English 
Spanish 
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!
Join us for our 2024 Emerging Topics Series!
We are looking forward to our 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 | Livestream: Register here
Along with partners Washington Park Media Center, Create Wisconsin, Rural Urban FLOW, and Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., we will showcase efforts to create a roadmap that supports Wisconsin’s Creative Industries. Through four conversation sets, you will learn 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.
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.
Carnival Milwaukee 2024 was a resounding success! In February, people from all around the world participate in cultural celebrations including Carnival Brazil, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Carnival Mazatlan, and Fasching in Germany. Since 2009, we have modeled our annual fundraiser after these celebrations.
On Friday, March 8, over 285 guests were treated to a vibrant display of live performances, delicious food and beverages, and fellowship. they enjoyed food from diverse vendors all over the city, live music by De La Buena, dancing by Salsabrositas, drumming from Samba da Vida, a raffle, interactive photo booth, and great company in celebration of the work we do to support thriving urban communities. Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Associated Bank, and all of our event sponsors who helped support this year’s event — we appreciate you!
View the album of 2024 Carnival Milwaukee photos here>>>
2024 Event Synopsis – scroll down for links and more information!
- 3 local & live performance groups
- 23 diverse food vendors
- Over $40,000 raised for UEDA
- Recognized Menomonee Valley Partners as our 2024 Bill Johnson Bridge Builder
We appreciate all who came out and supported UEDA at this year’s Carnival Milwaukee, which brings together people from a diverse array of backgrounds, neighborhoods and ages to celebrate the “mosaic” that is Milwaukee. Save the date for Friday, March 7, 2025 for next year’s Carnival Milwaukee!
Check out our local, live entertainment partners!
Thank you to our 2024 Carnival Milwaukee Food Tasting Participants
Aggie’s Bakery & Cake Shop | Aladdin’s Taste of the East | Antigua Latin Restaurant | Cafe India | China Gourmet | Fusion and Spice Catering | Gray Jett Cafe | Green Baked Goods | Immy’s African Cuisine | Junior’s Smoked BBQ and Veggie Soul | Kellie Katering | Kilwin’s – Milwaukee Bayshore | La Merenda | Mister Bar-B-Que/Turning Tables MKE | Northern Chocolates | Pound 4 Pound Cakes | Pupuseria Los Angeles | SQ Chocolates | Sweet Joy Brazilian Cafe | The Ladle Lady | Tres Hermanos | Xankia
Check out this flier of all Carnival Milwaukee Food Tasting Participants since 2009.
Thank you to our 2024 Carnival Milwaukee Raffle Donors
Amorphic Beer | Anodyne Coffee | Bado Buna | Barbara Markoff | Bartolotta Restaurants | Belle Fiori | Black Cat Woodworking | Chris Engelken Jewelry | ComedySportz Milwaukee | David Glenn | Downtown Books | First Stage | Float Milwaukee | Forward TS | Gary White | Gisela Ortega | Gloss Moss | Great Lakes Distillery | Heather Dummer Combs | Jaimer’s Floral | Johnson Financial Group | Kehr’s Candies | King Drive BID | Kristi Luzar | Lakefront Brewery | Marjorie Rucker | Mike Ward | Milwaukee Admirals | Milwaukee Art Museum | Milwaukee Film | Milwaukee Public Museum | Milwaukee Wave | Nail Bar | Next Act Theater | Nikki Payne | O’Malley’s European Food | Outpost Natural Foods | Peter & Lisa Richardson | Pinehold Gardens | Riverwest Grown | Sherri Jordan | The Pasta Tree | Thief Wine | Transfer Pizzeria | Tosa Yoga | Two is for Mirth | Well Connected Therapies | Zarletti’s
We encourage you to support these local businesses, restaurants, and food vendors throughout the year!
2024 Bill Johnson Bridge Builder Award
Congratulations Menomonee Valley Partners!
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 proud to present this year’s award to Menomonee Valley Partners for their commitment to connecting people and place through projects that feature the cultural identity, natural heritage, vibrant local businesses, and unique spaces in Milwaukee’s Menomonee River Valley.
Learn more about Menomonee Valley Partners and the great work they do – their website showcases the food, local businesses, natural spaces, and art located in the Valley. Each September Valley Week celebrates these many elements and draws new visitors to different spaces. Follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram for the latest updates.
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.
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS!
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.
At UEDA 2023 was an impactful and busy year!
Perhaps you joined us at Carnival Milwaukee … or attended an Emerging Topics Series session … or visited our table at a community resource event … or participated in a Bank On or Take Root meeting.
Scroll down for more highlights from the year!
UEDA highlights include:
- Welcomed new Member Services Director Martha Collins.
- Said goodbye to our previous Trinity Fellow Kat Klawes and welcomed new Fellow Adam Bridges.
- Completed a new strategic plan for UEDA, to guide our work 2024-2026.
- Gained 20+ UEDA, Bank On Greater Milwaukee or Take Root Milwaukee members.
- Presented a great Emerging Topics series, partnering with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, MGIC, UW-Milwaukee, Milky Way Tech Hub, Latinos in Tech, and SEWRPC. Check out the Recap!
- Launched new training and development programs for City of Milwaukee community organizers and area financial counselors.
