VEDA Accomplishments
In 2024 VEDA enters its seventeenth year of fostering economic development in Vernon County and the surrounding region. Our work focuses on serving as the central point of contact to help businesses start up or expand, and owning and managing the Food Enterprise Center as it provides the physical infrastructure to help businesses succeed and grow. Local entrepreneurs are creating their own economic solutions by creating jobs, increasing the tax base and building wealth in the region.
Some of our accomplishments include:
- Leveraging more than $7 million in grant funding and investments for economic projects in the region and helping to create more than 175 jobs.
- Serving more than 500 businesses through one-to-one counseling which fostered the creation of 15 new businesses.
- Developed the former NCR building into the Food Enterprise Center as infrastructure for multiple businesses to startup and expand. Currently the facility has 26 food and wellness related tenants. Total Gross Sales in 2023 achieved $145,434,560.00 and 110 jobs on site.
- Assisting the Community Hunger Solutions program to source good quality produce and dairy products from local farms and deliver it to more than 20 food pantries and meal sites throughout the region including Hillsboro, Ontario, Cashton, La Farge, Soldiers Grove, Gays Mills, Boscobel, Viroqua, Wilton, Viola, Westby and Prairie du Chien.
- Facilitating the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club to meet the second Wednesday of every month, with speakers, resources and lots of creative people.
- Obtained a $600,000 grant for flood recovery loans to 36 businesses in Chaseburg, Hillsboro, La Farge, Ontario, Readstown, Viola, Viroqua and Westby. Repayments added more than $450,000 to the county revolving loan fund to assist other businesses.
- Facilitated strategic planning and action groups for the Ontario Economic Development group.
- Coordinated a Market Analysis and Downtown Development Plan for the Coon Valley Industrial/Business Development Board.
- Hosted 3 midwinter celebrations of local food at the Food Enterprise Center.
- Partnered with agencies and services to explore in-home care issues for the elderly and others in need, without duplicating what already exists.
- Received a Wisconsin Top Rural Development Initiative Award in May 2014 for "demonstrating the spirit of partnership and collaboration in creating positive community impacts."