By Robert Barron, Staff Writer
Enid News and Eagle
ENID —
The Mabee Foundation has issued a $320,000 challenge grant to Community Development Support Association, challenging the Enid group to raise the remainder of the $2.9 million needed to finish a nonprofit center project.
“It’s awesome. This is a huge grant,” said Cheri Ezzell, CDSA executive director.
CDSA has purchased the former Newman’s building downtown and set a goal of $2.9 million for renovation, furniture, equipment and to establish a long-term maintenance fund.
“This puts us much closer to our goal,” Ezzell said.
The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation issued the challenge grant to raise the remainder of the funds by July. If that goal is met, then the Mabee grant will be received. Ezzell said about $900,000 still is to be raised.
However, the Mabee grant has placed CDSA in a position to apply for additional funds, but Ezzell said it is important they continue to raise funds locally. With the grant, CDSA has raised about $2 million toward the goal.
“The generosity of the Mabee Foundation could not be more appreciated,” she said.
Ezzell said community help is important to help raise the remainder of the funding. There still are some grant applications remaining that now are being looked at, she said.
“But we can’t depend totally on those sources,” Ezzell said. “Everyone wants to see local support. We have demonstrated lots of local support.”
The Mabee Foundation does not allow applications until 40 percent of the goal has been achieved through local funds. Every organization providing grants looks at local fundraising.
“We’re at 70 percent,” Ezzell said.
The project will create a nonprofit center and a center for early childhood resources in the former Enid department store on South Independence. Once complete, the nonprofit center will allow CDSA to house all services in one location and provide affordable space and services for other co-locating nonprofits, which will reduce operating costs, she said.
The early childhood resource center will allow early childhood services to be housed in one highly visible location and make it easier for people to find, Ezzell said.
“We went public with the campaign July 1. With the exception of the United Way blackout period, we have not stopped raising money, and we’re just seeing the result of our labor,” she said.
