Gov. Tony Evers is asking Wisconsinites to shop small and local this season, proclaiming the weeks between Small Business Saturday (Nov. 29) through the end of the year as Shop Small Wisconsin Season.
“Small businesses are more likely to buy supplies locally, hire locally and give back to their communities, making them powerful drivers of our local and statewide economies,” Evers said in a statement. “As Wisconsinites set out to do their holiday shopping, we are encouraging folks to keep their dollars local, and we look forward to getting out and meeting with many of our state’s incredible small business owners in the days and weeks to come.”
Data from the U.S. Small Business Administration shows that in 2025, small businesses made up more than 99% of businesses in Wisconsin and employed 1.2 million individuals across the state. That is nearly half of all Wisconsin workers. It is also estimated that approximately two-thirds of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the local community.
Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation announced $3.2 million in small business development grants for 19 Wisconsin businesses in April. In July, another $1.5 million in grants was announced.
