Fitchburg, WI Healthy Neighborhoods Advisory Committee 1-14-26

The Healthy Neighborhoods Advisory Committee of Fitchburg, WI, met on January 14, 2026, primarily to discuss the 2026 grant funding program. The committee reviewed the total available grant funds of $128,000 for the year and considered increasing the maximum grant award per organization from $15,000 to $25,000. They discussed the implications of funding fewer organizations at higher amounts versus more organizations at lower amounts, with a consensus to proceed with the $25,000 maximum while retaining flexibility for partial funding. The committee also reviewed and debated the grant application and evaluation guidelines, including criteria for awarding bonus points for programming held at the community hub, and how to prioritize funding among applicants based on factors such as past funding history, program impact, and neighborhood needs. They considered changes to the scoring scale for grant evaluations and discussed the importance of transparent and equitable funding decisions. Additionally, updates were provided on the neighborhood strategic plan and staffing changes related to the neighborhood navigator position. No formal motions or votes were recorded during the meeting, but the committee agreed to continue refining the grant evaluation process in future meetings.