Focus on Calumet

A bi-weekly update on economic development in the Calumet County region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.
Monday | October 24, 2022
Business Workforce Solutions Forum Recap
The Calumet County Business Workforce Solutions Forum was held on Thursday, October 13 at Brindlewood Barn in Hilbert. The purpose of the forum was to gather leaders from the largest local employers in Calumet County together with community resource people to have a conversation about some of the biggest challenges facing local employers – affordable housing, childcare, and transportation. These topics represent challenging issues that will require partnerships involving public, private, and nonprofit organizations to successfully overcome. 
 
Resource experts who shared information with local employers were: 
  • Kara Homan, Outagamie County Department of Development and Land Services Department who shared the results of Fox Cities and Greater Outagamie County Regional Housing Study
  • Ryan Brown, Waupaca County Planning Director, who described the new workforce transportation system that is being created with their Workforce Innovation Grant
  • Suzanne Brown and Lynn Coriano with the Fox Valley Childcare Alliance, who described research, funding, and pilot efforts to address critical challenges in the region’s childcare network. 
 
As the Forum wrapped up, employers were asked to commit working on one or more of the challenges to actively build solutions in Calumet County. People are still able to get involved by contacting Mary Kohrell.
FVTC, Goodwill, and Rawhide Launch Career EXCELerate Program

What’s different about this program is its focus on job training, technical skill building and mental health services. Job Training will be designed for those suffering from mental health disabilities with specific focus on overcoming both big-t and little-t trauma. 
 
Job training will include career skills coaching and resume building; technical training within 8 highly in-demand career pathways; mental health supports and services throughout all training and for the first year of employment; and additional wraparound services for things like childcare, transportation and housing as needed and available.  Career paths included are welding, industrial manufacturing, truck driving, heavy-duty vehicle maintenance, woodworking, pipe trades, nursing assistant, and early childhood education.
The New Era of Transportation: Menasha company playing important part in EV industry
by Heather Graves, Editor, The Business News, October 10, 2022
Electric vehicle (EV) technology continues to fill conversations throughout the country as many companies contemplate whether or not to electrify their light-, medium- or heavy-duty fleets – including right here in Northeast Wisconsin.

EnTech Solutions, a division of Faith Technologies Industries (FTI) located in Menasha, is holding its own in the global industry as it provides distributed energy capabilities, eMobility charging, sustainable fuel technologies and asset management for businesses looking for clean energy options.
“We've worked with several companies,” Wade Leipold, vice president of solutions at EnTech Solutions, said. “We've worked with food and beverage companies. We've worked with some delivery companies. We've done quite a bit of work with dealerships also. So quite a wide variety of customers.”
Leipold said EnTech helps guide customers through that “end-to-end process.”
We work with customers starting up front with that assessment phase – understanding where the customers are in their electrification journey,” he said. “What they're looking at as far as vehicles, how they will be using those vehicles… What energy use would look like for charging? We'll go through a detailed design process. Do all the permitting that's required and then the full installation, commissioning startup, and even ongoing maintenance and support of that charging solution.”
Leipold said the most important step in the whether-or-not-to-switch-to-electric process is creating a plan. >>Read More
Metko Celebrates 50th Anniversary
By Tri-County News, October 20, 2022
It took a little longer than expected because of COVID concerns, but Metko, Inc. in New Holstein was finally able to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a large picnic on Friday, Sept. 30 at Civic Park.

The company was started in 1971 by Dave McCarthy, followed by his son Mike McCarthy and Mike’s wife Diane and now their son Patrick. Patrick said the company located at 1301
Milwaukee Dr. (STH 32/57) continues to grow and has multiple job opportunities to help that growth continue. >>Read More
Woelfel Homestead Grapes Off to Good Start
By Mark Sherry, Tri-County News, October 20, 2022
By this time next year, Jon and Kerri Woelfel hope to be producing and selling wine at Woelfel Homestead just north of New Holstein.

Next year’s wine would not be from their grapes, but that day is coming as well as the 900 grape vines they planted in May are coming along very well.

“They look great,” Jon said Saturday while hosting an “open barn” for family, friends, neighbors and other invited guests at Woelfel Homestead, located at W1139 Lime Kiln Rd., just
off Hayton Road.

In less than six hours, Woelfel and his crew of family and friends planted an acre of grapes in multiple varieties. They have two whites, St. Pepin and LaCrescent; and three reds, Frontenac, Petite Pearl and the very popular Marquette. They also planted a few vines of Somerset grapes as well. “I like the diversity,” he said. >>Read More

Photo: Kerri and Jon Woelfel led a tour of the Woelfel Homestead on Saturday for family, friends, neighbors and other special guests. MARK SHERRY PHOTO 
Local Community Updates
City of Appleton Community Development Director and Deputy Director, Karen Harkness and Monica Stage will both leave their positions within the next few months. The city is working to refill the positions. See Appleton jobs for more info.
Grant Opportunities
Vibrant Spaces Grant
Wisconsin Economic Development has issued its newest grant program -- the new Vibrant Spaces Grant. It is a pilot program within the Community Development Investment (CDI) Grant Program, designed to assist with creating vibrant and engaging communities that make it easier to recruit and retain residents, sustain a robust labor force, and enhance local quality of life.

With the help of this grant, public gathering places will foster community connections and provide accessible locations for the programming and amenities local residents desire—with the additional benefit of boosting foot traffic for area businesses. Grants in amounts from $25,000 to $50,000 are available to help local communities develop and enhance public spaces.

In the FY23 competitive grant cycle, no more than 30 grants will be awarded. Applicants must agree to provide a 1:1 match of the grant amount.
Main Street Bounceback Grants
The Main Street Bounceback Grant program provides $10,000 to new or existing businesses and non-profit organizations moving into vacant properties in Wisconsin’s downtowns and commercial corridors. Funds can be used to pay leases or mortgages, operational expenses, and other business costs related to the newly opened location.

The reimbursement grant program is open to new or existing businesses opening a new location or expanding operations in a vacant commercial space as of January 1, 2021. Calumet County. Contact the grant program coordinator at East Central WI Regional Planning Commission for information. Application deadline is Dec. 31, 2022.
Calumet County Business Start-Up and Expansion Assistance
WWBIC Training & Programs Catalog
WWBIC is a leading innovative statewide economic development corporation that’s been “Putting Dreams to Work” since 1987. WWBIC helps open the doors of opportunity by providing underserved individuals who are interested in starting, strengthening or expanding businesses with access to critical resources such as responsible financial products and quality business and financial training. >>View WWBIC's Training and Programs Catalog
Business Start-Up and Expansion Assistance
Ray York of the Small Business Development Center serves Calumet County with business assistance to existing and start-up businesses throughout the county. Small Business Development Center services are available at no cost to businesses. Ray’s goal is to provide opportunities to clients by guiding them to make informed decisions to start, expand, or transition their business. He can be reached by phone at (920) 946-9379 or york@sheboygancountyedc.org.
Upcoming Events
E-seed Express: Entrepreneurship Training at FVTC
Thinking of starting a business? Need help? E-seed™ Express assists start-up, early-stage entrepreneurs and experienced small business owners in developing management and planning tools for their businesses. Participants develop a business plan through completion of weekly activities and business planning templates. Experts provide insight into legal, management, marketing, technology, accounting and financing aspects of operating a successful small business. >>Additional Information and Registration
Business & Industry Complimentary Training
Fox Valley Technical College offers a variety of small business-oriented free training and seminars monthly. Please visit their website to view their calendar of classes.

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