Waunakee coalition loses federal grant eligibility; district to end fiscal‑agent role, explores short‑term supports

Tim, a representative of the Waunakee Community Cares Coalition, told the Waunakee Community School District budget committee on June 2 that the coalition’s 2026 Drug‑Free Communities grant application was ruled ineligible by the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The coalition remains active. Our community partnerships remain strong, and our leadership team believes there is still a viable path forward,” Tim said, describing a process that began with a verbal selection in August 2025 and ended with an ineligibility determination on April 17, 2026. He said coalition leaders requested detailed feedback from federal officials but received little specific information.

Tim said the coalition was allowed to reapply in February 2026 and plans to try again in May 2027. He asked the district for interim support to preserve organizational continuity — minimal options cited by the coalition included continued access to Fund 21 (a district gift fund), office space in the high school and limited help monitoring federal communications while the group prepares a reapplication.

District staff explained how Fund 21 works and confirmed the district could accept small grants and donations there; district staff also recounted that the board covered a short payroll gap earlier in 2026, paying an estimated $2,000–$4,000 to cover months with uncertain funding. Tim said the coalition expects some funds to remain available through September 30 and reported a $2,500 local donation (Edward Jones / Madison Financial Group).

Coalition leaders also said they issued 30‑day layoff notices to two paid employees — the coalition coordinator (Tim) and a communications coordinator, Maddie Zeleleski — because of the funding shortfall. They described prior staffing levels and costs: an earlier coalition package funded a coordinator and benefits, and the coalition cited a previously negotiated coordinator salary of about $58,000 per year plus single‑coverage insurance, with salary and benefits previously totaling about $6,500 per month.

Board members offered a range of limited assistance while urging the coalition to identify the one to three “high‑impact” activities the district should prioritize if it can provide only partial support. Dr. Brown urged the coalition to bring exact cost figures for those activities; several members said the district could consider continuing office space and management of Fund 21 but were reluctant to assume the full burden of ongoing payroll or full grant obligations.

Several board members encouraged the coalition to pursue other public and private funding, and staff agreed to explore whether Fund 80 or other budget lines could provide partial, short‑term support. The coalition thanked the committee for its time and said it intended to keep community partnerships active as it prepares a stronger application for 2027.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the coalition’s future role but discussed staff follow‑up at the budget item later in the meeting. The public comment period ended and the committee moved on to the budget update.