Fitchburg Healthy Neighborhood Advisory Committee – July 8, 2026

The Healthy Neighborhood Advisory Committee met Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The meeting opened at 5:48 p.m., but after a paused start, Chair Ari Lowe formally called the meeting to order at 6:21 p.m.; it adjourned at 7:24 p.m. The committee reviewed 2025 grantee updates, discussed strengths and weaknesses of current grant program materials, considered the 2027 grant redesign timeline, and received summer event announcements. No public appearances were made.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda item 2A: Minutes from the May 13, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously by voice vote. The minutes item was handled after the formal call to order at 6:21 p.m.

Public Comments & Testimony

• None. No members of the public attended in chambers or online for non-agenda items.

Discussion Items

• 2025 Grantee Updates (continued): Staff presented slides from grantees who had not reported earlier. Root to Rise was the only 2025 grantee that did not submit an update.
  • Catholic Multicultural Center, now Catholic Charities, reported serving approximately 56 people from the North Fish neighborhood, 80 from Bellmar/Allied, and 18 from Road. A member noted Southdale seemed missing and staff said they would follow up. The organization reported family-focused programming, parent groups, and STEM at school, reached over 600 students and 150 adults, and partnered with the zoo, humane society, and La Sierra Heritage Center.
  • UNIDOS reported that 2025 was a record year for its bilingual helpline, with approximately 1,700 calls for support, safety planning, and services, and it provided emergency financial assistance to approximately 145 families, helping prevent eviction, homelessness, and utility shut-offs. Members asked for Fitchburg-specific service data.
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters reported strengthening connections between 35 littles and their bigs in priority neighborhoods, creating new community-based matches, matching at least 10 new youth, supporting 25 existing youth, and maintaining or improving scores on educational success, reduced risky behaviors, and social-emotional competency. Emmanuel Munoz, a former mentor, asked what support mentors receive; Ari Lowe said she did not see a mentor out-of-pocket reimbursement line item in the budget and suggested the question be sent to the organization.
  • Heartroom reported helping a Southdale family—a 49-year-old mother and her 9-year-old daughter—remain in their housing for a year. Members praised the deep, transformative impact and asked how Heartroom transitions families after support ends.
• Grant Program Materials Discussion (5B): The committee discussed what to keep or change in the application, award, and evaluation materials. Members raised concerns about organizations with professional grant writers and multiple funding sources, the need to show direct benefit to Fitchburg residents, and whether large organizations with substantial budgets should receive city funds. Emmanuel Munoz proposed a single-source scoring document combining quantitative metrics, such as grant request as a share of an organization's budget, past city support, and percentage of services to Fitchburg residents, with qualitative knowledge about each organization.
• Grant Redesign Timeline (5C): Staff said the redesign would run through the end of 2026, with outreach to residents, departments, schools, and other funders; draft materials in early 2027; approval by mid-2027; and a new program ready for 2028. Staff and Alder Joe Maldonado outlined two possible 2027 options: pause all grant funding while redesigning, or fund food-pantry organizations for one year without reapplication, with funds restricted to food purchases, while the redesign proceeds. Alder Joe Maldonado said the mayor had been supportive of the pause but council approval is still needed. Most committee commenters supported the food-pantry pause and continuity. The committee also discussed a possible neighborhood-specific RFP approach, multi-year contracts, using city-owned facilities, and stronger partnerships with Dane County, JFF workers, Madison's Neighborhood Resource Teams, and neighboring communities. Caitlin Eunice suggested an FAQ explaining the pause and redesign; members supported that idea. No formal vote was taken because the item was not on the agenda for public notice; staff said they would schedule a Zoom meeting for a vote.

Announcements & Summer Events

• Members said Parks Alive events, the Leopold bike pump track, and a repair cafe in the Arbor neighborhood were well attended. A Popsicles in the Park event on a rain date was successful, and extra popsicles may support an additional event.
• Upcoming events: Allied Park community dinner July 10, 5:30–7:30 p.m.; Allied Park basketball tournament July 26, 12–3 p.m.; Leopold Parks Alive next Tuesday, 5–7 p.m.; Rooted community meal at Hosta Hill next Thursday, July 16, 5–7 p.m.; Redeemer City Church festival at New Fountains apartments July 18; Southdale Badger Rock community meal July 10, tentatively 5:30–7 p.m., and movie in the park July 27, 5:30–7 p.m.
• A District 1 listening session is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 5–8 p.m. at Blue Plate Catering.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes from May 13, 2026, were approved unanimously.
• No formal vote was taken on the grant redesign; a future Zoom meeting will be scheduled so the committee can vote on the initial redesign structure before it goes to the Common Council.
• Staff will email follow-up questions to grantees, including Fitchburg-specific UNIDOS data, school breakdowns, Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor support, and Heartroom's transition process.
• Staff will draft an FAQ and begin drafting communications to past and future grantees and city departments as redesign outreach continues.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:24 p.m.