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Carroll Children’s Museum asks Carroll City for $125,000 to secure its downtown space
Summary
The Carroll Children’s Museum requested $125,000 from Carroll City to buy its leased space as part of a $400,000 capital campaign; museum leaders said ownership would protect the museum long term and help leverage state and private grants.
Marcy Heroff, volunteer executive director of the Carroll Children’s Museum, asked Carroll City to join the museum’s capital campaign by committing $125,000 toward the purchase of the museum’s current leased space.
Heroff said the museum has raised $82,800 in community commitments and has applied for multiple grants, including an IEDA Community Attraction and Tourism grant and potential support from the Iowa West Foundation. “We are requesting from the city of Carroll to participate in our capital campaign by investing $125,000 towards the purchase of the museum space,” Heroff said.
The museum operates as a hands‑on, play‑based learning center that serves local families, schools and child‑care centers. Heroff told the council the museum’s operating budget is roughly $95,000 a year and that current rents total about $1,750 a month for one unit and $250 for a second unit (about $2,200 total including utilities), with the museum seeking to convert rent to ownership for stability and expanded programming.
Council members asked about the campaign timeline, other commitments and whether the museum meets nonprofit and facility ownership requirements. Heroff and Amy Shoemaker, the museum’s part‑time volunteer executive director, said the quiet phase began in October 2025, the public campaign launch is planned for April, and the museum’s goal is to secure the purchase within 12 months (target October 2026). Shoemaker confirmed the organization is a nonprofit and said the museum would be tax‑exempt once the nonprofit organization holds title.
Heroff said the museum’s capital plan assumes a $400,000 purchase price and explained that some grant programs require local commitments or matching funds. She noted the museum has applied for eight grants and hoped to leverage the city’s commitment to strengthen applications. Parent and community speakers supported the request at the meeting, describing the museum as a downtown draw that increases foot traffic and supports local businesses.
The council said the request will be considered in the upcoming budget process. Council discussion focused on the timing of state decisions about property tax policy, the museum’s fundraising progress and whether county or other municipal contributions would be sought. The museum did not receive a vote tonight; officials said the request will be reviewed during the budget hearings next month.
