James Bloodsaw/JustVeggiez
As part of National Small Business Week, the City of Madison’s Economic Development Division is highlighting some of the programs and resources offered to local business owners through the Office of Business Resources.
Kiva is a crowdfunding platform that offers loans to small business owners and startups at 0% interest, giving startup owners up to $15,000 in crowdfunding loans. The City of Madison offers a Kiva Loan Matching Program for businesses working with designated community partners, giving qualifying businesses access to an additional matching loan of up to $7,500.
Businesses working with Madison Black Chamber of Commerce, Wisconsin Hmong Chamber of Commerce, Dane County Latino Chamber of Commerce, Madison Cooperative Development Coalition, Wisconsin Women’s Entrepreneurship Corporation, Dane Buy Local and Madison Central Business Improvement District is eligible for the match.
JustVeggiez, a downtown-based restaurant, catering and retail services company, is one of the Madison businesses that has benefited from the Kiva program, receiving a total of $11,000 in 2023. The city’s Kiva project is one of many that gets its funding from the Small Business Recovery and Equity Program (SBEG) in the City of Madison Operating Budget.
Can Learn more about Kiva loans and how to apply on the Business Resources Office website.
Another resource for local businesses looking to cover the costs of renovations, allowing them to remain in their current locations longer and put down roots in their community, is the City of Madison’s Building Improvement Grant program. Those grants help business owners cover some of the capital costs associated with renovating the interior and exterior of their commercial spaces. JustVeggiez, which is located in a building built on State Street in the late 19th century, was also able to participate in that program and received $50,000 from the City to help cover some of the costs of the renovations.