| ELIGIBILITY | Open to women throughout 18 counties in western Wisconsin who want to start a NEW business. We consider the start-up phase to be three years old or younger. Expansions of businesses older than three years and franchises are not eligible. If you have already received a Red Letter Grant, you cannot re-apply for the same business, but you may apply for a new start-up.  RLG does not fund non-profit organizations.

Eligible counties include: 

Region 1: Buffalo, Clark, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce, St. Croix, and Trempealeau. 

Six $2,000 grants and two $4,000 grants will be awarded in May 2026.

Region 2: Barron, Burnett, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor and Washburn.

Six $2,000 grants and two $4,000 grants will be awarded in May 2026.

Indigenous Women’s Grant: Indigenous women from any county in Wisconsin eligible to apply

Two $2000 grants are awarded each spring

| SPRING 2026 Double-Grant Cycle |

March 2 - Applications OPEN

April 6 - (Monday) Application deadline. Applications are due at 11pm. Late applications will not be accepted.

April 6-27 - Judges review applications.

April 27- May 1 - Finalists will be invited to interview. Please note not all applicants will advance to the interview round.

May 4-8- Celebration and Awards. Region 1 and Region 2. Grantee announcement LIVE at these separate events. Date and Time TBD. All are welcome.

APPLICATOINS OPEN MARCH 2, 2026

| RESOURCES | We encourage you to utilize the following FREE community resources as you develop your business plan:

• Small Business Development Centers at:

  • UW-Eau Claire: https://wisconsinsbdc.org/centers/eauclaire/

  • UW-La Crosse: https://wisconsinsbdc.org/centers/lacrosse/

  • UW-River Falls: www.uwrf.edu/CBE/Centers/SmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter

  • UW-Superior: https://wisconsinsbdc.org/centers/superior/

• Women’s Business Center - Western Dairyland: www.successfulbusiness.org/#

• Entrepreneurs’ Toolkit: https://wisconsintechnologycouncil.com/entrepreneurs-toolkit/introduction/

• SCORE of Western Wisconsin: westernwisconsin.score.org

• First Nations Community Financial: https://firstnationsfinancial.org/our-services/

| OTHER RESOURCES/ACCESS TO CAPITAL |

• DECI Jump-Start Competition: www.downtowneauclaire.org/jumpstart/

• EDC Idea Challenge: www.eauclaire-wi.com/entrepreneurs/idea-challenge/

• Doyenne Group: https://doyennegroup.org/