EBENSBURG — A fundraising event will be held Thursday after Ebensburg Borough officials were awarded one of four small town challenge matching grants of up to $25,000 by the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies.

According to Namita Gallo, the foundation’s communications coordinator, the grant is set up as a match so that each community will need to raise at least $10,000 to receive a dollar-for-dollar match for that amount.

Once communities grow their endowment to $10,000, the foundation will match additional awards in $5,000 increments up to $25,000, Gallo said, noting communities are encouraged to raise even more than $25,000 but the foundation’s match stops there.

The challenge is to raise the funds within two years, Gallo said, adding each community’s endowment campaign committee can then decide how to use the funds, whether they grant out to another organization or use the funding for a specific community project.

Danea Koss, Ebensburg Borough’s community development coordinator, said she’s confident the community will meet the challenge and raise the necessary funds.

“We are so grateful to the CFA for choosing Ebensburg as one of their grant recipients,” Koss said in a statement. “We are confident that with the support of our community, we won’t have a problem raising the $25,000.”

So far, the borough has raised $2,700 for its endowment fund, Koss said, noting the grant was advertised in the borough’s January newsletter and some donations have already been received by mail and through the foundation’s online portal.

Koss said the borough has about another year and a half left to raise the remaining funds, which will be used for community projects to restore or beautify the borough.

For example, the money could go toward another public mural project or be used to refurbish the borough’s welcome signs, Koss said.

It could also be given to outside organizations that have a vision for a community project, such as how the Ebensburg Cambria Public Library installed a story walk last year along the Ghost Town Trail, Koss said.

“If another organization comes to us and says, ‘We want to do this project,’ that could be something we certainly consider putting those funds toward,” she said.

To kick off the borough’s fundraising efforts, a networking event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Amici’s Restaurant, 102 South Center St., Koss said, adding Community Foundation for the Alleghenies representatives will be in attendance to give a brief overview of how the fund works and to answer any questions.

Complimentary food, refreshments and live music by Bruce Shettig will be provided by the Ebensburg Main Street Partnership, Koss said.

“Anyone who would like to learn more about supporting (the endowment) fund is welcomed to attend,” she said, adding the main street partnership plans to promote the endowment fund by incorporating it into the partnership’s many events throughout the year, such as Wheels and Wings and PotatoFest.

The endowment fund will serve as a permanent resource to support the town, Koss said, adding a percentage of the interest earned will be distributed back to Ebensburg annually to undertake community projects.

Donations are accepted through the foundation’s website, www.cfalleghenies.org/cambria-county. Scroll down to the find a fund tab and search for the Ebensburg endowment fund.

All donations to the fund are tax-deductible, Koss said.

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