WAUPUN — Envision Greater Fond du Lac presented updates to the City Council last week about local business development and workforce development.
Sadie Howell, president and CEO of Envision Greater Fond du Lac, presented the updates at the Waupun Common Council meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
Howell provided an update on the activities of Envision over the last year. One of their primary focuses is Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) in the Fond du Lac County region, of which nine were completed in Waupun YTD.
Envision has an office in Waupun as the Waupun Business Alliance at 10 W Main St, where they provide resources for local businesses. Over the last year, they have provided assistance to 17 individuals with Waupun businesses across 104 manhours. Howell also mentioned the IGNITE Rural program, a business workshop group for a pitch event that was held in Waupun last November.
One program they are currently offering is a WRNC revolving low-interest business loan for business startup and expansion.
Howell also spoke on the low housing supply in Waupun and Fond du Lac County as a whole. She said that housing in Waupun is relatively affordable, but the lack of new homes makes it hard for the community to attract and retain talent. She specified that housing should be geared towards and developed for the local workforce—especially for those who already work here and in their price range.
“We use the term ‘affordable housing’ or ‘workforce housing,’ but for our housing committee that is not ‘low-income housing,’” she said. “It’s about homes for those who already work here—at the hospital, at the manufacturers, at the schools, at the correctional facilities—that want to find homes here but can’t find one available or can’t find one that’s in their price range. Employers across the county tell us the same thing, ‘we can hire but people have nowhere to live.’”
According to their statistics, Waupun has 336 businesses and approximately 4,400 employees. There are also 3,754 households with a median household income of $73,410, and a median home value of $221,791. But since 2020, homes—even fixer-uppers—are rarely on the market longer than a week or two.
Last month, Envision Greater Fond du Lac launched a “Make My Move” Talent Attraction Program, which would provide a stipend and various local benefits to families from out of state to incentivise them to move to Fond du Lac County.
Since launching the program in June, over 1,700 people applied to the campaign. Of those, only about 900 were eligible—718 seeking local employment with 245 working remotely, and 42% of these would bring their families. Some applicants have already confirmed they are moving to Fond du Lac County, having secured employment and/or purchased property in the county.
Alderman Pete Kaczmarski asked if those applying to the program would still be eligible if they moved to the Dodge County side of Waupun, since Waupun is split between Fond du Lac County and Dodge County. Howell said that the offer could still apply within a few miles of the border, but priority would be given to those moving specifically within Fond du Lac County.
Kaczmarski then asked if there was a timeline for the program or a limit to the number of people who would get approved for the program, to which Howell said it was 32 families in 2 years.
After the presentation concluded, the City Council moved on to the rest of the agenda, which included a motion to approve a new developer agreement for single family housing along the Shaler Dr extension. This would provide 41 new home lots with new properties to be available for purchase as soon as summer 2027.
The annual Waupun Business Alliance golf outing will be held September 11, 2026 at The Rock Golf Club in Waupun.
