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Project Restore: a Capital Campaign for the Blackwell School
The Blackwell School Alliance has kicked off a capital campaign to raise money to restore the schoolhouse and create powerful exhibits to tell the stories of segregated education for children of Mexican descent--for Marfa and beyond.
Now is the Time
The Blackwell School Alliance raised more than $65,000 in late 2021 for the restoration of the Blackwell School.
In July 2021 the Alliance was approached by the Rio Grande Council of Governments with a new grant opportunity: American Rescue Plan Act Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Funding Opportunity. We qualify for the Competitive Tourism Grants in Construction for the purpose of economic resilience. ARPA grants fund at least 80% of project costs, with our project costed at $900,000. With the COG’s help we completed the ARPA grant by the deadline of January 2022.
If we get this funding we will fully restore our buildings—the 1909 original schoolhouse and the 1927 smaller
classroom building—in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for the treatment of historic properties as interpreted through our 2019 Historic Structures Report, with adaptations respecting the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local codes.
We thank everyone who donated and supported the effort. Now we sit on our hands and wait to see if we get our ARPA grant. No matter what, we will keep working, keep trying, keep going until we meet our goals.
Gretel Enck, President
We are so grateful for donations received and pledged so far:
* Permian Basin Area Foundation: $25,000
* City of Marfa: $20,000 over four years
* Texas Historical Foundation: $5000
* Dixon Water Foundation: $1000
* Individual Donations: $17,000
