Business improvement districts in Wisconsin

One of the top challenges for downtown advocates is finding sustainable funding for the breadth of projects and programs needed to support a thriving downtown. Many traditional funding sources are limited in what they can fund or are inherently unreliable for capital planning. For example, grants often fund programs but not administrative overhead, while events, often used for fundraising, rely on good weather to draw attendees. Another funding source available in Wisconsin is the Business Improvement District (BID), a formal tax entity created within the municipal government structure by vote of property owners. Nearly 90 such districts have been established statewide to support revitalization initiatives. Districts exist in communities as small as 1,600 people, while others cover as many as 1,200 acres. Regardless of their size, BIDs provide funding support to further district goals, most commonly supporting dedicated staff to carry out events and outreach; investing in capital improvements such as parks, infrastructure, or streetscape amenities to further district investment; or coordinating marketing or other activities where collective action creates economies of scale and increases effectiveness, benefitting district property owners and businesses. Information on how to establish and engage a BID effectively to support revitalization work, along with updated information on Wisconsin assessment trends, activities, and staffing, is provided in this article.

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