The Campaign for Arts (CFA) is leading the private side of a public/private partnership to realize downtown Bellingham's emerging Arts District. The CFA is responsible for raising $ 8.6 million in private donations for the project and the Whatcom Community Foundation is serving as the fiscal sponsor for the CFA. In this role the Foundation is responsible for CFA fundraising accounting and management and for overseeing endowments for the Mount Baker Theatre and the Whatcom Museum of History & Art.
The CFA board of directors is a unique and effective collaboration of the Mount Baker Theatre, Whatcom Museum, the Foundation and other community leaders actively supporting local arts activities. The public partners are the City of Bellingham and the Bellingham-Whatcom Public Facilities District (PFD). Combined, the partners will invest more than $30 million in capital improvements to the Whatcom Museum and the Mount Baker Theatre, build endowments to support future operations of these key Arts District icons and support select Arts District projects, including streetscapes.
Of the $8.6 million, $4 million will be invested in the PFD sponsored projects' capital improvements. Another $4 million will grow endowments to help ensure the Museum and the Mount Baker Theatre have sufficient operating income, in future years, to sustain the programming that enriches the lives of Whatcom County residents and visitors of all ages.
The Foundation's fiscal sponsorship provides valuable support services that allow the CFA board to focus their efforts on making the campaign and the project a success.
The Ferndale Library Fund is a vital community partnership for the Whatcom Community Foundation. The Fund was initially established in late 2005 by an anonymous donor to support efforts to replace the old library with a new facility. The current building is 15 years old and has limited square footage to serve existing needs and will be unable to meet the future demand being placed on it by a rapidly growing community.
The Foundation was selected by the donor to manage their community investment because we have the capacity to provide the services they needed. We also have a track record of community partnerships such as the Depot Market, the Fairhaven Village Green and the South Fork Community Fund and a commitment to helping people ensure that their dreams become a reality.
The Foundation has been participating on the steering committee charged with making this dream of a new library become a reality along with the City of Ferndale, Whatcom County Library System and the Library Task Force and Friends of the Ferndale Library. We look forward to working on this long-term project and seeing it succeed.
