The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is bringing back its Entrepreneurship Support Program, an initiative that was piloted last year and aims to strengthen the state’s culture of entrepreneurship.

The state agency said Wednesday it is accepting applications from nonprofits and community-based organizations that need funding to implement projects or activities that advance entrepreneurship and provide entrepreneurs with the resources they need. Parties can apply for grant amounts of $10,000 to $100,000, with a total of $500,000 available through the program.

In its inaugural year, the Entrepreneurship Support Program provided nearly $500,000 in grants to 11 projects, which included outreach to underserved entrepreneurs and prototyping assistance, among other initiatives.

“The program has proven to be a catalyst in filling resource gaps, launching new initiatives and building strong community networks,” said Aaron Hagar, WEDC’s vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation, in a statement. “This year, we are again looking for innovative projects that demonstrate highly collaborative and well-designed plans to offer entrepreneurs the support they need to launch successful businesses.”

Applications are due Oct. 20. Interested parties can find out more information about the grant program and how to apply here.

Read the original article by Melanie Lawder in the Milwaukee Business Journal.