EAU CLAIRE — The Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA) announced September 26 that the Greene County Home Construction Cooperative has won the 2024 Community Economic Development Award (CEDA) in the Community Impact category. The CEDA Awards were established by WEDA to recognize economic development projects, businesses, and organizations that have made significant contributions to Wisconsin’s economy. The winners were recognized at the annual CEDA Awards Ceremony held on September 26 in Eau Claire.
Three CEDA finalists were selected in each of the following four CEDA categories: Maintain and expand your business. Community Impact. Real estate redevelopment and reuse. And the charm of talent,
Development and retention. Winners in each category were announced and celebrated at an awards ceremony attended by more than 200 economic development professionals from across the state.
“Economic development fosters growth and prosperity throughout Wisconsin, attracting capital investment, creating new jobs, and improving the quality of life for residents. , are undervalued and often unrecognized,” said Kathryn Berger, WEDA Interim Chair and CEO. “The CEDA Awards provide a long-awaited opportunity to celebrate economic development and the achievements of many hard-working industry professionals. We are thrilled to congratulate the CEDA finalists and winners.”
Green County Home Construction Cooperative received the Community Impact category of the CEDA Award, which recognizes innovations in community development that foster and advance the health and economic prosperity of Wisconsin communities. Finalist projects in this category demonstrated at least one of the following: Developing or expanding the community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Developing quality place creation or place maintenance initiatives. A project to revitalize a community by redeveloping dilapidated buildings. or the development of workforce housing downtown or on Main Street.
The Greene County Development Corporation (GCDC) Home Construction Cooperative was created to address two critical issues in the Greene County area: a lack of skilled trade workers and a lack of affordable family housing. . The program began with the donation of a vacant home from SSM Health Monroe, and 16 students from Monroe High School participated in renovating the donated home. Students worked with local contractors for one hour, three days a week, gaining lifelong experience in specialized skills such as general construction, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, masonry, and landscaping. Homebuilding cooperatives are in a position to make an impact well into the future as we grow our affordable housing stock and develop the next generation of skilled professionals, one home at a time.
“We are honored to be recognized alongside other worthy projects and thank WEDA for this honor,” said Green County Development Corporation Executive Director Olivia Otte. “The Home Construction Cooperative is a very special program for Greene County and shows how rural communities are working to solve problems. It’s truly a community effort. We couldn’t have succeeded without their support.”
CEDA finalists were judged and selected by an impartial panel of key WEDA members and partners. Although the independent committee reviewed many projects submitted for consideration, the 12 finalists and eventual award winners were determined based on the significant economic impact each project had on their community or region. selected based on.
The 2024 CEDA Awards would not have been possible without the support of WEDA’s generous partners and sponsors, including the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Alliant Energy; Dairyland Electric Cooperative; First Phase Industrial Redevelopment Corporation; Madison Gas & Electric. Bank of the United States; Wisconsin Economic Development Institute. and Xcel Energy.
About WEDA
Founded in 1975, the Wisconsin Economic Development Association is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to growing Wisconsin’s economy. It serves the needs of more than 400 members and represents economic development interests in both the private and public sectors through advocacy, education, and leadership in initiatives across the state.
