Our 2026 sessions are shaping up and will highlight new initiatives and ideas that support people and groups in economic and community development. We’ll engage in purposeful dialogue, learn from each other, and explore best practices.

Session 3 REGISTRATION OPEN: Redefining the Food Access Landscape

Wednesday, October 28 at 9am | At the YWCA Southeast Wisconsin

Food insecurity is not an issue that’s new. Yet, what’s emerging are the recent and significant disruptions in terms of how people access food – for example, the closure of grocery stores in specific areas, an expansion of how we define “food deserts”, major changes to Food Share requirements, and increased economic insecurity for families.

Join us as we bring together community and economic development practitioners to share how they are approaching solutions and strategies with people and neighborhoods in mind.

Hear from three engaging speakers:

Lindsey St. Arnold Bell with Near West Side Partners: How they’ve been working with residents on neighborhood-focused strategies and solutions.

Ray Simpkins & Margaret Mittelstadt with Outpost Cooperative: Insight into the private sector, cooperatives, and navigating the retail grocery space.

Matthew Rejc with City of Milwaukee Dept. of City Development: An update on the progress they’ve made to recruit grocery and pharmacy businesses through the Retail Investment Fund and other programs.

Coffee & Pastries will be provided.

Session 2 RECAP: Public Transportation Matters

Thursday, August 20 | At Concordia 27

How do we get from HERE to THERE?

65 attendees got up to speed on what is going on with public transportation. The program concluded with a moderated panel discussion and audience Q&A, followed by networking. We heard about:
• Launch of the MCTS Transit network redesign
• Transit-related legislative priorities in the coming year
• SEWRPC Transit Benefits study

Transit literally can knit the different parts of our lives together. We featured three of our partners who shared the latest on the state of public transportation in Milwaukee. We learned new information on its economic impact, an upcoming system redesign, and how we can take action in coalition with others.  Our presenters included:

• Jennifer Sarnecki, Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) – Transit Benefits Study
• Steve Fuentes, Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) – Launch of MCTS Forward transit network redesign
• Claire Enders, Transit Is Milwaukee – Transit Advocacy & Community Engagement

Access UEDA Slides here. Check out our LinkedIn for photos! Here are some other resources to check out:

• Link to CommuteWISE – Note: they will work with employers to offer this resource to employees.
• VISION 2060 – Southeastern Wisconsin’s next regional plan
• Week Without Driving – October 1-8 – What would change in your life if driving wasn’t an option?
• MCTS Forward Next – collaborative effort to think about the future of public transit in Milwaukee County.

Session 1 RECAP: How We Show Up Matters

Wednesday, May 13 | At the YWCA Southeast Wisconsin

This professional development-focused session was led by UEDA member Yes…AND LLC.

In this interactive session, more than 40 participants examined the assumptions and habits they bring into client and colleague relationships that influence trust, collaboration, and results. Through reflection and meaningful dialogue with peers, they uncovered blind spots that may be limiting connection or effectiveness in our work.

Cultural Engagement Specialist Kim Walters and Human-Centered Leadership Consultant Laurice Snyder left attendees with practical tools and simple mindset shifts to apply immediately to improve communication, foster more inclusive relationships, and create better outcomes for clients and colleagues. Because in today’s marketplace, how you work with people is just as critical as what you deliver.

Access the UEDA Slides here, which include information on upcoming events, National Small Business Week and local business resources. Click here to learn more about the consultants.

Advancing Milwaukee’s Creative Industries: Partnerships, Policy, and Growth

On October 5, 2026, UEDA joined partners Imagine MKE, Create Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) for Advancing Milwaukee’s Creative Industries: Partnerships, Policy, and Growth, a regional convening focused on strengthening Southeast Wisconsin’s creative economy.

Held at the Associated Bank River Center in Milwaukee, the event brought together 27 leaders from the creative industries and economic development sectors to explore opportunities for collaboration, entrepreneurship, small business growth, and workforce development.

Milwaukee’s creative industries play an important role in our region’s economic vitality. Through strategic partnerships and regional collaboration, this convening explored how to strengthen and expand the sector while connecting local efforts to broader statewide initiatives.

Building Connections for Statewide Impact

The event was part of the Wisconsin Creative Industries Community of Practice (CICoP), an emerging statewide network led by WEDC’s Office of Rural Prosperity in collaboration with Create Wisconsin.

CICoP brings together creative professionals, business leaders, and economic development partners to foster innovation, strengthen regional networks, share resources, and support economic growth across Wisconsin.

The Southeast Wisconsin convening focused on building connections across sectors, highlighting initiatives such as Action! Wisconsin and Imagine MKE’s Action Plan, and exploring how regional perspectives can help inform a Statewide Creative Industries Plan.

Discussions also centered on increasing awareness of the creative industries sector and identifying opportunities to better support creative businesses and entrepreneurs.

Continuing the Conversation

UEDA’s involvement in this work builds on our 2024 Emerging Topics Series, which explored the creative industries sector and its role in economic development.

Through continued collaboration with our partners, we look forward to supporting opportunities that connect creative professionals, strengthen local businesses, and recognize the creative economy as an important part of Wisconsin’s economic future.

Read more about the creative industries sector from UEDA’s 2024 Emerging Topics Series. To learn more about the statewide initiative, view the WEDC Creative Industries Community of Practice Fact Sheet.

