West End Pay It Forward Trust Awards First Grant to Colt Care Child Care Center
Local Endowment Fund Now Large Enough to Award Grants
NATURITA, Colo. – (August 20th, 2018) – As the result of successful fundraising efforts and a growing endowment, the West End Pay It Forward Trust (WEPIFT) was able to give its first ever grant of $2,000 to the Colt Care Childcare Center. WEPIFT saw an immediate need in the community when citizens and educators grew increasingly concerned about the lack of childcare options in their community. WEPIFT decided to make this grant in support of the Colt Care Childcare Center to ensure they are able to purchase much needed items to start their first year strong. Colt Care will enroll 13 children this fall and be housed in a portable classroom adjacent to Nucla High School.
WEPIFT was created in 2013 with the mission to improve the West End communities now and for future generations. Its purpose is to create and grow a permanent, locally controlled endowment fund to support community and economic development projects, like Colt Care; interest generated from the endowment supports community projects and charitable causes. WEPIFT policy states that it will use 5% of the interest raised from the endowment each year for grants to the community. Starting with only $400 in July of 2015, the WEPIFT board had raised over $60,000 by to date. With the help of a $10,000 matching grant and numerous generous individual and business donors, WEPIFT is now at the point where it can make grants every year off the interest earned by the endowment fund. WEPIFT’s board includes Jane Thompson, Susan Rice, Paul Koski, and Sara Bachman.
“For several months, we’ve known that we have funds for our first grant,” Sara Bachman, WEPIFT board member recalls. “We talked about grant application procedures and parameters and how to move forward—it was a bit overwhelming. At WEPIFT’s July meeting, we got to our “Old Business” agenda item of grant making procedures and we went on a tangent talking about the various organizations in need. When the daycare was mentioned, the decision to give our first grant of all our grant funds to Colt Care was instantly unanimous—not a single board member hesitated. We’re excited that we can be a part of the funds and energy needed to get Colt Care off the ground!”
Hank Nelson, Principal of Naturita Elementary School, has been a key advocate in getting Colt Care up and running. “The ‘pie-in-the-sky’ dream has quickly becoming a reality thanks to the many that believe in the benefit such a service could provide, just like the West End Pay It Forward Trust has done with their generous contribution.”
By the end of 2022, WEPIFT’s goal is to have raised $100,000. To make this possible, they hope to increase their number of donors who give monthly. Currently, WEPIFT is collecting approximately $166/month from monthly donors. Through coordination with Citizens State Bank of Naturita or using other avenues with their primary bank, residents can pledge monthly donations directly from their bank account. Donations of $10 per month make a huge difference! The West End Pay It Forward Trust is a simple and lasting way for residents of the West End to make a difference in their community by paying it forward to help the community now and for future generations.
If you are interested in learning more about WEPIFT or joining the Board, please contact westend@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WestEnd PIFT/. The Board also invites anyone interested to attend their meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at the Naturita Library at 5:00 pm.