GROW Racine
GROW Racine (Growing Residents’ Opportunities and Wealth) was a City of Racine initiative introduced in 2022 to help adult residents advance their education, build meaningful careers, and strengthen their financial futures. Funded with $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, the program connected residents to scholarships, training, financial counseling, and community-based support designed to remove barriers and expand opportunity.
What GROW Racine Offered
The initiative included five core components:
- Finish Your High School Diploma
Adults could earn their high school equivalency diploma (HSED) through the YWCA Southeast Wisconsin’s 5.09 program, with scholarships to offset living costs during enrollment.
- Launch a Career in the Trades
Local residents enrolled in pre-apprenticeship programs through WRTP/Big Step and the Racine Family YMCA’s First Choice initiative, gaining hands-on skills and entry into family-supporting careers in construction and roadbuilding.
- Build Financial Resilience
The Racine Financial Empowerment Center (FEC), operated in partnership with Housing Resources, Inc., offered free one-on-one financial counseling focused on budgeting, credit repair, debt reduction, and homeownership planning. - Support for Homeownership and Repairs
GROW Racine also aimed to assist residents with buying homes and making needed repairs—providing access to city housing resources to stabilize neighborhoods and promote generational wealth. - Mini-Grants for Community Impact
Local nonprofits could apply for mini-grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 to address unmet community needs, with a focus on historically excluded populations and neighborhoods prioritized for revitalization.
Community Impact
Hundreds of residents enrolled in programs that helped them complete their education, enter the trades, and stabilize their financial lives. GROW Racine also supported local nonprofit partners and created new pathways for residents from underserved communities to build long-term stability.
Although the initiative has concluded, it left a lasting mark by proving how focused investments in people can transform lives and neighborhoods.
