UW-Madison Extension Community Economic Development Program

What UW-Madison Extension Community Economic Development Program does

The UW-Madison Extension Community Economic Development Program is a public university extension unit within the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension that promotes local economic well-being and quality of life in Wisconsin communities through education, research, technical assistance, and community engagement. Founded in 2016 and staffed by approximately 15 personnel based in Madison, Wisconsin, the program serves community economic development practitioners, tribal and governmental entities, businesses, nonprofits, and Wisconsin residents across all 72 counties via the Division of Extension's county office network. Its portfolio includes the Broadband Toolkit, Design Wisconsin (a participatory community design charrette program), Downtown Toolbox, First Impressions, Homegrown entrepreneurship program, Preparedness Index, Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative, WIndicators economic research publications, and workshop series such as Healthcare in the Digital Age and the Renewable Energy Academy. The program is designated as an Economic Development Administration (EDA) University Center by the U.S. Department of Commerce and partners with the U.S. Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and peer universities on national research projects.

The program operates on a public funding model with no commercial revenue. It is financed through state government appropriations to UW-Madison, federal grants (notably multi-year EDA University Center awards and a U.S. Department of Energy contract for the Community-Centered Solar Development project), and public service funding, and all programming, workshops, publications, and technical assistance are delivered free of charge to Wisconsin communities and organizations. Its go-to-market is community-led: county Extension educators deliver localized services directly, complemented by digital channels (newsletter, Facebook, LinkedIn, X), WIndicators publications, webinars, and free regional workshops. Customer segments are organized horizontally across four primary groups — community economic development practitioners and organizations, tribal and governmental entities, business and nonprofit organizations, and Wisconsin communities overall — with no segment-specific pricing tiers.

Name

UW-Madison Extension Community Economic Development Program

Legal name

University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension

Website

https://economicdevelopment.extension.wisc.edu

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The UW-Madison Extension Community Economic Development Program is a public university extension unit that delivers free education, technical assistance, and research to community economic development practitioners, tribal and governmental entities, businesses, and nonprofits across all 72 Wisconsin counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Economic Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Economic Programs (9261)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB), Housing Development, Construction & Rehabilitation Programs (BPAIANAB)

Keywords

• Community economic development
• Broadband expansion
• Downtown revitalization
• Rural entrepreneurship
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: As a division of UW-Madison Extension, the program is funded through state government appropriations, federal grants (U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration), and public service funding. No direct revenue is generated from customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Community Economic Development program promotes local economic well-being and quality of life in Wisconsin communities through education, research, technical assistance, and community engagement programming. It delivers a portfolio of named programs including Design Wisconsin (community design charrettes), Broadband Toolkit, Downtown Toolbox, First Impressions, Homegrown entrepreneurship program, Preparedness Index, Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative, WIndicators research publications, and regional workshops on healthcare connectivity and renewable energy siting. All programming is provided free of charge to Wisconsin communities, governments, businesses, and nonprofits.

Product overview

UW-Madison Extension Community Economic Development Program is a university extension program (not a technology product company) offering educational programs, publications, and technical assistance to Wisconsin communities. The portfolio includes community design programs (Design Wisconsin, First Impressions), economic analysis tools (Downtown Toolbox, WIndicators), sector-specific initiatives (Broadband Toolkit, Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative), and workshops (Healthcare in the Digital Age, Renewable Energy Academy). The program serves community economic development practitioners, tribal and governmental entities, and business and nonprofit organizations through research-based education and technical assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Design Wisconsin: A community design program connecting communities with planning and design professionals to draw out a shared vision of the community's future.
• Broadband Toolkit
• Downtown Toolbox
• First Impressions
• Homegrown: Entrepreneurship in Your Community
• Preparedness Index
• Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative
• WIndicators

