The Emporia Area Chamber Foundation’s push to buy the former Maynard Early Childhood Center has gained a lot of momentum in a short period of time.
Chamber President and CEO Jeanine McKenna says the Foundation has secured a Capital Projects Fund Accelerator grant worth almost $1.76 million. The funding comes from the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and was made possible by the US Treasury.
The new grant amount goes towards the property purchase and Phase 1 building renovations. It’s designed to refurbish at least three rooms, the kitchen and several commons areas. It also comes on top of a $552,000 Child Care Capacity Accelerator grant announced earlier this month for funding the director’s position, operations and supplies .
If all goes according to plan and the USD 253 Emporia Board of Education approves the purchase, a director could be on board by January and the Phase 1 renovations could be done by spring 2024. The board is meeting Wednesday but does not currently have the item on the agenda.
Chamber President and CEO Jeanine McKenna says this is designed to offset some of the local need for daycare.
Two other phases include renovating the rest of the building and beginning 24-7 childcare, meaning more money is needed to finish the work. McKenna says the Chamber Foundation is in the process of writing more grant applications and developing plans to sell naming rights to different rooms to finish the fundraising. Another goal is to create an endowed fund with the Emporia Community Foundation to make the project sustainable.
1 pm Saturday: Chamber Foundation gets $1.7 million grant to purchase, renovate Maynard
After a major grant announcement earlier this month, the Emporia Area Chamber Foundation now has even more funding for its plan to transform the former Maynard Early Childhood Center.
Chamber President and CEO Jeanine McKenna says the Foundation has secured a Capital Projects Fund Accelerator grant worth almost $1.76 million. The funding comes from the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and was made possible by the US Treasury.
McKenna says this will serve the Chamber Foundation’s push to turn the former Maynard property into a 24-7 daycare facility, but will serve a different purpose from the nearly $552,000 Child Care Capacity Accelerator grant announced earlier this month. Instead of funding the director’s position, operations and supplies, the new grant amount goes towards the property purchase and Phase 1 building renovations. It’s designed to refurbish at least three rooms, the kitchen and several commons areas.
If all goes according to plan and the USD 253 Emporia Board of Education approves the purchase, a director could be on board by January and the Phase 1 renovations could be done by spring 2024.
Two other phases include renovating the rest of the building and beginning 24-7 childcare, meaning more money is needed to finish the work. McKenna says the Chamber Foundation is in the process of writing more grant applications and developing plans to sell naming rights to different rooms to finish the fundraising. Another goal is to create an endowed fund with the Emporia Community Foundation to make the project sustainable.
