Monona tourism commission approves event grants; Aldo Leopold Nature Center funded at $120,000

The Monona Tourism Commission on Jan. 17 approved several first-quarter tourism grants, awarding funds to the Lake Monona Run and the Monona Parade, reducing a request from Friends of San Damiano, and approving a $120,000 award to Aldo Leopold Nature Center.

The commission approved the Lake Monona Run’s full requested award after organizer Ryan told commissioners the event is drawing more participants than last year. "We are 58% ahead of registrations... we are sitting at 1,219 registered to date. At this date last year, we had 769 people registered," Ryan said, noting registrations from the Chicago and Green Bay areas.

Commissioners approved the parade application for the full requested amount of $24,000. Staff had recommended the full award and told the board the budget was detailed and consistent with last year’s submission; the application included line items for public-safety costs and bus rerouting.

Friends of San Damiano requested funding to support a transition from a volunteer-run group to a staffed nonprofit, including marketing, rental equipment and a portion of an executive director salary. Interim managing director Julie Burns described the group’s goals: "We're planning on moving from a volunteer run organization to hiring an executive director and having some professional staff... We are also in the works with the city of Monona" on a revised memorandum of understanding, she said. Commissioners voted to reduce the group's requested award by $2,000; a commissioner who earlier declared a conflict on the item abstained from the final vote.

Aldo Leopold Nature Center representative Cara outlined a large, consolidated request that combined private-event support (weddings and rentals), backpacks and visitor programming, paid public events and free community programming. Cara said the center booked 23 private events this year and sees private events as the principal source of hotel stays from visiting attendees. "Weddings and rentals ... is the first thing on the budget, and that is because this is really what brings heads to Monona hotels," she said. Commissioners debated priorities and the portion of salary support requested, then amended the request and approved funding at $120,000.

Votes at a glance

- Lake Monona Run — approved (full amount requested; staff recommended $16,500) - Monona Parade (Kelly Slack) — approved (full amount requested: $24,000) - Friends of San Damiano — approved after amendment (reduced by $2,000 from the request; one commissioner abstained due to a declared conflict) - Aldo Leopold Nature Center — approved at $120,000 (amended from the original request)

Commissioners and staff signaled interest in tracking the hotel-night impact of larger awards more explicitly. Staff said they can assist with gathering occupancy or room-block data from hotels and encouraged applicants to work with the destination-marketing partner in town to coordinate advertising.