Join us for our 2025 Emerging Topics Series!

We are exploring some great topics this year, including how some of our partners are addressing the construction worker shortage, how the city and other funders can help small businesses thrive during road construction, and more!

Session 1: Workforce Development: Constructing the Future

June 3 | 9-11 AM | YWCA Training Room

This informative event was designed to address the construction trade labor crisis. Both affordable housing and those with the skills to build it are in short supply. Economists expect this labor shortage to spread as skilled tradesmen retire. Filling this gap is an opportunity to strengthen our communities. Thank you for joining us to hear from experts from two local nonprofits about their workforce development programs – Jackie Weber at Revitalize Milwaukee and Jim Gaillard at Ezekiel CDC, moderated by Lamont Davis from the Milwaukee Community Land Trust.  We began a collaborative discussion on how to effectively work together within our communities in a stronger effort to fill the talent pipeline. Access the slides here.

Session 2: Commercial Corridors During Road Construction

August | TBD | TBD

Stay tuned for more details!

Session 3

Stay tuned for more details!

What a year!

CHECK OUT OUR 2024 IMPACT REPORT

UEDA Highlights include:

• Welcomed new Member Engagement Manager Debbie Knepke.
• We grew our membership network by nearly 24% and engaged over 2,400 professionals in ALL UEDA programs and activities. 
• Hosted 22 program meetings that educated 990+ practitioners in our Bank On Greater Milwaukee, Take Root Milwaukee, and Membership Capacity Building programs. 
• We shared information on green homeowner incentive programs, voter registration and civic engagement, and the creative industries in Wisconsin through our Emerging Topics Series, as well as nonprofit capacity needs.
• Tabled at 8 community-wide events providing nearly 600 people with financial education and homeownership resources.
• We strengthened our support of the Nonprofit Lift website and directory, working in collaboration with other intermediaries.
• Continued to convene the City of Milwaukee NSP Community Organizers in bimonthly training sessions, to help organizers access City resources and share best practices.
• Completed 9 direct technical assistance projects, helping organizations address strategic & operational needs and the City of Milwaukee develop housing plans and new administrative processes for CDBG.
• Continue to provide support to the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center through technical assistance and funding.
• Launched the community engagement process for the City’s next HUD Consolidated Plan (2025-2029), working in partnership with community organizers and the UEDA network. 

Our Bank On Greater Milwaukee program:

• Launched a new website that showcases Certified Accounts, Your Smart Money Guide, Educational Videos, and more.
• Partnered with Educators Credit Union and Summit Credit Union for the City of Milwaukee Earn & Learn Program to include banking access materials.
• Held two training cohorts that helped certify and strengthen the financial counseling skills of 55+ practitioners in our community. 
• Developed a pilot program with the Community Reintegration Center (CRC), My Way Out, UW Extension, Bank Five Nine, and Summit Credit Union.
• BOGM Program Director Constance Alberts participated as a speaker at two national events this year, sharing about our efforts to create financially healthy communities: the Bank On Leadership gathering with the CFE Fund in June and at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ event, Banking on Financial Inclusion: The Road to Economic Empowerment in November.
  

Our Take Root Milwaukee program:

• Conducted 2 successful community sessions during Homeownership Month on homeowners’ insurance and how to pass your home to family. These events have sparked additional events organized by our members.
• Handled a near record number of messages from the hotline and website for referrals to help people buy, fix, or keep a home.
• Began development on a Lending Products and Down Payment Assistance (DPA) program matrix.
• Advocated for additional DPA in the the 2025 City of Milwaukee budget.
• Worked with IMPACT Connect to launch a system to better connect residents to home repair resources and services in the community.

Check out our Newsletter archive for additional updates, links, and resources.

We would like to thank our outgoing board members Nikki Payne and Vaughn Barker for your service with us. Best of luck on your next adventures! Additionally, we thank all of our Volunteers, Funders, Members, and Partners for their continued support of our work in community and economic development – we could not accomplish our mission without you!

We’ll see you in 2025!

In February, people from all around the world participate in cultural celebrations including Carnival Brazil, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Carnival Mazatlan, Fasching in Germany, and Carnival Venice. Since 2009, we have modeled our annual fundraiser after these celebrations.

On Friday, March 7, 300+ guests joined us for a vibrant display of live performances, delicious food and beverages, and fellowship at The Factory on Barclay, in the Harbor District of Milwaukee’s Historic Walker’s Point.

This year’s event included food from 22 diverse-owned food businesses (view the menu!), live music by De La Buena, dancing by Salsabrositas, drumming from Samba da Vida, a raffle, interactive photo booth by Pixelbooth, and great company in celebration of the work we do to support thriving urban communities.

View the 2025 Event Booklet for more details!

