Wisconsin grant backs employee ownership planning in 10 rural counties

A new Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership initiative will use a $95,000 USDA Rural Business Development Grant to help business owners in 10 northwest counties explore employee ownership as a succession option. The program aims to preserve local companies, protect jobs and expand access to technical assistance in rural communities.

Why it matters: - Many rural Wisconsin business owners are nearing retirement without a succession plan. - Employee ownership can help keep companies independent instead of being sold outside the community or closed. - The model can preserve jobs in rural towns and give employees a path to build wealth.

What happened: - The Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership is launching the Northwest Rural Wisconsin Ownership Transition Initiative. - The initiative is funded by a $95,000 USDA Rural Business Development Grant and $16,000 in non-federal matching funds. - The program will serve business owners in Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor and Washburn counties. - The grant runs from October 2026 through September 2027.

The details: - WICEO will partner with the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives to deliver technical assistance and educational workshops. - Regional partners will include the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, local economic development corporations, lenders and CPAs. - Area chambers of commerce will co-host the workshops. - The first workshops are expected to begin in spring 2027. - WICEO is also building an online resource library for business owners. - Business owners can get updates at wiceo.org.

Between the lines: - Rural owners often have limited access to advisors who understand ESOPs, worker cooperatives and employee ownership trusts. - Many owners do not learn about employee ownership until it is too late to use it in a sale or transition. - Wisconsin has 200 ESOPs, according to the National Center for Employee Ownership. - Nationally, more than 6,600 ESOPs cover about 11 million participants and hold more than $2 trillion in plan assets. - Joe Sapp, executive director of WICEO, said the group wants to reach as many small family businesses as possible so they consider employee ownership during succession planning.

What's next: - WICEO will begin outreach to business owners across the 10-county region. - Educational workshops will launch in spring 2027. - The online resource library will expand access to information as the program rolls out. - WICEO says the effort is part of a broader push to grow employee ownership across Wisconsin.

The bottom line: - The new initiative is designed to give rural business owners an earlier, clearer path to succession while keeping local companies and jobs in community hands.