Monday Morning Round Up 2/9/26

Deadline – February 10, 4:30 p.m.

Apply now for:

• Neighborhood Leadership and Capacity Building Projects
• Community Enhancement Projects

Image credit: Arbor Hills Neighborhood Association

In 2025, Arbor Hills Neighborhood used their grant to expand newsletter distribution and encourage many more people, including renters and others, to a host of community events and activities.

Eligible applicants:

• Small groups of 5 or more residents
• Neighborhood organizations and planning councils
• Non-profits and centers of worship
• Business associations and organizations engaged in community building and/or civic engagement activities

The Neighborhood Grant Program guidelines and application are on the city’s webpage. The application deadline is February 10, by 4:30 p.m. You can complete the fillable PDF, handwrite the application, use the online version, or create a short video to apply.

We encourage projects that:

Engage new and diverse communities • Create/build community • Increase community and neighborhood impact on public decisions and community life • Are ready to begin within 1-3 months from award • Are free and open to the public.

Image credit: Allied Wellness Center

Also in 2025, the Allied Wellness Center created a learning garden plot at Marlborough Park Community Garden and hosted gardening workshops and planting days. In addition to growing fresh vegetables for themselves, the participants donated 300 lbs. to Allied Food Pantry, the Derby Apartments and other families!

PLANNING DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER

Apply for a City Grant, Rank Art Proposals, and More

Monona Terrace Art Call

The Madison Arts Commission invites artists to apply to the 2026 Art on the Rooftop exhibition at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. Art on the Rooftop is a free sculpture exhibition that showcases the rooftop gardens and the facility as another “must see” Madison destination.

Monona Terrace and the Madison Arts Commission seek works that engage visitors and complement the organic architecture of Wright’s curvilinear and glass-centric façade.

Neighborhood Grants – Due February 10

The Planning Division is accepting grant applications from organizations that serve neighborhoods and groups of 5 or more residents for community enhancement or leadership and capacity building projects. Projects should:

• Engage new and diverse communities
• Create/build community
• Increase community and neighborhood impact on public decisions and community life
• Be ready to start within 1-3 months from award
• Be free and open to the public

Visit the city’s webpage for information on eligibility and scoring criteria. You will also find the online application, a fillable .pdf and other information on how to apply.

Applications are due February 10, 4:30 p.m.

Madison Arts Commission Grants – Due March 1

The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) is now accepting applications for annual grants.

Annual Arts Grants – Due 11:59 p.m., March 1 

• Project Grants ($1,000-$5,000)
• Legacy Grants ($1,500)
• Individual Fellowship Grants ($1,000 – $2,000)

Projects must occur between June 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027, within the City of Madison.

We encourage projects that:

• Engage Madison residents in arts and cultural activities
• Expand artists’ reach in the community
• Create participatory creative experiences
• Provide arts activities for PK-12 students
• Reach diverse or under-served communities
• Celebrate identity, groups, or neighborhoods

Call for Existing Works of Art – Rolling Deadline
This City of Madison purchases, loans, and licenses art for city projects.  Artists can submit up to 10 works annually across any medium – 2D, 3D, digital, or time-based. Submissions are reviewed a few times a year as needed.

Seed Grants – Due February 20

The Mayor’s Office is now accepting applications for SEED grants. Any proposal that improves the local food system and makes food more accessible for City of Madison residents will be considered. Submit your application to the Madison Food Policy Council via email ( mfpc@cityofmadison.com).

Applications are due Friday, February 20, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email or call the Madison Food Policy Council at mfpc@cityofmadison.com or 608-266-6544 and program staff will respond as soon as possible.

Information is on the city’s webpage.

