Grants From MCF’s Community Impact Fund
March 20, 2026
ART House 360 and Clean Lakes Alliance are two of the nonprofits that were awarded grants from MCF’s Community Impact fund in 2026. Although they work in very different areas, these organizations highlight the power of community-driven philanthropy in action.
Clean Lakes Alliance: Coordinating Action for Healthier Waters
The five lakes of the Yahara watershed are central to life in Dane County, shaping our landscape, our economy and our sense of place. Since its inception in 2010, Clean Lakes Alliance’s mission has been to champion the lakes and watershed stewardship for the benefit of all. “The lakes are a collective resource,” explained Mike Smale, Watershed Program Specialist. “It is the responsibility of everyone – homeowners, farmers, businesses and individuals alike – to care for this resource.”
In 2022, the nonprofit gathered 19 organizations from across Dane County to produce the Renew the Blue stakeholder action plan, which identified key actions to collectively reduce the delivery of runoff, phosphorus pollution, and E. coli to our lakes. To ensure progress around recommended actions, Clean Lakes Alliance created the Renew the Blue Council.
Now with more than 35 member organizations, the Council brings together nonprofits, government agencies and local municipalities to align efforts, share data and accelerate progress toward healthier lakes. “Across the county, we had many organizations with aligned interests but a lack of communication between them,” Smale said. “The creation of the Council allows everyone to regularly be in the same room where their ideas and concerns can be heard and uplifted.”
MCF awarded Clean Lakes Alliance a three-year, $75,000 grant from the Community Impact Fund to support the Council’s launch and early operations. “We are grateful for this very generous grant from the Madison Community Foundation,” said Smale. “It will help us push through the initial three-year launch period as we recruit members, plan meetings, and become self-sustaining.”
With approximately 2.7 million visitors and generating more than $220 million in annual economic activity, protecting Greater Madison’s lakes and the surrounding watershed must remain a priority in Dane County. The Renew the Blue Council, with its embedded shared leadership and accountability, is helping ensure that it is.
Learn more about Clean Lakes Alliance’s impact and events at www.cleanlakesalliance.org
ART House 360: Creating Space for Culture, Creativity and Connection
In Verona, a historic schoolhouse is being reimagined as a vibrant gathering place where art, culture and community intersect. ART House 360 is transforming the former St.
Andrew School into a 12,000 square-foot multicultural arts center designed to reflect and celebrate diversity and creativity in Dane County.
Co-founded by Mónica Cliff, Jessica Lanius, Karisa Johnson and AJ Juarez, ART House 360 grew out of a desire to build community through the arts. As artists and educators, the co-founders saw firsthand how creativity can open doors, build confidence, and bring people together across cultures and generations. “The goal was clear from the beginning,” said Cliff, ART House 360’s Co-Director. “We wanted to remove barriers to art access and create a home where people of all ages, backgrounds and experience can explore many artistic disciplines under one roof.”
The renovated building will house gallery space, classrooms, studios and performance areas, with six resident organizations offering lessons, workshops and classes. “The space really came to life with the support and partnership of our resident organizations: Slate Blue Studios, Theatre LILA, BARRIO Dance, Inventiva Works, Verona Makers Space and Loud & Proud Studios,” Cliff said. “Together, they help shape a vibrant ecosystem of learning, performance and artistic exploration.”
MCF supported the ART House 360 with a $75,000 grant from the Community Impact Fund. The grant will help to cover the remaining renovation costs, including the completion of critical ADA accessibility upgrades.
“Once the building is complete and safe, the grant will also support, establishing a building maintenance fund for long-sustainability and more,” said Cliff. “In essence, this grant funding is not the end of a project but the beginning of our impact.”
ART House 360 has been hosting classes, workshops and shows open to the community since August 2025, and stands as a testament to what’s possible when community generosity meets creative vision.
Find ART House 360’s current offerings at www.ARTHouse360.com.
