Lisle committee proposes changes to special-events grants, drops 50/50 profit-sharing

Community engagement staff presented proposed changes to the Village of Lisle—s special-events grant guidelines at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 15, recommending removal of a 50/50 profit-sharing condition, limiting for-profit recipients to free-entry events, and shifting grant review to the Economic Development Commission.

"The first of these recommended changes is to remove the 50 50 profit sharing requirement for 2 main reasons," the community engagement specialist said, explaining that profit sharing created a circular process that required successful grantees to give revenue back to the village and that the public benefit for for-profit events is best assured when entry is free. Under the new language staff proposed, for-profit organizations would be eligible only for events that are open to the public without a ticketed admission.

Staff also recommended removing a reimbursement-as-incurred option that had been little used, adding the Economic Development Commission to the review process, and shifting the next grant cycle timeline so applications can be published earlier in the fall, subject to budget approval in the FY 26-27 process. The presentation said eight applications from six organizations were received during the current cycle and that staff see opportunities to improve administration and outreach.

Board members generally supported the changes. "When we first decided to reinstitute the grant program, we knew at the time that we did it, it was going to be the first year that we would probably have to tweak it depending on how it worked out," one trustee said. "I am in support of the proposed changes." Another trustee said the village should continue to help grantees market events and suggested shifting the application timeline earlier to allow organizers more lead time.

Trustees asked staff to consider clarifying evaluation criteria so the grant panel can favor events with broad public benefit and attendance, to develop a checklist and marketing timeline that helps the village and applicants coordinate promotions, and to explore shifting the application publishing date to about Nov. 1 to give applicants more planning time. Staff said they will aim to publish the next cycle earlier in the fall and noted that final changes would take effect in the next grant cycle and are contingent on budget approval.

The committee indicated general concurrence with the proposed edits and asked staff to bring back final guideline language and an implementation timeline.