Festival Country board approves $5,000 grant for downtown walking‑tour web app

Dana Monson, community development specialist for the city of Franklin and staff for the Franklin Public Arts Commission, asked the Festival Country board to approve a $5,000 grant to create a web‑based walking‑tour product for Downtown Franklin.

"We are here tonight requesting some funds to create a new product that we believe will enhance tourism and the visitor experience in Downtown Franklin," Monson said. The product would publish up to 10 tours, host video and photos, and use QR codes at stops to link visitors to content.

The app vendor identified in Monson's presentation was the company she spelled out as S T Q R Y; Monson said the software is a web app (not a native phone download) and supports mapping, multimedia, multiple tours and temporary/seasonal tour swaps. She said the three‑year subscription is part of the proposed work and that partner organizations—Franklin Heritage Inc., Franklin Development Corporation and Discover Downtown Franklin—are contributing to the cost. Monson said the initial vendor pricing the group reviewed ranged from about $9,000 to $12,000 and that the $5,000 request would pay for product development and data population.

Board member Donnie Robinette moved to approve the grant as requested for $5,000; Jason Bell seconded. The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition.

Monson said the commission intends to use consistency in branding across tour stops, to provide brochures and hotel materials, and to include Spanish and other language options on a per‑tour basis. She also described plans to produce video content (including a short segment with Rob Schultz on architecture) and to tailor a tour for the Indiana Landmarks/Main Street conference expected to visit Franklin next year.

The board did not attach additional conditions to the grant in the meeting. Monson and partners will proceed with vendor contracting and content production under the approved $5,000 allocation.