Products and services

• Community Economic Development Program A university extension program that promotes local economic well-being and quality of life in Wisconsin communities through education, technical assistance, research, and support for community economic development practitioners, tribal and governmental entities, and business and nonprofit organizations.
• Broadband Toolkit A comprehensive resource program addressing broadband access, digital equity, and connectivity initiatives for Wisconsin communities.
• Design Wisconsin A community design program connecting communities with planning and design professionals through a three-phase process including community capacity building, public participatory design charrettes, and implementation support.
• Downtown Toolbox (Downtown Market Analysis) A resource toolbox helping communities conduct market analysis for downtown development, including tools for data collection, restaurant evaluation, and retail/service market analysis.
• First Impressions A program offering community assessment services where teams visit and evaluate communities from an outsider perspective.
• Homegrown: Entrepreneurship in Your Community A program supporting local entrepreneurship development and small business formation in Wisconsin communities.
• Preparedness Index A program providing community resilience and preparedness assessment tools and resources for Wisconsin communities.
• Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative A specialized initiative focused on supporting entrepreneurship and small business development in rural Wisconsin communities.
• WIndicators A research publication series providing data-driven economic indicators and analysis on Wisconsin's economy, workforce, and community development trends.
• Healthcare in the Digital Age Workshop A free regional workshop exploring the connection between broadband access and improved health outcomes, designed for community leaders, healthcare providers, and technology stakeholders.
• Renewable Energy Academy An in-person regional workshop hosting UW-Madison Extension sessions on large-scale wind and solar siting for local leaders.
• EDA University Center An Economic Development Administration University Center providing research, technical assistance, and economic analysis support for Wisconsin communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Boulder Junction achieved 99.9% fiber coverage (1,346 of 1,347 locations) with 75% take rate through grassroots broadband initiative
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead research partner in Community-Centered Solar Development national project, collaborating on development of replicable community engagement processes and national guidebook for solar development planning.
• University of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaborator on Community-Centered Solar Development national project, contributing to development of inclusive participatory planning methodologies for solar development.
• Michigan State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaborator on Community-Centered Solar Development national project, supporting research on community engagement approaches for renewable energy planning.
• Wisconsin Public Service CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided $4 million in grant funding for Boulder Junction broadband project through state broadband expansion programs; ongoing partner for broadband deployment initiatives across Wisconsin.
• Brightspeed (formerly CenturyLink/Lumen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternet service provider partner implementing fiber-to-the-premise broadband project in Boulder Junction following grassroots community initiative.
• Cibolo HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative healthcare network facilitator enabling rural Clinically Integrated Networks (CINs) in Wisconsin and 10 other states; provides technical infrastructure, governance design, and administrative support for shared healthcare systems.
• UW-Stevens Point Center for Land Use EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Utility-Scale Solar Suitability Analysis used to identify areas suitable for solar development in Wisconsin communities.
• MSA Professional Services, Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPlanning firm hired by Village of La Valle to assist with flood mitigation planning including existing conditions modeling, engineering solutions review, and redevelopment planning.
• Community Vitality & Placemaking Signature EffortcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInternal UW-Extension signature effort combining expertise from community development, economic development, natural resources, positive youth development, organizational leadership, and sustainability to deliver Design Wisconsin program.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cornell Cooperative Extension: Cornell Cooperative Extension delivers community and economic development programming across New York State through a county-based association model. It mirrors UW-Madison Extension's applied research, technical assistance, and community education mission.
• University of Minnesota Extension: UMN Extension operates a similar community development and economic vitality portfolio across Minnesota, with county-based delivery and applied research support. It is structurally identical in funding mix (state + federal) and programming scope.
• University of Illinois Extension: University of Illinois Extension delivers community and economic development programs across Illinois counties, with comparable emphasis on downtown vitality, broadband, and rural community development — directly comparable to UW-Madison's portfolio.
• Michigan State University Extension: MSU Extension delivers community economic development programming across Michigan, including entrepreneurship, broadband, and community vitality initiatives. It is a direct peer in mission, funding model, and statewide county office footprint, and is also an active research collaborator on the DOE-funded Community-Centered Solar Development project.
• Purdue Extension: Purdue Extension is a public land-grant extension serving Indiana communities with community development and economic vitality programming, including broadband and workforce initiatives. It is a near-identical structural peer to UW-Madison Extension.
• Ohio State University Extension: OSU Extension delivers community development, business retention/expansion, and workforce programming across Ohio counties. Its mission, delivery model, and funding mix closely mirror UW-Madison Extension's Community Economic Development Program.
• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: ISU Extension and Outreach provides community and economic development programming across Iowa with a comparable county-based structure. It directly parallels UW-Madison's mission in rural broadband, downtown revitalization, and entrepreneurship support.
• Penn State Extension: Penn State Extension is a public land-grant university extension program delivering community, business, and economic development education across Pennsylvania. It is the closest structural analog to UW-Madison Extension, operating county-based offices, applied research, and community development programming for state communities.

Broad incumbents

• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): IEDC is the largest professional association for economic developers, providing training, certification, and policy advocacy across the field. It does not deliver community-level technical assistance directly but competes for the same federal funding streams and practitioner mindshare.
• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): NADO is a national membership association supporting regional development organizations and EDA University Centers. It is an ecosystem incumbent that connects to the same EDA funding pipeline and serves an overlapping audience of community economic development practitioners.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uwexced
• Facebookfacebook.com/extced
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uw-madison-eda-university-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UW-Madison Extension Community Economic Development Program