SBA fuels new women’s business center in northern Wisconsin

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The U.S. Small Business Administration on Friday announced 17 new women’s business centers, including one in Wisconsin. This will be the sixth Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp. and first center based out of northern Wisconsin.

“We’re so grateful for our continued growth through SBA programs and support and thrilled to be opening a new women’s business center,” said Wendy K. Baumann, head of WWBIC, in a statement. “This will allow us to further work in partnership with our state’s tribal communities in the northern part of Wisconsin, bringing our training and technical assistance closer to where the residents of these communities live and want to start or grow their small businesses,” she added.

The WWBIC’s sixth regional office will open later this year, officials said. Current WWBIC offices are in Appleton, Kenosha, Racine, La Crosse, Madison and Milwaukee. The Milwaukee location serves as WWBIC’s statewide headquarters.

“We have seen a historic small business boom with women, especially women of color, filing new business applications at double the rates of men,” Isabel Casillas Guzman, administrator of SBA, said in a statement. “The SBA’s expanding network of women’s business centers is meeting these new and established businesses where they are with resources to help them get funding to grow, create jobs and strengthen our economy,” she added.

WWBIC in coming months will partner with other businesses and economic development organizations in northern Wisconsin to pool resources and offer services through the new center, officials said. The WWBIC will find an office location and hire staff before the center officially opens.