Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 2026
The NCWRPC is currently in the process of updating their Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The NCWRPC began this process in the summer of 2025 with adoption anticipated in early 2026. The CEDS provides a detailed assessment of economic development conditions throughout North Central Wisconsin, and identifies a Regional Economic Development Strategy, which includes goals and objectives. The CEDS also includes a list of critical regional investment projects. This then provides the foundation for the NCWRPC economic development work plan. Along with maintaining our designation as an Economic Development District (EDD), updating the CEDS provides access to grant funds from EDA for our Region
A CEDS Committee made up of economic development professionals throughout the Region has been established and will meet a total of three times throughout the process to review recent data trends, conduct a SWOT Analysis, and to establish goals and a regional strategy for the Region.
Draft chapters and meeting notes are provided below.
October 29, 2025 Commission Meeting
Agenda – Full Commission
Minutes – Full Commission
Agenda Executive Committee
July 30, 2025 Commission Meeting
Upper Wisconsin River Basin Summit Report
The North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC) began meeting with the River Alliance of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in the fall of 2023 to discuss the potential for the development of a watershed plan for the Wisconsin River Basin.
NCWRPC News Spring 2025 – Issue 86
Regional Comprehensive Plan 2025
This regional comprehensive plan, adopted October 29, 2025, meets Wisconsin State Statutes 66.1001, which requires regional and local comprehensive plans to be updated every 10 years. It guides the development of North Central Wisconsin and provides local comprehensive plans with data and strategies to address opportunities and issues facing the 10-county region.
April 30, 2025 Commission Meeting
Resources – Regional Safe Routes To School
| Home | Pedestrian Safety (WisDOT link) | Bicycle Safety (WisDOT link) | SRTS PSAs |
Keep Going! Walk & Bike Year-Round
Here is additional advice on how to sustain enthusiasm from walk-bike events to create year-round walking and biking to school:
Low-cost strategies for successful walk & bike to school rates (CDC, 2014)
—Full CDC study
FOR KIDS: NHTSA–Kids Walking Guide
FOR PARENTS (Walking): Nat’l SRTS–Teaching Kids To Walk Safely (by age)
FOR PARENTS (Biking): Portland’s Family Biking Guide (all stages of riding)
NCWRPC Walking/Biking Club Toolkit
Railroad crossing signs for SRTS in Wauwatosa, WI
School Success Story – Omro, WI (2020 population: 3,600)
– Annual bicycle field trip;
– bicycle mechanics program; and
– other successes.
Rural Communities: Making Safe Routes Work (PDF)
Rural Communities: A Two-Pronged Approach for Improving Walking & Biking (PDF)
Walking School Buses
Walking school buses are a great way to offer children a supervised walk to school on a regular basis.
Bicycle Trains and Bicycle Skills Clinics
Bicycle trains allow students to bicycle to school together on a designated route under supervision. Bicycle Skills Clinics or “bicycle rodeos” are hands-on bicycle safety lesson with bike inspections, safety talks and bicycle skills practice.
Youth Education – available for a nominal fee [Wisconsin Bike Fed].
Adult Education – available for a nominal fee [Wisconsin Bike Fed].
Mileage Tracking
Providing a way for students to track the miles that they have walked or ridden a bicycle is a tangible way to chart progress toward a walking or biking goal.
| Links to SRTS surveys: |
| Class Tally Sheet |
| Parent Survey (English) |
| Parent Survey (Español) |
| Parent Survey (Hmoob) |
NCWRPC News Winter 2025 – Issue 85