JOHNSTOWN — The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies announced the first grant recipients of its Small Town Challenge program, which provides a new match fundraising opportunity for municipalities in Cambria and Indiana counties to establish their own endowments.

Within the next two years, Ebensburg, Indiana, Southmont and Westmont boroughs will each receive a dollar for dollar match of up to $25,000 to start an endowment fund for their communities.

In order to be eligible for the match, each borough needs to achieve a minimum of $10,000 in donations, said Angie Berzonski, the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ executive director.

Ebensburg Borough officials voted to accept the Small Town Challenge at Monday’s council meeting.

According to Berzonski, Ebensburg officials plan to use their endowment to focus on projects related to beautification and public art, enhancing the vibrancy of the downtown and larger community, boosting community pride, attracting more residents and improving events and visitor experiences.

In a press release, Ebensburg Community Development Director Danea Koss said the grant funding “will ensure that we can continue to invest back into community improvement projects for years to come.”

In Indiana Borough, the steering committee is focused on transportation needs, support for their local businesses and enhancing their connections to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus, said steering committee member and Borough Manager Nichole Sipos.

“Indiana Borough has so much to offer, and we want people everywhere to experience why so many choose to call it home,” Sipos said in the release. “Having access to a legacy endowment will foster connections between local businesses, organizations and residents while supporting the areas that our community values.”

Southmont Borough’s endowment will focus on community development, including a transportation plan, infrastructure improvements and historical preservation, said Southmont Borough Council President Doug Beri.

“For me, starting this fund at the foundation is about giving Southmont the tools to invest in its own future,” Beri said.

With their endowment, Westmont Borough officials said they hope to preserve the town’s historical charm through beautification projects, small-scale community improvements and address emergency needs within the borough.

Berzonski said the program is the brainchild of Bob Eyer, a board member of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies.

The Small Town Challenge was created in response to the success of the Portage Regional Endowment, which was established at the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies in 1997 and has raised more than $700,000 through grassroots fundraising, Berzonski said.

“It was an innovative idea to help communities support their own fundraising by doing this kind of match challenge funding on behalf of our board of directors,” Berzonski said. “Bob likes to say that it’s the Community Foundation planting seeds so small communities can grow. We were happy to be able to do so.”

According to Berzonski, the foundation’s board of directors and staff initially intended to limit the challenge to two communities but decided to include four municipalities this year after several “high-quality applications” were submitted for the project.

To donate to any of the Small Town Challenge fundraisers, visit the foundation’s website, www.cfalleghenies.org/stc25.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.