Why the St. Charles History Museum is asking for more money

The St. Charles History Museum is asking the city for a larger financial contribution to help the nonprofit adapt to a changing society.

New educational programs, updated technology and increased staffing are among the services museum leaders hope to offer if their request for an additional $10,000 or more per year is fulfilled, Executive Director Alison Costanzo said. The goal, she said, is to increase visitor attendance and make historical information more accessible to the community.

"Museums are having to redefine themselves in this day and age," Costanzo said. "To be able to reach this next generation, to be able to serve how our community is now, we can't do it. Every dollar is being stretched."

For more than a decade, St. Charles has allocated an annual $30,000 to $35,000 in hotel/motel tax revenue toward the museum, Finance Director Chris Minick said. The city also funds the maintenance of the building at 215 E. Main St.

That contribution makes up about 25 percent of the museum's total revenue, Costanzo said. The rest comes from fundraising efforts, membership dues, programming and the gift shop.

In a presentation to aldermen this week, museum leaders requested $42,000 next fiscal year, followed by incremental increases of $2,000 for the next four years. The proposal would bring the city's annual donation to $50,000 by 2022-23. St. Charles contributed $31,500 this year.

Though unwilling to commit future councils to the full funding plan, aldermen agreed to consider the museum's request for the next fiscal year, which begins May 1. The council, acting as the government operations committee, did not take a vote but agreed to evaluate the proposal during budget discussions.

"I want to give you as much as I can. I think it's very important what you do here," Alderman Ron Silkaitis told Costanzo. "But I also have to face the reality of the budget."

Museum leaders the last few years launched a rebranding initiative that includes a new website, a greater social media presence and various marketing strategies, Costanzo said. Event participation, grants, community partnerships and new collections are also among the organization's recent accomplishments.

Additional funding would not only allow the museum to provide more services, she said, but it could also position the organization for a major capital campaign and potential expansion in the future.

"Museums are at a precipice point," Costanzo said. "We are trying to remain relevant in our community over this next generation, and to do that, we have to be able to tell stories in an engaging way."