Press Release - Friends of San Damiano Enters New Era with Support from Madison Community Foundation

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Friends of San Damiano Enters New Era with Support from Madison Community Foundation

MONONA, Wisc. (April 7, 2025) – Friends of San Damiano (FoSD) is honored to announce it has received a $50,000 Community Impact Grant from the Madison Community Foundation (MCF) to support a major capacity-building initiative, including the hiring of the organization’s first executive director. With this investment—and matching contributions from additional grantors and donors—FoSD is actively recruiting for the new leadership role to begin in 2025.

This announcement follows a key milestone in San Damiano’s future. On March 17, 2025, the City of Monona and FoSD formalized their public-private relationship with a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Under the agreement, the City retains ownership of the lakefront property while FoSD leads fundraising, programming, operations, and phased implementation of the San Damiano Master Plan.

Since its founding in 2020, FoSD has worked alongside the City to help preserve San Damiano as a public lakeside destination for recreation, programming, and peaceful reflection. The Master Plan, approved in 2024, outlines $11–$14 million in phased improvements, including a year-round community facility, shoreline restoration, and improved public lake access.

“We are incredibly grateful to Madison Community Foundation for believing in the vision for San Damiano and investing in its future,” said Wes Mosman Block, FoSD Board President. “This support is accelerating our ability to bring the community’s vision to life.”

With MCF’s support, FoSD is launching a search for its first executive director, who will lead the organization at a pivotal moment in its growth. Reporting to the Board President, the Executive Director will serve as FoSD’s chief executive, guiding the organization as it assumes responsibility for operating the San Damiano property and prepares to launch a capital campaign to bring the San Damiano Master Plan to life.

"Investing in strong leadership is essential for the success of any transformative project," commented Angela Davis, Director of Grantmaking at Madison Community Foundation. “The new executive director of the Friends of San Damiano will help deliver the vision for the San Damiano property as a revitalized space for the community. MCF is proud to support this project as it ensures the property will remain a thriving, accessible space for generations to come.”

To learn more about Friends of San Damiano, visit www.sandamianomonona.org.

To apply for the Executive Director position, view the job posting.

About Madison Community Foundation: MCF works with donors and nonprofit organizations to achieve its mission to engage Greater Madison in philanthropy to advance a more vibrant and equitable community. It serves more than 600 individual and 300 nonprofit fundholders, and in 2024, together with its fundholders, distributed more than $23 million into the community. To learn more, visit www.madisongives.org.