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CHAPTER II
ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS OF THE PAST YEAR
INTRODUCTION
The Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission has had an on-going
economic development planning program for several years, funded through a grant from the U.S.
Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA). In recognition of the
Commission's multi-county approach to economic development, the U.S. Department of
Commerce designated the Commission's service area of Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette and
Richland counties as an Economic Development District in August of 1986. The Commission
has concluded its thirteenth planning grant period which began on July 1, 1995. This report is
generally for the twelve-month period ending on June 30, 1996.
The Overall Economic Development Program (OEDP) serves as the reference base for
economic development activities in the region and in which the Commission becomes involved.
In addition, information from the OEDP is provided to economic development interests from the
public and private sectors, and is used in their economic development efforts. An assessment of
economic development activities carried out by the Commission over the past year is discussed
in this chapter.
MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ELEMENTS:
The planning grant work program includes three items which form a broad-based
framework under which the Commission carries out its economic development activities. These
are:
1) The maintenance and updating of the region's Overall Economic Development
Program (O.E.D.P.), to include an analysis of the Districts' economy;
2)  The refinement of linkages between the District's economic planning strategy and
developmental process and the area's real economic development potentials; and
3)  A   development of follow-through   capabilities  and  capacities  to insure
implementation of economic development investments and capacity building efforts
for the purpose of developing continued and/or increased economic benefits for local
areas.
PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT IN AN
EFFORT TO FACILITATE THEIR ABILITY TO UNDERTAKE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
Continued Flood Recovery Efforts:
In March 1995, a EDA regional revolving loan fund grant for $330,000, targeted to
businesses either directly or indirectly impacted by flooding, was accepted by the regional
planning commission. The Commission subsequently established a not-for-profit non-stock
corporation to work with the Commission in screening, reviewing and approving flood-recovery
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