WEDC now accepting applications for Certified In Wisconsin Program

State’s development-ready property designation has helped Wisconsin communities attract more than $389 million in new development

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is now accepting applications for its Certified In Wisconsin® Program, which designates industrial parcels of 20 acres or more as being “development ready.”

The program has played a key role in helping communities throughout the state attract new companies by providing independent certification that a wide range of concerns have been evaluated—environmental and geological factors, transportation access, utility and infrastructure capacity, zoning, and property rights—and that the site is ready for industrial development.

Wisconsin has 17 certified sites, with 21 development projects completed or underway that are expected to create more than 2,200 jobs and generate more than $389 million in capital investment.

“The competition for economic development opportunities is stronger than ever before, and the Certified In Wisconsin Program plays a critical role in helping communities compete on a national level for those opportunities by allowing for fast-track construction for major attraction or expansion projects,” said Coleman Peiffer, business and investment attraction director for WEDC. “This program has a proven track record of helping communities attract major companies, such as Dollar General, Mills Fleet Farm, The Little Potato Company and United Natural Foods.”

Under the program, WEDC works with Deloitte Consulting to create consistent standards for industrial site certification based on representative needs of advanced manufacturing projects. WEDC’s thorough review process produces detailed documentation about a site’s price, availability, utilities, access and environmental standing – information that allows investors to make informed decisions.

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