2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-3479/1
EVM:cdc
June 19, 2025 - Introduced by Senators Marklein, Cabral-Guevara, Pfaff, Spreitzer and Keyeski, cosponsored by Representatives Kurtz, Swearingen, Armstrong, Behnke, Brill, Callahan, Goeben, Green, B. Jacobson, Johnson, Kitchens, Kreibich, Krug, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Novak, O'Connor, Steffen and Tranel. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
SB337,1,2
1An Act to create 73.03 (78) of the statutes; relating to: local grant writing and
2compliance assistance. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Department of Revenue, in each year from 2026 through 2029, to provide grants of up to $5,000 to political subdivisions with populations of less than 7,500 to be used to obtain grant writing and compliance assistance services. These grants may be used to obtain services only for grants related to public works, transportation infrastructure, public safety, utility service, or cybersecurity.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB337,13Section 1. 73.03 (78) of the statutes is created to read: SB337,2,4473.03 (78) To establish and maintain a local grant writing and compliance 5assistance program. Under the program, in each year from 2026 through 2029 in 2
1grant cycles per year, the department shall award grants to applicant political 2subdivisions, as defined in s. 66.0602 (1) (c), with populations of less than 7,500 to 3be used for obtaining grant writing and compliance assistance services. All of the 4following apply to the program under this subsection: SB337,2,75(a) Grant writing and compliance assistance services grants under this 6subsection may be used only to obtain services for grants related to any of the 7following purposes: SB337,2,881. Public works. SB337,2,992. Transportation infrastructure. SB337,2,10103. Public safety. SB337,2,11114. Utility costs. SB337,2,12125. Cybersecurity. SB337,2,1713(b) The department shall prescribe a simple and clear application that is 14reasonably accessible to political subdivisions with limited staffing resources. An 15application under this paragraph shall list all factors upon which the department 16will award and prioritize grants. An application under this paragraph shall require 17only the following information be provided by an applicant: SB337,2,19181. The identity of the applicant political subdivision, including the county in 19which the political subdivision is located. SB337,2,21202. The name and contact information of the individual responsible for the 21application. SB337,2,23223. The purpose under par. (a) for which grant writing or compliance 23assistance services are requested. SB337,3,2
14. A brief description of the project for which the grant writing or compliance 2assistance is requested. SB337,3,435. An estimate of the amount of the grant award for the grant for which grant 4writing or compliance assistance is requested. SB337,3,75(c) In each year in which this subsection applies, the department shall 6prioritize grants for political subdivisions that have not previously received a grant 7under this subsection. SB337,3,88(d) A grant under this subsection may not exceed $5,000. SB337,3,109(e) No later than December 31, 2028, the department shall submit a report to 10the joint committee on finance evaluating the program under this subsection.