- Provided project support to Nonprofit Lift and Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center.
- Worked to formalize our partnership with the Nonprofit Academy of Wisconsin to provide technical assistance and organizational reviews to nonprofits.
- Met up with 60 our closest member friends at the Annual Community Gathering at Wall Street Stock Bar (check out the Instagram highlight reel).
- Increased our participation & outreach activity – this year we shared homeownership resources and financial education with over 850 people at 14 community events!
Our Take Root Milwaukee program:
- Developed a listing of Financial Coaching and Credit Counseling programs in Milwaukee.
- Fielded over 550 hotline calls for assistance and referrals to help people buy, fix, or keep a home.
- Working with IMPACT Connect to develop a system to better connect residents to home repair resources and services in the community.
- Successfully advocated for $2M for Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program in 2024 City Budget.
Our Bank On Greater Milwaukee program:
- Was featured in the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund Skyline newsletter for a banking access pilot project we helped launch with youth aging out of foster care. Read it here!
- Connected with Employ Milwaukee / City of Milwaukee Earn and Learn Program to start offering banking access and financial education to youth employees in the summer job program.
- Worked with the WI Department of Corrections (DOC) and financial partners to offer banking access prior to release, use of penal system identification to open an account, and provide financial education resources to returning citizens.
- Began development of a NEW consumer-focused website (look for it in 2024!) and outreach materials for our partners to help educate people on pay apps and how to open a bank account.
Check out our Newsletter archive for additional updates, links, and resources.
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!
Thank you for all we achieved together in 2023 and we look forward to continuing our collaborative work in 2024!
Thank you for joining us for our 2023 Emerging Topics Series!
This year we featured a wide range of interests that included community-based journalism, new research on disparities in wealth-building and homeownership, technology tools to help streamline our daily work, and the upcoming update of Southeast Wisconsin’s Regional & Land Use Plan, VISION 2050.
A huge thank you to the 85+ people who attended this year’s series, our Partners & Presenters, and Sponsors for their support!
Session 4 Recap: VISION 2050: Weigh in on the Region’s Future
Thank you to the 25+ people who participated in our last session for 2023, which featured an overview of the process for the upcoming review and update of Southeastern Wisconsin’s VISION 2050 Regional Land Use & Transportation Plan. We learned from Regional Planning Commission staff about the Plan and the process to update financial and equity analyses, meet federal requirements, and gather public input over the next 6 months. View the slides here>>
UEDA is proud to be a Community Partner of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC), learn more about them here.
Session 3 Recap: Making Tech Work for You – Leveraging Technology for Small Organization
On October 11th, we celebrated WI Tech Month at this hands-on workshop with presenter Tim Syth, Contexture, who discussed how to effectively and efficiently use existing technology tools such as Google Workspace and the Cloud. Thank you to the small group who joined us for some interactive learning on how to leverage automation and streamline tasks, save resources and time, and increase our ability to achieve mission. We also learned how small organizations can unleash the power of ChatGPT and explore other AI alternatives while gaining insights into how they can improve organizational operations. See the slides here>>.
Special thank you to Milky Way Tech Hub and Latinos in Tech for their support of this month-long series of events.
Session 2 Recap: Bridging the Racial Disparity in Wealth Creation in Milwaukee
On September 12, nearly 40 people attended our second session of the 2023 series to learn about new research on household wealth and homeownership from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, supported by the Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC). The project included a multi-disciplinary team and looks to create a foundational approach to identifying and measuring how effective homeownership can be as a generator of wealth, and inform policy and social investments that help address racial disparities in homeownership and wealth-building.
Attendees shared feedback on the initial research findings and ideas on intentional ways we could support residents in neighborhoods with lower homeownership rates, strengthen efforts to prevent foreclosure, and how other factors could impact wealth generation across different areas. As our learning from these findings continues, we look forward to future research that could guide policy and investment.
View the press release and the presentation slides. Thank you to our presenters and partners!
Session 1 Recap: Neighborhood News Connect
Thanks to all who joined us for our first Emerging Topics Series for 2023 on June 27, held in partnership with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (NNS). NNS is a nonprofit news organization that covers Milwaukee’s diverse neighborhood stories that are important to the people who live, work, and serve in the city. The NNS staff members who presented were: Ron Smith, Executive Director, Deborah Heffner, Director of Development and Partnerships, Princess Safiya Byers, Report for America Staff Reporter and Bevin Christie, News 414 Project Manager.
They talked about the changes they’re seeing in community-based journalism, and the power it holds to empower and uplift communities. NNS covers topics such as education, public safety, economic development, health and wellness, environment, recreation, employment, youth development and housing. One of their most read articles last year focused on what Milwaukee Mayors actually do, a part of their efforts to promote civic education. Look for more pieces like that in the coming year.
NNS also shared how they leverage storytelling to create impactful narratives, and the tools available to the community to engage with them:
- Their Community Voices section allows community members to submit opinions on topics of interest.
- Posts from Community is where groups can submit news releases and articles about their issues and events.
- And News414 is their service journalism project in partnership with Wisconsin Watch.
Learn more about NNS at https://milwaukeenns.org, we thank them for partnering with us on this session. We hope to collaborate with them more in the future. And a very special thank you to Bader Philanthropies for hosting our first session of the 2023 series!