Streets Division Updates

• Food Scraps at the Farmers’ Markets Returns in April: This year we’ve stretched out to a fourth farmers’ market that we’re pretty excited about. Details are available at our food scraps page.  Sustain Dane is looking for people to help at the markets as well, so if you’re interested, please reach out to Sam Wordette.
• New Central Drop-off Site Location?: Very soon there will be more details made available about the new address for the centrally located drop-off site. We’re trying to get the signage figured out before we make too much of a fuss about the new entrance. It won’t open until April 11 anyway, so there is plenty of time. We’re sorry for the suspense, but it shouldn’t be much longer. Remember, for your drop-off site information needs, head over to our drop-off site webpage.
• 2026 Yard Waste & Brush Dates?: The regular curbside pickup for brush pickup and the spring yard waste collection does not start until the end of March or early April. The dates for these collections will be posted to the website soon, and we will announce it when the dates are available.  We really recommend you sign up for our collection alert emails on the brush and yard waste page if you are interested in getting updates. We do appreciate your patience. Unfortunately, we still got a lot of winter left to go. Don’t let the current weather fool you! Remember how warm it was around Christmas and then we got shellacked with very cold temperatures. Who knows what early March will bring our way…
• Recycling Tip: Not all Plastics Belong in Your Cart: Remember, your recycling cart is for empty plastic bottles, jugs, those plastic boxes that spinach or berries come in from the produce aisle – stuff like that. It’s not meant for every kind of plastic doohickey under the sun. We were just asked about pickleball balls and if they can be recycled. The answer is no. Don’t put plastic sports balls into the recycling (pickle, wiffle, ping pong, or other). We have a handy online Recyclopedia to help you find the right way to recycle or dispose of the things you no longer need or want, so please use that free tool.

REGIONAL HOUSING NEWS

Upcoming Regional Housing Network (RHN) Webinar

Addressing Racial Disparities in Housing and Homeownership— What Communities Can Do! Thursday, February 12, 2026, 3:00-4:00 PM Please join us for our upcoming Regional Housing Network (RHN) Webinar, happening Thursday, February 12, 2026, 3:00-4:00 PM. Addressing racial disparities in housing and homeownership was one of the top priorities identified by the RHS Housing Advisory Committee they felt should be addressed at a regional level. This webinar will provide an overview of ongoing disparities in housing and homeownership, some of the impacts, and provide information on current efforts and resources. Also shared, will be a new RHS Fact Sheet on Racial Disparities in Housing and Homeownership and the impact to people and communities.   Katey Nelson, Operations Director, YWCA, and 2024 recipient of the Dane County Hometown Housing Hero Award, will discuss YWCA’s work in racial justice. Katey will outline the programming and resources that support people of color to gain and maintain access to stable housing. She will also provide examples of how you and your community members can benefit from YWCA’s work and get involved. Tiffany Malone, Co-Founder, Own It: Building Black Wealth, will discuss her organization’s mission and programming to address disparities in homeownership for people of color, and how you, your community, and the private sector can participate in the solutions. Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ZdGrbOEsTWyzeleLmN233w Meeting Passcode: 854914 Please share the RHS newsletter and invite your friends to sign up here!

Will you please pass this message on to expecting parents and families with children from birth to age 5. We are asking for your help to spread the word about several openings in Head Start & Early Head Start home and center-based programs for the next school year.

Interested parents can visit www.reachdane.org for more information and https://www.reachdane.org/enroll/index.cfm for a fillable application.

Applications can be emailed to lramirez@reachdane.org.

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Free Legal Clinic February 26th at Neighborhood House

Hello,

Neighborhood House Community Center is scheduling appointments for a Free Legal Clinic on Thursday February 26, 2026 from 4 – 6:30 pm.  To request an appointment, fill out this online form:  legal appointment request or give us a call on (608) 255-5337 to request an appointment or with questions.

Take care,

Sarah

Image credit: Neighborhood House Community Center

Image credit: Neighborhood House Community Center

In the News
February 05, 2026 City of Madison News Release
Madison Public Market Achieves LEED Gold Certification

The project plans and specifications were approved by the Board of Public Works on Jan. 28, 2026 and will be on the Feb. 10, 2026 Common Council agenda for approval.

The project contract has been awarded to S&L Underground, Inc. and construction is expected to start in April 2026.  Madison Gas & Electric has mobilized to replace gas main in the neighborhood ahead of the street construction.

The plans, specifications, and assessments have been approved by the Board of Public Works and Common Council.  The project is currently advertised for contractor bids with an expected start of construction in late spring or early summer of 2026.

Winter Salt Week was so much fun, we wanted to give one more bonus episode of Less Salty with Phil Gaebler, paired with the full list of recordings from last week’s expert talks.

Less Salty 2026: with Phil Gaebler: Too Much Salt

Sometimes too much salt has been put down on the sidewalk. If after the snow and ice has melted, and you realize maybe you overapplied, you may want to bust out your fourth tool in your winter tool kit: the dustpan. If you see excess salt, sweep it up, and save it for another day.

