Leonardo’s Approved For $500,000 Challenge Grant
Leonardo’s Children’s Museum has been notified of approval for a $500,000 challenge grant from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation for its ongoing capital campaign to renovate and expand the landmark downtown museum.
The Leonardo’s capital campaign includes a $6,000,000 complete renovation and expansion that will transform the entrance and facade of the museum, provide new hands-on children’s exhibits on two floors, and expand educational programming to the now unused third floor.
Before notification of the Mabee grant, the Leonardo’s project already had secured more than $3,363,000 in donations and pledges, including a $1.5 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation last fall. Leonardo’s has one year to raise the remaining $2,137,000 in order to receive the challenge grant funds.
“The Mabee Foundation played a huge role in getting Leonardo’s started, with a similar challenge grant twenty years ago,” said Julie Baird, Executive Director. “We are encouraged by their continued support of our efforts to enrich and inspire the children of Oklahoma. Our community stepped up to meet the challenge then, and we know they will again now.”
“First and foremost, this challenge grant is recognition of Enid’s strong support for the project,” Baird continued. “Such tremendous early local support, helped Leonardo’s be considered for a challenge grant of this magnitude.” Among the first to step forward in support of the capital campaign were local philanthropists Virginia & John Groendyke, who commented, “Leonardo’s is such a worthwhile community asset, with its focus on childhood learning and development in a family oriented, fun atmosphere. It is an honor and a privilege to support this facility.”
The challenge now is for Leonardo’s to raise the additional funds required to complete the remainder of the envisioned project. “I chose to volunteer for this phase of the capital campaign because I have always been passionate about children. As a retired teacher, and now the grandmother of an eight month old, I want to do my part to guarantee that Leonardo’s will be here for future generations of children to enjoy,” said Susan Bowers, Campaign Co-Chair. I want to talk to every business owner, every past Leonardo’s board member, and every individual who has been part of Leonardo’s success for the last twenty years, or those who weren’t here then, but want to be part of our future success.”
A variety of highly visible naming opportunities are still available, and there are many ways for donors at all levels to be involved. For information about becoming part of the Leonardo’s Capital Campaign, and how your pledge can be paid over two years, contact Julie Baird at jbaird@leonardos.org or call 580-233-2787.
The J. E. and L. E. Mabee Foundation, Inc., a Private Charitable Foundation, was formed in 1948 by Mr. John E. Mabee and his wife, Lottie E. Mabee. The purposes of the Foundation are to aid Judeo-Christian religious organizations, institutions of higher learning, hospitals and other organizations of a general charitable nature in the geographical area of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. From inception to date, grants paid by the Foundation total over $1 billion.