Each year this highly anticipated community event brings together people from a diverse array of backgrounds, neighborhoods and ages – we believe this interaction is meaningful and promotes a deeper appreciation of the “mosaic” that is Milwaukee.

Save the date for our 18th Annual Carnival Milwaukee: Friday, March 6, 2026!

Check out our local, live entertainment partners!

Check out this year’s Raffle donors!

Check out this flier of all Carnival Milwaukee Food Tasting Participants since 2009.

We encourage you to support these local businesses, restaurants, and food vendors throughout the year!

2025 Bill Johnson Bridge Builder Award

Every year we present a Bridge Builder Award to recognize a community member or partner for their efforts to honor diversity and connect people and places through the expression of culture in food, art, music, and space. We are happy to announce United Community Center as our 2025 awardee!

United Community Center (UCC) was founded as a youth center nearly 55 years ago and has grown into an intergenerational safe haven that serves more than 15,000 people each year. UCC serves individuals six weeks to 103 years old through educational services, senior support, homebuyer counseling, and more. They are a longtime UEDA partner and Take Root Milwaukee member.

Their vision of ensuring Milwaukee has a thriving Hispanic community is exemplified through investments in high quality educational and intergenerational programming, developments in the surrounding neighborhood in housing, homeownership and schools, and the lifting up of culture through partnerships with Latino Arts and Café el Sol.

VOLUNTEER WITH US!
Carnival Milwaukee is also a great opportunity to volunteer & enjoy the fun. Volunteers help with set-up, food serving, raffle, and more. Reach out to Debbie Knepke at debbie@uedawi.org if you are interested in joining us in 2026.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

To learn about sponsorship opportunities, check out our Sponsor Menu.

Carnival Milwaukee is a fundraiser for the Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin (UEDA) and celebrates Milwaukee’s diversity through food, music, and dance while supporting the local businesses, individuals and organizations that contribute to the economic and cultural vitality of our city.

Not able to join us this year? Consider making a contribution to support UEDA!

Your support will not only provide direct investment into local businesses, but will also help fund UEDA’s work in sustainable homeownership and affordable housing, financial empowerment, small business growth, workforce mobility, and community investment.

Thank You for joining us for our 2024 Emerging Topics Series!

We are explored some great topics this year, including how homeowners can take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act, nonprofit advocacy and civic engagement, and how the creative industries can contribute to economic development.

Session 3: Rural Urban FLOW: Growing Creative Industries in Wisconsin

December 3 | 4:30 – 6 PM | Streamed from the Washington Park Media Center: Watch the VOD here

Along with partners Washington Park Media Center, Create Wisconsin, Rural Urban FLOW, and Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., we showcased efforts to create a roadmap that supports Wisconsin’s Creative Industries. Through four conversation sets, we learned from a diverse group of people about the current landscape, rural-urban connections, and how to support and grow creative businesses into 2025 and beyond. Look for more updates from us about the development of Wisconsin’s Creative Economy over the next year!

Session 2: Voter Registration & Civic Engagement

August 8 | Noon – 1 PM | Virtual – View the recording here

During this session, we learned about how nonprofit agencies can participate in voter registration and other election activities from local groups who are already doing to work. We heard from Sherman Park Community Association, VIA CDC, and Southside Organizing Center about fostering voter culture, connecting constituents to their elected officials, and speaking truth to power. Access our slidedeck from this session for additional resources for both voters and nonprofit organizations around elections. To learn more about nonprofit advocacy and allowed activities for 501(c)(3) organizations, check out this flyer from the Nonprofit Advocacy Network.

Session 1: The IRA and Local Resources for Milwaukee Homeowners

June 11 | 11:30 AM-1 PM | Milwaukee LGBT Community Center

This informative event was designed to help homeowners and nonprofits make the most of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) benefits. Thank you for joining us to hear from experts about housing rebates, energy efficiency funding, and green financing options. 25+ people had the opportunity to discover valuable tools and guides, including the Residential Weatherization Guide (coming soon), the IRA Incentive Calculator, and the City of Milwaukee’s new beta of the Home Improvement Resource Navigator. This event featured discussions on funding energy audits, housing repair tools, and lead abatement grants. We began a collaborative discussion on how to effectively disseminate this crucial information within our communities, which we hope to continue! View the slideshow from this event here.

This Emerging Topic Series was in collaboration with the Rebuild MKE Coalition, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, and Green Homeowners United.

Over 50 people joined us on September 10 for food, connection, and celebration of this year’s work at UEDA!

Thank you to our awardees, Susanne Zwaska and Coretta Herring for their contributions to UEDA homeownership and financial empowerment programs. We also recognized our outgoing board members, Vaughn Barker and Nikki Payne for their support over the past 6 years.

Lastly, cheers to our caterers, Baked Dreams and Dream Catering Co. and Green Baked Goods; and our wonderful hosts at Dandy.

We look forward to continuing our work together for years to come!