Our focus with Less Salty with Phil Gaebler is to help property owners learn how to minimize salt use, know when to use salt and how, plus making sure companies you hire, neighbors and community know about responsible salt use in the City of Madison. 

Phil Gaebler is a stormwater engineer with decades of experience in the environmental engineering world. He works for the City of Madison Engineering Division and kickstarted the City with Wisconsin SaltWise with the inception of the now-statewide group. He’s also tasked with completing in-house training for all City salt crews on salt calibration, salt use and more, which helps inform City leaders make decisions on salt use implications, citations, use on roads, sidewalks and more. 

Winter Salt Week Recordings

If you missed the livestreams or recordings from Winter Salt Week, they’re all available on YouTube. The topics included in the recordings are the following:

• Winter Salt Week 2026: Salt Wise Stories
• Winter Salt Week 2026: Smart Salting Contracts
• Winter Salt Week: Engineering Solutions
• Winter Salt Week 2026: Advocating for Change
• Winter Salt Week 2026: Salt Monitoring 101

Watch them all on the Winter Salt Week YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@wisaltwise1739/streams

Join TRC and Bayview this February for a Tenant Rights Training! One Thursday every month this year, TRC will partner with another local organization at rotating locations to host a series of trainings on a variety of topics in tenants’ rights. For February, we have partnered with Bayview Foundation for a training on Ending a Rental Agreement.

Join us on February 19th from 5 PM – 6:30 PM at Bayview – 103 La Mariposa Lane, Madison, WI. And continue to stay tuned for additional events throughout 2026!

Sincerely,

TRC

Image credit: Tenant Resource Center

Image credit: Tenant Resource Center

Good Afternoon!

We are announcing our upcoming community event- Seen & Unseen: A Homelessness Awareness Experience coming to the Capitol Square on Tuesday, March 3rd kicking off at 12pm on S. Pinckney (in front of Graze)!

SEEN & UNSEEN is an immersive, outdoor experience that pulls back the curtain on the realities too often ignored. Through four powerful stops around Capitol Square, you’ll walk the invisible journey from homelessness toward housing—witnessing the trauma, systemic barriers, and relentless effort it takes for our neighbors to survive, heal, and reclaim stability.

Here are ways you and your organizations can get involved: 

1. Help us create the art installation and signage for the outdoor experience! Sign up HERE and check out attached flier ‘Call to Action Artists’

2. Donate materials for the installation (shoot me an email if you’d like a materials list)

3. Help us spread the word (fliers attached to this email ready for release)

4. Collaborate with us for the event-help us build an installation site, volunteer for set-up and/or tear-down, be a speaker at one of the 4 sites around the Capitol Square

5. Attend the event and invite your networks! Kicks off at 12pm on the Capitol Square on Tuesday, March 3rd

Look forward to folks joining us for this community-wide event that will bring awareness to the struggles and barriers around homelessness.

In Solidarity,

Alex

Image credit: Urban Triage

Hello, Madisonians

Quick update today.

Food scraps recycling will return to farmer’s markets starting his April!

This year we’re adding a fourth market location to the previous three that you all know and love, so we’re going to stretch our collective necks out just a little bit and go for a higher weight goal this year, too.

For these food scraps drop-off sites to work, we need helpful, welcoming, and community-minded people to work there. If you’ve visited our market sites, you know just how chatty, positive, and knowledgeable they are. It’s a good vibe.

We’ve partnered with Sustain Dane since 2023 to provide the staffing for food scraps market sites.

And they are hiring the positions for the 2026 markets right now.

Sustain Dane has two job opportunities: 

• Compost Intern Job Posting
• Driving Compost Intern Job Posting

If these opportunities sound like something you would like to do, complete the application process.

Or, maybe you know someone that would enjoy this, and if so, please pass along these opportunities to them.

If you have questions about the positions, please contact Sam Wordette at Sustain Dane.

Thank you all for your time and attention.

Bryan Johnson

Recycling Coordinator

CDA Vacancies

2-bedroom wheelchair accessible units 

Do you know of a family in need of a low-income, subsidized, 2-bedroom wheelchair accessible housing unit?

