MILWAUKEE — Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday, Feb. 23, announced the city of Milwaukee will receive $15 million and Milwaukee County will receive $10.5 million as part of the Neighborhood Investment Fund grant program. These funds will be used to address local challenges workers, families, and communities across Milwaukee county are facing, including housing and food insecurity, accessing quality, affordable childcare, and violence prevention.

“While our state is in a strong fiscal position moving forward, I know that many families, workers, and communities across our state have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and many are worried—worried about making ends meet, finding affordable housing, or enrolling their kids in high-quality, affordable early childcare,” said Gov. Evers. “I am glad to award these funds to help local leaders and community-based organizations across the area continue to serve and bolster their neighborhoods, ensuring they don’t just recover but thrive.”

According to a news release, with the $15 million in grants, the city of Milwaukee will be providing funding for community development projects that will help create more than 400 affordable rental units and approximately 200 new spots in early childcare education services, expand access to library resources with a new flagship Milwaukee Public Library, and invest in violence prevention efforts. Milwaukee County will be utilizing $10.5 million in grants to support additional community development projects, including facility improvements to the Martin Luther King Community Center and building 42 homes for families affected by the pandemic. Additionally, they will be using these funds for the Hillview Hall Rehabilitation Project which addresses health, housing, and food security needs of individuals who are experiencing homelessness and low-income families.

Part of a nearly $650 million investment allocated by the governor for community building and recovery efforts statewide, the Neighborhood Investment Fund program was announced in August 2021 and is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration. Grants being awarded range in size from $1 million to a maximum of $15 million and are funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Applications opened on Sept. 30, 2021, and closed on Nov. 11, 2021. Additional information can be found on the program website. Recipients of the Neighborhood Investment Fund program will be announced on a rolling basis over the course of the next week, at which time a full list of grant awardees will be released.

“The Neighborhood Investment Fund is all about making lasting impact for Wisconsin residents, and the projects awarded by Governor Evers today will help address housing, early learning education, and many other community needs in Milwaukee for years to come,” said DOA Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld.