UEDA 2024 Year in Review

By: Adam Bridges | News & Events, Uncategorized

What a year!

UEDA Highlights include:

Welcomed new Member Engagement Manager Debbie Knepke.
We grew our membership network by nearly 24% and engaged over 2,400 professionals in ALL UEDA programs and activities.
Hosted 22 program meetings that educated 990+ practitioners in our Bank On Greater Milwaukee, Take Root Milwaukee, and Membership Capacity Building programs.
We shared information on green homeowner incentive programs, voter registration and civic engagement, and the creative industries in Wisconsin through our Emerging Topics Series, as well as nonprofit capacity needs.
Tabled at 8 community-wide events providing nearly 600 people with financial education and homeownership resources.
We strengthened our support of the Nonprofit Lift website and directory, working in collaboration with other intermediaries.
Continued to convene the City of Milwaukee NSP Community Organizers in bimonthly training sessions, to help organizers access City resources and share best practices.
Completed 9 direct technical assistance projects, helping organizations address strategic & operational needs and the City of Milwaukee develop housing plans and new administrative processes for CDBG.
Continue to provide support to the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center through technical assistance and funding.
Launched the community engagement process for the City’s next HUD Consolidated Plan (2025-2029), working in partnership with community organizers and the UEDA network.

Our Bank On Greater Milwaukee program:

Launched a new website that showcases Certified Accounts, Your Smart Money Guide, Educational Videos, and more.
Partnered with Educators Credit Union and Summit Credit Union for the City of Milwaukee Earn & Learn Program to include banking access materials.
Held two training cohorts that helped certify and strengthen the financial counseling skills of 55+ practitioners in our community.
Developed a pilot program with the Community Reintegration Center (CRC), My Way Out, UW Extension, Bank Five Nine, and Summit Credit Union.
BOGM Program Director Constance Alberts participated as a speaker at two national events this year, sharing about our efforts to create financially healthy communities: the Bank On Leadership gathering with the CFE Fund in June and at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ event, Banking on Financial Inclusion: The Road to Economic Empowerment in November.

Our Take Root Milwaukee program:

Conducted 2 successful community sessions during Homeownership Month on homeowners’ insurance and how to pass your home to family. These events have sparked additional events organized by our members.
Handled a near record number of messages from the hotline and website for referrals to help people buy, fix, or keep a home.
Began development on a Lending Products and Down Payment Assistance (DPA) program matrix.
Advocated for additional DPA in the the 2025 City of Milwaukee budget.
Worked with IMPACT Connect to launch a system to better connect residents to home repair resources and services in the community.

Check out our Newsletter archive for additional updates, links, and resources.

We would like to thank our outgoing board members Nikki Payne and Vaughn Barker for your service with us. Best of luck on your next adventures! Additionally, we thank all of our Volunteers, Funders, Members, and Partners for their continued support of our work in community and economic development – we could not accomplish our mission without you!

We’ll see you in 2025!

2024 Emerging Topics Recap

By: Adam Bridges | News & Events, Uncategorized

Thank You for joining us for our 2024 Emerging Topics Series!

We are explored some great topics this year, including how homeowners can take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act, nonprofit advocacy and civic engagement, and how the creative industries can contribute to economic development.

Session 3: Rural Urban FLOW: Growing Creative Industries in Wisconsin

December 3 | 4:30 – 6 PM | Streamed from the Washington Park Media Center: Watch the VOD here

Along with partners Washington Park Media Center, Create Wisconsin, Rural Urban FLOW, and Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., we showcased efforts to create a roadmap that supports Wisconsin’s Creative Industries. Through four conversation sets, we learned from a diverse group of people about the current landscape, rural-urban connections, and how to support and grow creative businesses into 2025 and beyond. Look for more updates from us about the development of Wisconsin’s Creative Economy over the next year!

Session 2: Voter Registration & Civic Engagement

August 8 | Noon – 1 PM | Virtual – View the recording here

During this session, we learned about how nonprofit agencies can participate in voter registration and other election activities from local groups who are already doing to work. We heard from Sherman Park Community Association, VIA CDC, and Southside Organizing Center about fostering voter culture, connecting constituents to their elected officials, and speaking truth to power. Access our slidedeck from this session for additional resources for both voters and nonprofit organizations around elections. To learn more about nonprofit advocacy and allowed activities for 501(c)(3) organizations, check out this flyer from the Nonprofit Advocacy Network.

Session 1: The IRA and Local Resources for Milwaukee Homeowners

June 11 | 11:30 AM-1 PM | Milwaukee LGBT Community Center

This informative event was designed to help homeowners and nonprofits make the most of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) benefits. Thank you for joining us to hear from experts about housing rebates, energy efficiency funding, and green financing options. 25+ people had the opportunity to discover valuable tools and guides, including the Residential Weatherization Guide (coming soon), the IRA Incentive Calculator, and the City of Milwaukee’s new beta of the Home Improvement Resource Navigator. This event featured discussions on funding energy audits, housing repair tools, and lead abatement grants. We began a collaborative discussion on how to effectively disseminate this crucial information within our communities, which we hope to continue! View the slideshow from this event here.

This Emerging Topic Series was in collaboration with the Rebuild MKE Coalition, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, and Green Homeowners United.

Thank you for joining us for our Annual Gathering!

By: Adam Bridges | News & Events, Uncategorized

A photo collage with pictures of Kristi Luzar, Sherri Jordan, and other attendees of teh 20244 Annual Gathering.

Over 50 people joined us on September 10 for food, connection, and celebration of this year’s work at UEDA!

Thank you to our awardees, Susanne Zwaska and Coretta Herring for their contributions to UEDA homeownership and financial empowerment programs. We also recognized our outgoing board members, Vaughn Barker and Nikki Payne for their support over the past 6 years.

Logos for Dandy, Baked Dreams and Dream Catering Co, and Green Baked Goods

Lastly, cheers to our caterers, Baked Dreams and Dream Catering Co. and Green Baked Goods; and our wonderful hosts at Dandy.

We look forward to continuing our work together for years to come!

Text Reads "2024 ANNUAL GATHERING SPONSORS". Below are the logos for Associated Bank, US Bank, Chase, and PyraMax Bank.

Thank you for joining us at Carnival Milwaukee!

By: Adam Bridges | News & Events, Uncategorized

Carnival Milwaukee 2024 was a resounding success! In February, people from all around the world participate in cultural celebrations including Carnival Brazil, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Carnival Mazatlan, and Fasching in Germany. Since 2009, we have modeled our annual fundraiser after these celebrations.

On Friday, March 8, over 285 guests were treated to a vibrant display of live performances, delicious food and beverages, and fellowship. they enjoyed food from diverse vendors all over the city, live music by De La Buena, dancing by Salsabrositas, drumming from Samba da Vida, a raffle, interactive photo booth, and great company in celebration of the work we do to support thriving urban communities. Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Associated Bank, and all of our event sponsors who helped support this year’s event — we appreciate you!

View the album of 2024 Carnival Milwaukee photos here>>>

2024 Event Synopsis – scroll down for links and more information!

3 local & live performance groups
23 diverse food vendors
Over $40,000 raised for UEDA
Recognized Menomonee Valley Partners as our 2024 Bill Johnson Bridge Builder

We appreciate all who came out and supported UEDA at this year’s Carnival Milwaukee, which brings together people from a diverse array of backgrounds, neighborhoods and ages to celebrate the “mosaic” that is Milwaukee. Save the date for Friday, March 7, 2025 for next year’s Carnival Milwaukee!

Check out our local, live entertainment partners!

www.delabuena.com

Facebook.com/wisconsinsalsa

Facebook.com/SambadaVidaMKE

Thank you to our 2024 Carnival Milwaukee Food Tasting Participants

Check out this flier of all Carnival Milwaukee Food Tasting Participants since 2009.

Thank you to our 2024 Carnival Milwaukee Raffle Donors

We encourage you to support these local businesses, restaurants, and food vendors throughout the year!

2024 Bill Johnson Bridge Builder Award

Congratulations Menomonee Valley Partners!

Every year we present a Bridge Builder Award to recognize a community member or partner for their efforts to honor diversity and connect people and places through the expression of culture in food, art, music, and space. We are proud to present this year’s award to Menomonee Valley Partners for their commitment to connecting people and place through projects that feature the cultural identity, natural heritage, vibrant local businesses, and unique spaces in Milwaukee’s Menomonee River Valley.

Learn more about Menomonee Valley Partners and the great work they do – their website showcases the food, local businesses, natural spaces, and art located in the Valley. Each September Valley Week celebrates these many elements and draws new visitors to different spaces. Follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram for the latest updates.

Carnival Milwaukee is a fundraiser for the Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin (UEDA) and celebrates Milwaukee’s diversity through food, music, and dance while supporting the local businesses, individuals and organizations that contribute to the economic and cultural vitality of our city.

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS!

Not able to join us this year? Consider making a contribution to support UEDA!

Your support will not only provide direct investment into local businesses, but will also help fund UEDA’s work in sustainable homeownership and affordable housing, financial empowerment, small business growth, workforce mobility, and community investment.

UEDA 2023 Year in Review

By: Adam Bridges | News & Events, Uncategorized

At UEDA 2023 was an impactful and busy year!

Perhaps you joined us at Carnival Milwaukee … or attended an Emerging Topics Series session … or visited our table at a community resource event … or participated in a Bank On or Take Root meeting.

VIEW OUR 2023 IMPACT REPORT

Scroll down for more highlights from the year!

UEDA highlights include:

Welcomed new Member Services Director Martha Collins.
Said goodbye to our previous Trinity Fellow Kat Klawes and welcomed new Fellow Adam Bridges.
Completed a new strategic plan for UEDA, to guide our work 2024-2026.
Gained 20+ UEDA, Bank On Greater Milwaukee or Take Root Milwaukee members.
Presented a great Emerging Topics series, partnering with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, MGIC, UW-Milwaukee, Milky Way Tech Hub, Latinos in Tech, and SEWRPC. Check out the Recap!
Launched new training and development programs for City of Milwaukee community organizers and area financial counselors.
Provided project support to Nonprofit Lift and Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center.
Worked to formalize our partnership with the Nonprofit Academy of Wisconsin to provide technical assistance and organizational reviews to nonprofits.
Met up with 60 our closest member friends at the Annual Community Gathering at Wall Street Stock Bar (check out the Instagram highlight reel).
Increased our participation & outreach activity – this year we shared homeownership resources and financial education with over 850 people at 14 community events!

Our Take Root Milwaukee program:

Developed a listing of Financial Coaching and Credit Counseling programs in Milwaukee.
Fielded over 550 hotline calls for assistance and referrals to help people buy, fix, or keep a home.
Working with IMPACT Connect to develop a system to better connect residents to home repair resources and services in the community.
Successfully advocated for $2M for Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program in 2024 City Budget.

Our Bank On Greater Milwaukee program:

Was featured in the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund Skyline newsletter for a banking access pilot project we helped launch with youth aging out of foster care. Read it here!
Connected with Employ Milwaukee / City of Milwaukee Earn and Learn Program to start offering banking access and financial education to youth employees in the summer job program.
Worked with the WI Department of Corrections (DOC) and financial partners to offer banking access prior to release, use of penal system identification to open an account, and provide financial education resources to returning citizens.
Began development of a NEW consumer-focused website (look for it in 2024!) and outreach materials for our partners to help educate people on pay apps and how to open a bank account.

Check out our Newsletter archive for additional updates, links, and resources.

We thank all of our Volunteers, Funders, Members, and Partners for their continued support of our work in community and economic development – we could not accomplish our mission without you!

Thank you for all we achieved together in 2023 and we look forward to continuing our collaborative work in 2024!

2023 Emerging Topics Recap

By: Kristi Luzar | News & Events, Uncategorized

Thank you for joining us for our 2023 Emerging Topics Series!

This year we featured a wide range of interests that included community-based journalism, new research on disparities in wealth-building and homeownership, technology tools to help streamline our daily work, and the upcoming update of Southeast Wisconsin’s Regional & Land Use Plan, VISION 2050.

A huge thank you to the 85+ people who attended this year’s series, our Partners & Presenters, and Sponsors for their support!

Session 4 Recap: VISION 2050: Weigh in on the Region’s Future

Thank you to the 25+ people who participated in our last session for 2023, which featured an overview of the process for the upcoming review and update of Southeastern Wisconsin’s VISION 2050 Regional Land Use & Transportation Plan. We learned from Regional Planning Commission staff about the Plan and the process to update financial and equity analyses, meet federal requirements, and gather public input over the next 6 months. View the slides here>>

UEDA is proud to be a Community Partner of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC), learn more about them here.

Session 3 Recap: Making Tech Work for You – Leveraging Technology for Small Organization

On October 11th, we celebrated WI Tech Month at this hands-on workshop with presenter Tim Syth, Contexture, who discussed how to effectively and efficiently use existing technology tools such as Google Workspace and the Cloud. Thank you to the small group who joined us for some interactive learning on how to leverage automation and streamline tasks, save resources and time, and increase our ability to achieve mission. We also learned how small organizations can unleash the power of ChatGPT and explore other AI alternatives while gaining insights into how they can improve organizational operations. See the slides here>>.

Special thank you to Milky Way Tech Hub and Latinos in Tech for their support of this month-long series of events.

Session 2 Recap: Bridging the Racial Disparity in Wealth Creation in Milwaukee

On September 12, nearly 40 people attended our second session of the 2023 series to learn about new research on household wealth and homeownership from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, supported by the Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC). The project included a multi-disciplinary team and looks to create a foundational approach to identifying and measuring how effective homeownership can be as a generator of wealth, and inform policy and social investments that help address racial disparities in homeownership and wealth-building.

Attendees shared feedback on the initial research findings and ideas on intentional ways we could support residents in neighborhoods with lower homeownership rates, strengthen efforts to prevent foreclosure, and how other factors could impact wealth generation across different areas. As our learning from these findings continues, we look forward to future research that could guide policy and investment.

View the press release and the presentation slides. Thank you to our presenters and partners!

Session 1 Recap: Neighborhood News Connect

Thanks to all who joined us for our first Emerging Topics Series for 2023 on June 27, held in partnership with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (NNS). NNS is a nonprofit news organization that covers Milwaukee’s diverse neighborhood stories that are important to the people who live, work, and serve in the city. The NNS staff members who presented were: Ron Smith, Executive Director, Deborah Heffner, Director of Development and Partnerships, Princess Safiya Byers, Report for America Staff Reporter and Bevin Christie, News 414 Project Manager.

They talked about the changes they’re seeing in community-based journalism, and the power it holds to empower and uplift communities. NNS covers topics such as education, public safety, economic development, health and wellness, environment, recreation, employment, youth development and housing. One of their most read articles last year focused on what Milwaukee Mayors actually do, a part of their efforts to promote civic education. Look for more pieces like that in the coming year.

NNS also shared how they leverage storytelling to create impactful narratives, and the tools available to the community to engage with them:

Their Community Voices section allows community members to submit opinions on topics of interest.
Posts from Community is where groups can submit news releases and articles about their issues and events.
And News414 is their service journalism project in partnership with Wisconsin Watch.

Learn more about NNS at https://milwaukeenns.org, we thank them for partnering with us on this session. We hope to collaborate with them more in the future. And a very special thank you to Bader Philanthropies for hosting our first session of the 2023 series!

Celebrating 4+ years of promoting banking access in our community!

By: Kristi Luzar | News & Events, Uncategorized

Thank you to the 40+ people from the Bank On Greater Milwaukee coalition and Milwaukee Alliance for Economic Alliance (AEI) who joined us to celebrate our 4th anniversary on Tuesday, September 19. Our partner, the AEI, shared an overview of findings from the FDIC’s most recent Unbanked and Underbanked Survey and changes we’ve seen in the consumer landscape as a result of the public health pandemic.

Additionally, Lisa Locke from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis presented on the Bank On National Data (BOND) Hub, an interactive dataset tracking Bank On certified account activity across the country and partnerships that promote economic inclusion.

Our celebration of Bank On Consumer Success included a report from Constance Alberts, Program Director, on the accomplishments of the coalition. We unveiled our new Bank On Greater Milwaukee (BOGM) Impact Report, featuring data from coalition members and partners on our impact in 2022 and shared a preview of the forthcoming update of the BOGM website.

Lastly, we recognized our volunteers and key projects that have been in progress over the past year, which include:

Banking Flier for Teens
BOGM Advocacy Map 2.0
How to Open a Bank Account Video
“What’s In Your Wallet” educational flier
Banking Access: Prior To Release

All of these efforts emphasize strong, collaborative partnerships with financial institutions, community-based organizations, and local government. We thank our coalition members and volunteers for their support!

View the presentation slides and the BOGM 2022 Impact Report.

Keep an eye out for the updated BOGM website to go live by the end of this year!

National Small Business Week is April 30-May 6!

By: Kat UEDA | News & Events, Uncategorized

As National Small Business Week approaches, it’s important to highlight the significant role that small businesses play in Wisconsin’s economy. Small businesses create jobs, contribute to the tax base, and drive innovation and economic growth in our communities.

There are more than 445,000 small businesses in Wisconsin, which employ 1.2 million people.

Small businesses account for 99.4% of all businesses in the state.

Here are 5 ways to celebrate our small businesses this week and throughout the year:

Shop local: Make an effort to support small businesses in your community by shopping locally. Buy from local stores, eat at local restaurants, and use local services whenever possible.
Share on social media: Use social media to highlight small businesses in your area. Share photos and positive reviews of your favorite small businesses to help promote them to your followers.
Write a review: Leave a positive review for a small business on Yelp, Google, or another review site. Positive reviews can help small businesses attract more customers.
Say thank you: Take the time to say thank you to the small businesses in your community. Let them know that you appreciate their hard work and the contributions they make to your community.
Buy gift cards: Purchase gift cards from local small businesses to give as gifts or use for yourself later on.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, state and local small business resource providers all host events and highlight resources to help our small business community. For example:

The SBA is hosting a virtual summit May 2-3, which will include educational presentations by experts, an exhibit hall, networking, and a mentoring lounge. The event is free to attend for both established and aspiring business owners. View details & register here>>
Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) is hosting the Small Business Academy in partnership with the Lt. Governor. It takes place May 2-5, with virtual sessions Tuesday-Thursday and in-person events throughout the state on Friday May 5. Topics include funding, scaling strategies, workforce retention, cash flow, storytelling and more. View details & register here>>
UEDA Member SBA Wisconsin’s website lists local resources and upcoming learning opportunities throughout the year: www.sba.gov/district/wisconsin

Thank you to our small business members:

Bright Horizons Real Estate
Center of Care LLC
Center for Public Skills Training
Columbia Savings & Loan Association
Community Charge PGH
Community Development Management Partnerships
Community Insurance Information Center
Contexture

Diverse Dining
GoodFlow Enterprises
Goyke & Associates
HomeWorks Bronzeville
Jobs That Help
Lloyd Consulting, Inc.
Midwest Executive Realty
P3 Development Group

And thank you to these UEDA members who provide resources & services to our small business community!

AARP Wisconsin
Burleigh Street CDC
City of Milwaukee DCD
Gateway to Milwaukee
Greater Milwaukee Committee
Groundwork Milwaukee
Guest House of Milwaukee
Harbor District
Historic King Drive BID
Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce
Latino Chamber of Commerce of SE WI
LISC Milwaukee
Menomonee Valley Partners

Milwaukee Development Corp.
Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. (MEDC)
Milwaukee Public Library
PRISM Economic Development Corp.
Riverworks Development Corp.
SBA Wisconsin
The Business Council
VIA CDC
WHEDA
WI Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection
WI LGBT Chamber of Commerce
WI Veterans Chamber of Commerce
WWBIC
YWCA Southeast Wisconsin

UEDA’s annual fundraiser Carnival Milwaukee a success!

By: Kristi Luzar | News & Events, Uncategorized

This 15th annual Carnival Milwaukee fundraiser was truly special! On Friday, March 3rd, 270+ guests and friends joined us at the Historic Pritzlaff as we gathered in-person for the first time since 2020.

We celebrated Milwaukee’s diversity through food, music, culture, and fellowship. De La Buena, Salsabrositas, and Samba Da Vida brought the music, dance and vibrant beats, 20 local restaurants and caterers wowed our guests with a diverse menu for our food tasting, and guests enjoyed an interactive photo booth and top-notch raffle. And, this year we invested $6,000+ in local, diverse-owned businesses through this event!

View the 2023 Carnival Milwaukee photo album | Read the full recap email here

A Tribute to Bill Johnson

At this year’s event we celebrated the life of Bill Johnson, our Executive Director from 2006-2015, who created this seminal event. He dreamed of creating a space for people from different walks of life to come together and enjoy all the beauty and diversity our community has to offer – in short, a party with a purpose.

We honored him with a a Second Line tribute and other special touches like a “Bill’s Favorites” basket in our raffle, including the creation of a special tribute video featuring live footage and reflections on Bill’s impact. His vision continues to inspire us all!

Special thanks to Vogue Dreams Pro for partnering with us on this video project!

Thank you to our local, live entertainment partners!

www.delabuena.com

Facebook.com/wisconsinsalsa

Facebook.com/SambadaVidaMKE

Thank you to our 2023 Carnival Milwaukee Food Tasting participants!

Aladdin’s Taste of the East	Antigua Latin Restaurant	Blue Star Cafe
C. Adams Bakery	Casablanca	China Gourmet
Funky Fresh Spring Rolls	Gray Jett Cafe	Immy’s African Cuisine
Kilwin’s – Milwaukee Bayshore	Lisa Kaye Catering LLC	Lola’s Empanadas
Orenda Cafe	Pound 4 Pound Cakes	Speed Queen BBQ
Sweet Joy Brazilian Cafe	Thai Barbq	The Ladle Lady
Tres Hermanos	Turning Tables Tavern & Eatery

Check out this flier of all Carnival Milwaukee Food Tasting Participants
Keep it handy and explore all they have to offer throughout the year!

Not able to join us this year? Consider making a contribution to support UEDA!

Congratulations to our 2023 Awardee!

On Tuesday, February 21st during our virtual Fat Tuesday event we recognized Riverworks Development Corporation for their commitment to connecting neighborhoods and residents through creative place-making, economic activity with small, diverse businesses, and cultural community events in Harambee and Riverwest.

Their key projects and activities include the development and management of the Beerline Trail, 53212 Marketplace, creative corridor activity, and an array of community events utilizing these newly created spaces. Learn more about them at www.riverworksmke.org.

We also announced that this award will now be known as the Bill Johnson Bridge Builder Award, in honor of UEDA’s former Executive Director, who created the Carnival Milwaukee event in 2009. Bill was one of the most well-known “bridge builders” in our community and we could think of no better way to celebrate his life.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2023 SPONSORS!

Recap of this year’s gathering & celebration!

By: Kristi Luzar | News & Events, Uncategorized

On Thursday, November 3, 2022 UEDA celebrated 25 years of supporting individuals and groups in the community and economic development sector at our Annual Community Gathering with nearly 60 of our closest friends, members and partners.

We enjoyed food and beverages from Turning Tables MKE and attendees received a special gift acknowledging the ways we seek to connect and support our members.

UEDA’s Executive Director, Kristi Luzar, shared recent updates with the network and reminisced about UEDA through the years via these UEDA Highlights, a snapshot of the projects and programs we’ve been involved in over the years.

Lastly, we recognized the following individuals for their commitment to UEDA and their community, who exemplify our values of collaboration, capacity and connection.

Outstanding Community Partner
Brian Peters, Independence First

Extraordinary Volunteer
Maria Prioletta, City of Milwaukee Department of City Development

Check out a full recap / slideshow here.

Thank you to those who joined us! It was a classic UEDA event of connection and fellowship.

About UEDA

What We Do

Programs:

Projects:

Events

About UEDA

What We Do

Programs:

Projects:

Events