Special thanks to our event sponsors, Associated Bank and WEDC, for supporting this important conversation.

Learning, Connecting & Supporting Our Members

This September, UEDA brought members and community partners together for a series of UEDA Membership Infosessions designed to provide practical information, resources, and connections that organizations can put to use in their day-to-day work.

From navigating employee healthcare benefits to understanding nonprofit risk management and strengthening board governance, each session created space for attendees to learn directly from experts, ask questions, and connect with one another. Interested in learning more or connecting with our presenters? Contact UEDA Member Engagement Director Debbie Knepke.

Healthcare Benefits Without the Headaches  

Our first Infosession, Healthcare Benefits Without the Headaches, was held on September 10 with Diversified Benefit Services.

The session brought together business owners, nonprofit leaders, HR professionals, and board members for a practical conversation about today’s healthcare benefits landscape. Attendees learned more about Health Insurance Marketplace updates and the growing role of ICHRA plans, with an opportunity to get answers to questions they’ve had about navigating employee benefits.

Thank you to Diversified Benefit Services for sharing their expertise and helping make a complicated topic easier to understand!

Coffee & Coverage: Risk Management for Nonprofits

On September 24, UEDA welcomed Mike Medcalf from the Brehmer Agency, Inc. for Coffee & Coverage, a practical, no-jargon conversation about what risk management really means for nonprofit organizations.

The session walked through five key areas organizations should consider when protecting their people, property, programs and partnerships, reputation, and finances, using real-world examples to make insurance and risk management easier to understand. An important and needed topic for the nonprofit sector!

Leading Together: Nonprofit Governance

In September, UEDA also kicked off Leading Together: Nonprofit Governance, a three-part series presented with Katie Sanders of One Grove Strategies.

The first session, Boards 101, focused on the foundations of effective nonprofit governance, including board structure, risk management, the nonprofit lifecycle, and transition planning.

The series continued this fall with Activate & Engage on October 20 and Recruit on November 17, helping nonprofit leaders move from understanding board fundamentals to building engaged, sustainable boards aligned with their organizations’ missions.

This training series is supported by capacity bulding and technical assistance grant funds from Bader Philanthropies, City of Milwaukee Community Development Grants Administration, and Zilber Family Foundation – thank you!

Together, these infosessions reflect what UEDA membership is all about: connecting organizations with information, expertise, and one another so they can strengthen their work and better serve our community.

Thank you to our presenters, partners, and everyone who joined us!

On Tuesday, September 22, we welcomed more than 82 people for an evening of food, connection, celebration, and reflection on UEDA’s accomplishments over the past year and goals for the year ahead. You can view our full program slides here.

We recognized our outgoing board member, Mike Ward. Thank you for your support over the past 6 years!

Thank you to awardees for their contributions to UEDA and its homeownership and financial empowerment programs!

Outstanding Community Partner Award, Adrian Spencer!

We are proud to celebrate Deputy Director Adrian Spencer of Rooted & Rising – Washington Park, whose active engagement and collaboration have supported a number of UEDA programs and initiatives. She has contributed to Carnival Milwaukee, NSP community organizer and Financial Health Network counselor trainings, and other efforts across our network.

Her leadership as co-chair of Take Root Milwaukee’s Home Preservation Workgroup since 2022 especially stands out. Adrian has helped deepen the group’s work to improve the home repair referral system and connect neighbors with needed resources.

She is always ready to partner with UEDA and connect members to other networks and efforts, including the RON Coalition. We are grateful for her commitment to strengthening our community.

Extraordinary Volunteer Award, Victor Frasher!

We are thrilled to celebrate Director of Community Engagement Victor Frasher of Educators Credit Union, whose time and commitment have supported Bank On Greater Milwaukee since its inception. Victor has participated in a number of workgroups and projects over the years, helping advance access to safe and affordable banking in our community.

In particular, Victor’s contributions to Bank On Greater Milwaukee’s work with young people, Earn & Learn, and the Resource Guide stand out. His willingness to consistently lend his time, knowledge, and support has helped strengthen these efforts and move the coalition’s work forward.

We are grateful for Victor’s longstanding commitment to Bank On Greater Milwaukee and the communities we serve.

Lastly, we thank our hosts at Dandy and amazing caterers, Fusion & Spice Catering and Green Baked Goods.

Thanks to the support of our funders and sponsors: Associated Bank, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, Goyke and Associates, UW Credit Union and Pyramax Bank.

SAVE THE DATE – Carnival Milwaukee 2027 will be held Friday, March 5th 5:30PM – 8:30PM

View our Carnival Milwaukee 2026 Mini Recap Video: View on Facebook – View on LinkedIn

View our full photo gallery: here! 

On Friday, March 6th, the UEDA Community celebrated the 18th annual Carnival Milwaukee fundraise! This year’s event was a resounding success with 300+ guests enjoying food by 25 local, diverse-owned food enterprises (view the menu!), live entertainment by De La Buena, Salsabrositas, and Samba Da Vida, and photos by Pixel Booth.

We also recognized the Hmong American Friendship Association as this year’s Bill Johnson Bridge Builder Awardee. The event, established in 2009 by Bill, has grown into an annual fundraiser that brings together our community in celebration and support of UEDA’s mission. Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Erie Insurance, and all of our event sponsors who helped support this year’s event — we appreciate you!