GiGi’s Playhouse Madison Awarded $75,000 Grant from Madison Community Foundation to Support Forever Home Capital Campaign

GiGi’s Playhouse Madison Awarded $75,000 Grant

We are overjoyed to share some truly transformational news: Madison Community Foundation (MCF) has awarded GiGi’s Playhouse Madison a $75,000 Community Impact Grant to support our Empowering Futures: Believe in our Build capital campaign and help bring our forever home to life.

This remarkable investment moves us one giant step closer to creating a permanent, fully accessible space designed specifically for individuals with Down syndrome; a place where every person who walks through our doors is celebrated, supported, and empowered to thrive.

A Milestone Moment for Our Community

This month, Madison Community Foundation announced its newest round of Community Impact Grants, awarding a total of $1.4 million to local nonprofits doing meaningful work across Dane County. We are deeply honored that our vision for a permanent Playhouse was selected , and fully funded, in such a competitive grant cycle.

The $75,000 award directly supports the creation of our new 8,000-square-foot home on Botanical Drive in Fitchburg. This purpose-built space will include:

• A fully accessible sensory room
• A multipurpose gym for fitness and motor-development programming
• A teaching kitchen
• Community gathering and celebration spaces
• Adaptive outdoor elements, including raised garden beds
• Technology-rich classrooms to support math, literacy, speech, and career development programs

Most importantly, it will give our families something we’ve dreamed about for years: a home that is truly ours.

A Message From Our Executive Director

Kelly Antonson, Executive Director of GiGi’s Playhouse Madison, shared what this grant means for our future:

“This incredibly generous grant from the Madison Community Foundation will make a transformative impact on the future of our Playhouse. Fully funding our request in such a competitive grant cycle is a vote of confidence in our mission and it brings us so much closer to realizing a permanent home where people with Down syndrome can thrive, connect, and grow. We are deeply thankful for their belief in us and for investing in a future of inclusion and possibility.”

Community Support Making Big Dreams Possible

This gift is not only financial support, it is a celebration of our mission, our families, and our future. It reflects the power of community partnerships and the shared belief that individuals with Down syndrome deserve opportunities to learn, grow, work, and belong.

As we continue moving toward our groundbreaking and construction phases, support from partners like Madison Community Foundation ensures that our vision becomes reality.

Thank You, Madison Community Foundation

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Madison Community Foundation for their leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment to strengthening our community. Their support ensures that GiGi’s Playhouse Madison will have a permanent space to expand programs, deepen connections, and welcome more families than ever before.

Together, we are building more than a facility , we are building belonging, possibility, and a future filled with joy. You can see a list of all the awards here.