Via Up North News:

Wisconsin gets a smaller portion of federal help compared to other states but is investing more of it in the state and local economies.

A new report on the distribution and spending of federal pandemic aid shows Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has put far more relief into the hands of small business entrepreneurs than other state leaders.

The Wisconsin Policy Forum, an independent research firm, evaluated the data from two groups—the independent National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) and the progressive Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP)—on how states handled money received from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020.

The assistance given to Wisconsin’s economy through its entrepreneurs far exceeded other states. 

The report said the state has set aside $1.33 billion in total for addressing the pandemic’s economic impacts—including $303 million to small businesses through the Wisconsin Tomorrow grants, $223 million through We’re All In grants to small businesses.