TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Kevin Sing, Director of Finance
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution Approving a Grant to the Joliet Area Historical Museum
end
BACKGROUND:
The City has been providing annual funding to the Joliet Area Historical Museum since 2002. In 2024 this funding was changed to a grant. As a grant, the City has limited the eligible uses for the funds, set required operating metrics, and receives regular reporting to ensure the grant requirements are met.
This grant is a reimbursement grant, meaning that the museum must expend funds and then request a grant draw with supporting documentation.
Similar to recent years, the proposed 2026 grant is $250,000.00 for the following purposes:
$25,000 - Regularly scheduled public events and educational programs at the Museum, including but not limited to:
* Concert Series at the Museum Rooftop Terrace and/or Auditorium
* Adult & Community Programs (Speakers, Lectures & Presentations)
* Children's Themed Events
* Historic Architectural and/or Thematic Walking & Shuttle Tours (Seasonal/Weather Permitting)
$125,000 - Administration of public operation for tours, program, and special events at the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site at 1125 Collins Street, Joliet, IL on a seasonal basis. (Approximately March-November)
$100,000 - Administration of public operation for tours, program, and special events at the Joliet Area Museum City Center Campus at 204 N Ottawa St, Joliet IL and Union Depot Tower Rail Museum at 100 E Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL. Curatorial functions including regularly scheduled exhibits, physical storage, and preservation of artifacts of publicly assessable research files.
To continue to be eligible for grant funding the Museum must:
1. Grantee must maintain regular public hours including both weekdays and weekends, exempting seasonal closures, at all Grantor Sites.
2. Grantee must hold at least one monthly Grantee sponsored public event or program at the Museum City C...
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