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Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

Yes.

Wisconsin is the U.S. state that has invested the most federal pandemic aid money in economic development and business assistance. As of August 2022, the state invested 56% of its funds (totaling over $1 billion) in economic development and 32% in grants to businesses, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Guam, a U.S. territory that also received pandemic aid, directed an even higher proportion to its economy: 57% in economic development and 52% in business assistance.

The federal government created the Fiscal Recovery Funds under the American Rescue Plan to aid states’ COVID-19 recovery. States have until 2024 to decide how they will use the funds, with the program allowing them a high degree of discretion. Other spending categories include infrastructure, health, welfare, education, public safety and the environment.

Sources

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: How states can best use federal Fiscal Recovery Funds: Lessons from state choices so far

State of Wisconsin: Main Street Bounceback Grants press release

US Treasury: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds

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Jacob Alabab-Moser joined as Wisconsin Watch’s fact checker in September 2022, as part of the effort by The Gigafact Project in partnership with different state-level news outlets to combat misinformation in the 2022 midterm elections. Jacob has several years of experience as a fact checker and research assistant at a variety of organizations, including at The Gigafact Project. He holds a BA from Brown University and is pursuing a MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science.