Skip to content

Research & Impact

Future Wisconsin Project

Research & reports

WMC Studies

WMC Foundation’s The Future Wisconsin Project is a long-term strategic plan for Wisconsin aimed at creating sustained economic growth. Throughout the lifetime of the project, WMC Foundation has conducted research amongst Wisconsin employers, educators and government leaders to identify the greatest challenges facing Wisconsin’s economy, and solutions to drive the state forward. Check out all of the Future Wisconsin Project’s economic reports below:
Support Our Work

Wisconsin 2035

WMC Foundation’s Future Wisconsin Project released its “Wisconsin 2035” report to detail the challenges facing Wisconsin’s business community and propose potential solutions for long-term economic growth. The new publication identifies the workforce shortage as the biggest problem facing Wisconsin’s business community. The workforce shortage must be tackled in three ways: attraction, retention and expansion.

WMC Foundation announced its focus on a long-term strategic plan for Wisconsin aimed at creating sustained economic growth in 2014. Since then, WMC Foundation has been devoted to conducting research amongst employers throughout Wisconsin to better understand the business community’s concerns about the labor shortage and map out potential solutions.

The report highlights many solutions to Wisconsin’s workforce shortage:

  • Talent Attraction – Wisconsin must invest in a talent attraction campaign
  • Tax Reform – Wisconsin must lower taxes to attract more businesses and individuals to the state
  • Education Reform – Wisconsin must invest in more STEM and technical education programs
READ THE REPORT
Wisconsin 2035 Graphic

Revitalizing Rural Wisconsin

WMC Foundation’s Future Wisconsin Project released its “Revitalizing Rural Wisconsin” report in an effort to bring attention to policies and ideas that can promote economic growth and workforce development in rural Wisconsin. The new publication identifies a number of economic challenges facing rural Wisconsin and provides strategies and ideas that can help revitalize portions of the Badger State outside of metropolitan areas like Milwaukee and Madison.

WMC Foundation announced its focus on rural prosperity at its annual Future Wisconsin Summit in December 2019. Following the Summit, WMC Foundation conducted research amongst employers throughout rural Wisconsin to better understand the business community’s concerns and discuss potential solutions.

The report highlights five challenges facing rural Wisconsin:

  • Limited workforce availability
  • Gaps in broadband
  • Stress on legacy industries
  • Lack of new housing
  • Affordability of healthcare
READ THE REPORT
Barn in Rural Wisconsin

Wisconsin Workforce Competitiveness Evaluation

WMC Foundation’s Future Wisconsin Project released its “Wisconsin Workforce Competitiveness Evaluation” report in an effort to draw attention to the workforce shortage as a primary threat to Wisconsin’s economic success. The new publication identifies the strengths and weaknesses of Wisconsin’s workforce and solutions on how to improve workforce development.

WMC Foundation conducted research amongst employers and educators throughout Wisconsin to better understand the skills gap in the state. The “Wisconsin Workforce Competitiveness Evaluation” proposed many solutions including: attracting talent to grow the workforce and expanding technical education programs to properly prepare individuals to enter the workforce. 

The report highlights many solutions to Wisconsin’s skills gap and workforce shortage:

  • Talent Attraction
  • Upskill Existing Workers
  • Improve Career Pathways
  • Promote Apprenticeships and Work-Based Learning for Students
  • Promote Career Awareness & Reach Disconnected Groups
READ THE REPORT
worker grinding metal

Wisconsin State of Mind: A National Perception Study

WMC Foundation’s Future Wisconsin Project released its “Wisconsin State of Mind: A National Perception Study” report in an effort to bring attention to the national perception of Wisconsin and ways to improve that perception to attract more workers to the state. The publication identified Wisconsin as being nationally perceived as a leader in education and all around safety. The report also noted that Wisconsin is perceived to: lack diversity, only offer agricultural job opportunities, and have a lower quality of living due to the colder climate.

WMC Foundation has been devoted to conducting research amongst all stakeholders of the economy to identify the economic challenges Wisconsin faces and provide solutions to continue moving the state forward.

The report revealed that Wisconsin needs to improve on:

  • Marketing job opportunities
  • Marketing the diverse culture of the state
  • Marketing high-quality living conditions despite the climate
READ THE REPORT
Statue at the top of Wisconsin State Capitol building

Other Projects

WMC Foundation has many other projects as well.

View Now