Community foundation offers $50,000 matching grant for Bigfork Library

The Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork has offered to match up to $50,000 in donations to the Campaign for a New Bigfork Library this summer between July 1 and Sept. 30.

The matching gift challenge encourages local businesses, organizations and individuals to make a gift to the Campaign for a New Bigfork Library by Sept. 30 to have their gift doubled. Donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000, including contributions made by mail, online or over the phone. The CFBB’s challenge grant comes on the heels of a previous $50,000 matching grant offered by Jim Nelson and Nancy Ballsrud this spring, which was completed last week.

“We support the new Library as a critical element of CFBB’s core efforts to improve our town’s infrastructure and cultural amenities,” said Paul Mutascio, President of the CFBB. ”It will be a state-of-the-art facility that will serve all of our citizens, for decades to come.”

The Campaign for a new Bigfork Library is seeking to raise a total of $1.6 million for the acquisition, renovation, furnishing, and collection expansion of the new library. Once the $1.1 million mark is met, finalization of the architectural plans and renovation work can begin. To date, just under $695,000 has been raised, according to the foundation’s website. The campaign aims to have the facility ready for ImagineIF Bigfork to occupy by late 2022.

Donors wishing to make a tax-deductible gift or pledge to the campaign can do so at www.imagineiflibraryfoundation.org/anewbigforklibrary. Gifts made before Sept. 30 will be matched up to $50,000 by the CFBB.

A virtual walkthrough of the proposed library by the architecture firm for this project, Cushing Terrell, is available at www.imagineiflibraryfoundation.org/anewbigforklibrary.