PORT TOWNSEND — Northwest Maritime Center representatives expect to be celebrating today after meeting a fundraising goal to meet two challenge grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Kresge Foundation totaling $1.1 million.
“We believe we will meet or even exceed our goal when the final numbers are tallied [today],” Stan Cummings, Maritime Center executive director, said Tuesday.
That will bring the center’s fundraising to $11.7 million so far. With money from the Gates and Kresge foundations, the total would be $12.8 million.
The maritime center staff is planning a small celebration at the center, Water at Monroe streets next to Point Hudson Marina, after 4 p.m. today to mark the fundraising milestone.
Kresge and Gates foundations
Receiving the committed challenge grants– $600,000 from the national Kresge Foundation and $500,000 from the Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — caps the campaign and brings to a close the Maritime Center’s 10-year fund-raising drive.
Construction of the center over the past two years is essentially complete.
The maritime center had until the end of this month to raise a final $100,000 in private donations so it could receive the additional grant funding of $1.1 million in challenge grants.
About 60 percent of the 27,000-square-foot maritime heritage educational facility is open for public use 24 hours, seven days a week.
This includes the courtyard and second story decks, from which all vessel traffic is visible.
In September, the maritime center celebrated the grand opening of Chandler Maritime Education Building, First Federal Commons and public walkways and grounds, along with the Helen Keeley Boathouse opening to rowers.
In November, administrative offices moved from leased Point Hudson facilities at the Cupola House to the Maritime Heritage & Resource Building.
The boat shop also began operation, teaching students the craft of small wooden boat building.
Plans for May include the opening of the center’s chandlery in the lower level of the Maritime Heritage & Resource Building, along with Aldrich’s Galley coffee shop.
It is also the first non-governmental building on the North Olympic Peninsula to earn a “gold” certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.
Every gift or pledge made by today helps unlock the $1.1 million in challenge grants.
For more information, visit www.nwmaritime.org or phone Lenore Goldstein, capital campaign manager, at 360-385-3628, ext. 111.
