FUNDING
Who Pays for Moncus Park?
Moncus Park isn’t run by the city, the parish, or the state. It’s a nonprofit park conservancy, and the people who love it are the ones who keep it going. Public dollars have helped build parts of the park, but none go toward running it day to day. Here’s how that works.
Who pays to keep the park running?
Our community does. Moncus Park is a nonprofit park conservancy, so none of it comes from the City of Lafayette, Lafayette Parish, or PARC.
Moncus Park welcomes more than 654,000 visits a year. Mowing, security, clean restrooms, staff, and free events for all of those visits have to be paid for again every year. In 2025, here’s where that money came from.
- 43%Donations
- 25%Special eventsChristmas in the Park, the Gala
- 12%Parking
- 6%Memberships
- 5%In-kind gifts
- 4%Interest
- 3%Rentals
- 2%Programs & permits
- <1%Grants
Why do I pay to park? Parking brings in about 12% of what it takes to run the park each year. As a nonprofit park conservancy, Moncus Park doesn’t receive city or parish money for operations, so parking helps cover the things you use every visit: mowed grass, safe paths, clean restrooms, and free events.
See the full numbers
| DonationsGifts from people, families, foundations, and local businesses | $1,138,147 | 43% |
|---|---|---|
| Special eventsChristmas in the Park, An Evening Under the Oaks, and other fundraisers | $667,278 | 25% |
| ParkingWhat visitors pay to park | $328,066 | 12% |
| MembershipsAnnual Friends of Moncus Park memberships | $155,968 | 6% |
| In-kind giftsGoods and services donated in place of cash | $134,557 | 5% |
| InterestEarned on the park’s reserve and operating accounts | $111,337 | 4% |
| RentalsWeddings, birthday parties, and private events | $75,530 | 3% |
| Programs & permitsSponsored classes, dog park permits, and vendor fees | $57,393 | 2% |
| GrantsSupport from private and corporate grantmakers | $5,900 | <1% |
| Total | $2,674,176 | 100% |
What does that money pay for?
Mostly the park itself: the grounds you walk, the events you come to, and the people who make it all happen.
- 41%Caring for the groundsLandscaping, repairs, utilities, security
- 28%Events & programsFree events, community programs, hospitality
- 17%FundraisingCampaigns, events, and marketing that raise support
- 14%Running the organizationInsurance, IT, rent, office support
See the full numbers
| Caring for the groundsPark care, landscaping, repairs, utilities, and security | $1,087,865 | 41% |
|---|---|---|
| Events & programsPark services: free public events, community programs, and hospitality | $760,492 | 28% |
| FundraisingOutreach campaigns, fundraising events, marketing, and donor recognition signs | $458,417 | 17% |
| Running the organizationAdministration: insurance, IT support, rent, and admin support | $367,402 | 14% |
| Total | $2,674,176 | 100% |
Who built the park?
Mostly donors. Since 2016, about $25 million has turned 100 acres of open land into the park you know today, and 78% of it came from people who gave.
- 78%Donations
- 15%State of LouisianaCapital Outlay
- 7%Visitor hotel taxLafayette Parish Visitor Enterprise Fund
- 0.4%Federal trails grant
Why can’t building money pay to run the park? Money given to build something, like a playground or a trail, goes to that project. State and hotel tax dollars can only be used for construction and infrastructure, like lighting and sewer lines. Keeping the park open is a separate cost, and as a nonprofit park conservancy, we raise it fresh every year.
See the full numbers
| DonationsGifts from people, families, foundations, and local businesses | $19,544,978 | 78% |
|---|---|---|
| State of LouisianaLouisiana Capital Outlay: state funding for permanent public projects through Louisiana’s bond program | $3,675,000 | 15% |
| Visitor hotel taxLafayette Parish Visitor Enterprise Fund: a share of the hotel tax visitors pay when they stay in Lafayette Parish | $1,736,695 | 7% |
| Federal trails grantFHWA Recreational Trails Program for Louisiana (RTPL): a federal grant that helped build and maintain the park’s trails | $112,500 | 0.4% |
| Total | $25,069,173 | 100% |
| Built and openLeasehold improvements, including Helen’s Crossing, the Veterans Memorial, the Savoy Family Treehouse, Lake Reaux, and the First Horizon Amphitheater | $18,394,852 | 73% |
|---|---|---|
| Being built nowConstruction in progress, including the Paul A. Doerle Sr. Farmers Market Pavilion, b1BANK Backyard, Kergan Meditation Garden, a new maintenance yard, and pavilion parking | $6,002,201 | 24% |
| Furniture & equipmentFixed assets that support park operations and visitor amenities | $735,352 | 3% |
Pitch In. Power the Park.
Every gift, membership, and volunteer hour helps keep the park going.
Transparency notice: Moncus Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit park conservancy and is independently audited every year. To report suspected fraud, waste, or abuse, contact the Louisiana Legislative Auditor. Report fraud
