WMEP Announces Grant Funds for Wisconsin Manufacturers

Grant funds are available to help state manufacturers achieve profitable growth and improve their business performance.

The Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) announces matching grants targeted at small and midsize manufacturers can be obtained through a program offered by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. The Next Generation Manufacturing program provides grants in the range of $5,000 to $6,500 to pay up to 50% of project costs for services delivered by WMEP. The remaining project costs will be paid by the company.

“At a time when many manufacturers are struggling, this assistance can be instrumental in setting the stage for future growth and profitability,” said Mike Klonsinski, executive director for WMEP, a nonprofit consulting organization that helps manufacturers grow and succeed.

Grant funds can be used to defray the cost of projects focused in one of two areas: lean transformation or business growth.

Lean Transformation:

• Up to $5,000 per company is available to any small or midsize manufacturer (less than 500 employees) interested in pursuing lean transformation, including those who are new to lean or those who have implemented lean initiatives in the past two years but have not been fully successful in achieving desired results. The funding is targeted at lean transformation projects designed to improve performance across all facets of the business enterprise.

Business Growth:

• Up to $6,500 per company is available to help small and midsize manufacturers implement Eureka! Winning Ways, a nationally recognized system to accelerate growth and generate high impact ideas for new products and services.

Grants are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Project completion deadline is December 31, 2010.

For more information, contact Brian Grabowski, WMEP director of consulting services, at 877-856-8588 or grabowski@wmep.org.

ABOUT WMEP
WMEP is a private, nonprofit organization committed to the growth and success of Wisconsin manufacturers. WMEP is a leader in lean manufacturing, growth services, strategic business planning, quality systems and supplier development. During the past five years, WMEP-assisted manufacturers reported economic impact of $931 million with 8,635 jobs created/retained. WMEP receives financial support from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, and partners with many public and private organizations to serve Wisconsin manufacturers. For more information, visit www.wmep.org or call 1-877-856-8588.

-- Linda Abbott