Rock County Board sets aside $1.5M for small business assistance

ROCK COUNTY, Wis. (WMTV) - The Rock County Board of Supervisors, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Business Development (SBDC) Network, has made a $1.5 million commitment to helping area small businesses.

According to SBDC, the partnership with help an estimated 500 small businesses start and grow in the Rock County area.

“Our businesses need cash infusions to rebound and better financial management to become resilient,” County Board Supervisor Genia Stevens, who is also the founder and executive director of Rock County Jumpstart, a business incubator and accelerator for Black business owners said.

The Wisconsin SBDC has offered consulting and education businesses across more than a dozen locations, including 6,985 clients in 2021. The commitments made in 2021 resulted in $119 million in capital investment, 292 new businesses and 24,253 jobs, SBDC said.

“This provides sustainable vitality for small and mid-sized businesses,” Bon Wikenheiser, Wisconsin SBDC state director. said “They are the heart of our communities and economies.”

In addition to the $1.5 million commitment, the Rock County Board also designated $5 million in America Rescue Plan Act grants to further assist businesses.