Jackson County Child Care Network Nominated for 2022 Community and Economic Development Award

Tuesday, September 20th, 2022 -- 11:01 AM

Nominees for the 2022 Community and Economic Development Awards were announced by the Wisconsin Economic Development Association.

The CEDA Awards were established by WEDA to recognize and celebrate businesses, projects, and organizations that are making significant contributions to Wisconsin’s economy.

Three outstanding economic development projects were nominated in each of the four following CEDA categories: Business Retention and Expansion; Economic Development Initiative; Real Estate Redevelopment and Reuse; and Talent Attraction, Development, and Retention.

The winners in each category will be announced at the live awards ceremony luncheon, which will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2022, as part of WEDA’s Fall Best Practices Conference in La Crosse, WI.

One local project was nominated for the Economic Development Initiative. This award honors innovative community and economic development efforts that successfully promote growth and prosperity in Wisconsin communities. The Jackson County Child Care Network was nominated.

The lack of quality childcare in Jackson County was a growing concern, creating a significant barrier to employment and negatively impacting economic growth in the region. Families were struggling to find quality care, often being placed on multiple year waiting lists, and employers were faced with over $2.5 million in lost productivity.

To address this problem, the Jackson County Childcare Network was formed in 2019 as a 501c3 business-led organization dedicated increasing the availability of quality childcare in the county.

Using local American Recovery Plan Act funds, the Network offers childcare provider retention bonuses, and plans are being developed to create 500 additional childcare slots in the community. 2022 CEDA nominated projects were screened and selected by an impartial panel of judges comprised of WEDA members and partners.

The independent panel reviewed many projects that were submitted for consideration, but the 12 finalists were ultimately selected based on the significant economic impact each project has on its respective community or region.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.