Community Development Authority (CDA)- City of Madison currently has vacancies in our Karabis 2- bedroom wheelchair accessible apartments!

Karabis Apartments are located along South Park Street in Madison at the CDA’s Triangle Housing site.

The Karabis Housing application is available on CDA’s website at: https://madisoncda.myhousing.com/?abandon=False

More information on how to apply for this and other CDA housing programs, basic eligibility, waitlist information, income limits and much  more can be found at our Applicants section of our website.

Please help us spread the word and help us continue our mission of providing quality housing options for residents of Madison, Wisconsin. Together, we can make a positive impact and create a brighter future for our community!

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Community Development Authority

Housing@cityofmadison.com

T: 608-266-4675

JustDane Reentry Service Fair February 17th

February 17, 2026

5-6:30 PM

Madison College South: 2429 Perry St., Madison, WI

Meet with local vendors offering resources for people reentering the community after incarceration.

For more information, email us at info@jsutdane.org, call 608-256-0906, or visit our website: justdane.org.

Service Fair Flyer (English)

Service Fair Flyer (Spanish)

John Nolen Drive Construction Update Latest Update 1/30/2026 General Project Information The John Nolen Drive project includes reconstructing John Nolen Drive and six bridges that span the causeway. New curb and gutter with a raised median separating northbound and southbound traffic will narrow traffic lanes to calm high traffic speeds. The Capital City Trail will be moved further from the roadway with the addition of three new bridge structures, increasing pedestrian safety and greenspace along the corridor. The trail will also be widened, increasing the capacity of the trail, with separate paths for bikes and foot traffic. Project Schedule Stage 2 Start Date: November 24, 2025 Anticipated Stage 2 Completion: August 2026 Current Stage / Traffic Impacts – Stage 2 Work entails reconstructing southbound John Nolen Drive, reconstructing three bridges on the causeway, and the Basset to Bedford pedestrian path. John Nolen Dr restricted to one lane each direction on existing northbound lanes No left turns from Broom St to John Nolen Dr Nighttime full closures (causeway only) anticipated for bridge girder installation Upcoming Stage/Traffic Impacts – Stage 2a (anticipated start in late February and concurrent with Stage 2) Work entails reconstructing the western half of the Broom St intersection John Nolen Dr restricted to one lane each direction on existing northbound lanes Broom St closed between W Wilson St and John Nolen Dr Bike and pedestrian traffic detoured to North Shore during railroad reconstruction. Railroad work performed by others under contract with WSOR. Work Week of 2/2/26 Bridge abutment and pier removal continues on all bridges Limited tree removal along North Shore Dr Work Week of 2/9/26 Pile driving to begin on northernmost bridge Pier removal continues on southernmost bridge Storm sewer installation between North Shore Dr and Broom St Storm sewer installation north of Broom St Traffic/Pedestrian/Bike Impacts The temporary crosswalk on the north side of Broom St is in place and will be the only crossing at Broom St until the project is complete. Sidewalk along the southern side of Broom St is closed. The Capital City Trail remains open. No additional trail disruptions are anticipated until summer of 2026. Cyclists are encouraged to dismount from their bikes when crossing active construction zones near Broom St and North Shore Dr. All vehicles on John Nolen Dr use existing northbound lanes between Lakeside St and the Monona Terrace. Both directions of traffic are reduced to one lane prior to entering the active work zone. Signs have been installed on both end of the project to provide direction on where to “zipper merge”. Motorists should utilize all lanes and avoid early merging. Motorists are reminded the statutory speed limit has been reduced to 25mph for the duration of the project. The state of Wisconsin doubles fines in construction or work zones when workers are present. These doubled fines apply not only to speeding, but also other traffic violations such as unsafe lane changes or failure to yield. Please be alert when traveling along the John Nolen Drive corridor. Please note that some work is dependent on weather and may be subject to change. Thank you in advance for your patience throughout this project. Contact Information Mark Sponem, WisDOT – Project Manager Email:  mark.sponem@dot.wi.gov Dan Bauknecht, WisDOT – Project Engineer Email:  daniel.bauknecht@dot.wi.gov If you would like to be added to the weekly update distribution list, please sign up using the subscribe button on the project website or email your name and email address to  daniel.bauknecht@dot.wi.gov. Progress Photos