Wisconsin Women Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) is a statewide economic development corporation providing quality business education, financial awareness programs, technical assistance and access to capital to Wisconsin entrepreneurs and businesses. For more information, visit WWBIC for business loan programs, business education programs and more.

Manufacturing Assistance: Manufacturing Profitable Sustainability Initiative (WMEP): This initiative has been so successful that it has expanded. To learn more about WMEP visit their website.

Employee Training: The State of Wisconsin offers training programs that are designed to enhance the skills and abilities of its workforce. Offered in the form of a matching grant, the Customized Labor Training (CLT) Program has historically been driven by a company's commitment to re-invest in new technologies that necessitate the need for training.

In addition to the CLT Program, the state now also offers the Business Employees' (BEST) Program, which is specifically designed to meet the wide variety of training needs of Wisconsin's small businesses.

Incentives

State of Wisconsin Resources

The following incentives and assistance are available from the State of Wisconsin to companies that are expanding and relocating to Sussex.

  • Midwestern Disaster Area Bonds (MDABs): This program offers private businesses in southeastern Wisconsin, including Sussex, a unique opportunity to finance a wide variety of projects using tax-exempt bonds. Interest is exempt from federal income tax for the holders of private activity tax-exempt bonds such as MDABs. Therefore, the bondholders accept a lower interest rate for the tax-free income.
  • Tax credits: Tax credits can be granted for job creation, capital investment (M and E), employee training, and relocating corporate headquarters.
  • Main Street Block Grants: The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation has announced a new program to help fill vacant commercial properties across the State. The Main Street Bounceback Grants program provides $10,000 to new or existing businesses and non-profit organizations moving into vacant properties in Wisconsin’s downtowns and commercial corridor. The goal of the Main Street Bounceback Grants program is to provide financial support to businesses that move into existing vacant commercial properties, helping to create a foundation for long-term success for themselves and their communities. 

Region/County Level Resources

Waukesha County provides significant assistance and resources to help economic development in Waukesha County. Most of the programs are run through the Waukesha County Economic Development Corporation and particularly the Center for Growth.

  • Waukesha County Economic Development Corporation (WCEDC) and the Center for Growth is Waukesha County's economic development organization focused on generating capital investment, creating jobs, and growing Waukesha County's economic base. It has loan funds available for growing or start-up businesses that cannot fully meet the underwriting standards of private commercial lenders. Some of the programs that WCEDC has available are:
    • Waukesha County Economic Development Corporation Revolving Loan Program (WCEDC): WCEDC can lend up to $200,000 to qualifying businesses for working capital, inventory, equipment, and leasehold improvements, as well as real estate.
    • Waukesha County Small Business Leverage Loan Program: WCEDC's Venture Debt Fund is designed to provide debt financing to emerging growth companies. This fund is intended to complement the early stage of equity sources of capital and stretch the ability of growth companies.

There are also programs aimed at small business development and growth

  • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program: Through Waukesha County, the Village of Sussex is a part of a United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program know as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The primary purpose of the CDBG Program is to develop and maintain viable communities that provide decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. The CDBG Program provides a flexible local decision-making tool for assisting local governments in meeting identified needs through innovative and comprehensive approaches to improve the physical, economic and social conditions in specific geographic areas.
  • Choose Milwaukee offers resources from the Milwaukee 7 Regional Economic Development Partnership including available sites/buildings.
  • Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) is the official metropolitan planning organization and regional planning commission for the seven county southeastern Wisconsin area.

Village Resources

  • Industrial Revenue Bonds: The Village of Sussex provides fixed-rate financing, at below-market interest rates to manufacturing business that purchase land, buildings, and new machinery and equipment. Businesses access this financing through the issuance of industrial development revenue bonds. Industrial development revenue bonds are sold on behalf of the Village of Sussex and are exempt from Federal income taxes. Bond issues can be used to finance 100 percent of the costs associated with a financing project. View information on Wisconsin's Industrial Revenue Bond Program.
  • Tax Incremental Financing: Tax Incremental Financing is a financing program that allows the Village of Sussex to designate areas of the community as tax incremental districts. By creating tax incremental districts, the Village is allowed to finance infrastructure improvements through the taxes collected on the increase in value for taxable property, or the tax increment, resulting from development and redevelopment projects.
  • Economic Growth Grant Program: The EGG is a program intended to support existing Sussex businesses with expansion into additional existing vacant facilities within the community, especially when such expansion is being limited by impacts created from Federal and State rules, regulations and practices.
  • Village of Sussex Downtown Loan Pool: To help attract more businesses to our downtown, the Village of Sussex and Bank Five Nine teamed up to establish a Village of Sussex Downtown Loan Pool. Eligible expenses for these loans include acquisition of property, building improvements, equipment purchases, and environmental or safety compliance. The loans are generally $10,000 to $25,000 at a fixed low interest rate, and loan decisions are made by the Sussex Community Development Authority.

Other Business-Related Resources