Library says federal grant for DesignLab STEAM program ends early; city, parents seek options

Interim Library Director Laurie Burgess told the Fond du Lac City Council on Sept. 24 that the libraryhas received notice the federal Department of Education will not fund the final year of a five-year grant that supported the DesignLab STEAM program.

The loss matters because the program brought sustained STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) activity to local children: Burgess said the libraryreceived more than $300,000 a year for four years through Dramatic Results, the nonprofit manager and fiscal agent for the federal grant, and the program reached almost 500 children.

Library staff described what the program offered: weeklong camps and summer sessions for children entering grades 3 through 5, hands-on design-thinking projects (this yearcentered on a food-truck design challenge), professional development for pre-service teachers, and meals and materials supplied for participants. Crystal Zilke, a DesignLab instructor, said the program kept children engaged for hours and helped them develop teamwork and problem-solving skills. Burgess said the granthad a targeted outreach goal to serve students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch; staff said they reached about 70% of that target this year, below a stated 80% goal but one of their higher participation rates.

The council packet states that on Sept. 2 Dramatic Results notified the library the Department of Education would not continue funding the final year because the federal agency judged some DEI-related activities in the grant narrative to be out of alignment with current administration priorities. Burgess said Dramatic Results has filed an appeal and is looking for alternative funding, but both she and council members described the timeline as abrupt: staff learned of the decision with less than a monthnotice before the fiscal year ended.

Council members and staff discussed possible partial continuations and next steps. Burgess said the library is exploring lower-cost models such as shorter half-day sessions, a series of Saturday programs during the school year, scholarships or fee-based slots with subsidy for families who cannot pay, and partnerships with local institutions such as Marian University or the school district to reduce space and staffing costs. By statute the library can charge only for supplies, Burgess said, so some revenue options are constrained. Dramatic Results and library staff said they would pursue grant searches and appeals but had no confirmed replacement funding at the Sept. 24 meeting.

Public comment at the meeting reinforced community interest. John Joseph Wachowski, a resident, praised DesignLabfor youth programming and asked the council to help keep such programs running; he also raised concerns about recent downtown business closures, naming Main Street and Edith and Woods.

Burgess and staff said the program produced measurable participation and local partnerships, but emphasized that until a funding source is secured, the DesignLab model that operated the past four summers cannot be guaranteed. Library leaders asked the council and the community to consider options while they pursue appeals and alternate grants.

Looking ahead, Burgess said the library and Dramatic Results will continue outreach to potential funders and partners and will return to the council or the library board with concrete proposals if replacement funding or new program models are available.

Note: Program figures and the reason for the grant termination were provided in the library presentation and the library board packet; staff said the Department of Education withdrawal cited DEI-related activities in the grant narrative.