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Last updated on Wednesday, May 24, 2017
(INDIANAPOLIS) - With a successful crowdfunding campaign, playground equipment at Spencer Park in DeMotte will soon receive a necessary upgrade.
The campaign, sponsored by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) and offered through the crowdfunding platform developed by Patronicity, is being run by the Friends of DeMotte Parks.
If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $25,000 by July 7, 2017, the Spencer Park Upgrades project will receive a matching grant from IHCDA's CreatINg Places program.
Click here for more information about the project and to donate.
"The playground equipment at Spencer Park is in desperate need of repair," said Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, board chair for IHCDA. "This new equipment will ensure that children, with and without disabilities, can enjoy this beloved destination together with their friends and families for years to come."
The funding raised during this campaign will allow Friends of DeMotte Parks to replace the 30-year-old playground equipment at Spencer Park. The new equipment will not only be safer, it will also be completely accessible, allowing children with disabilities to play as well as their parents and grandparents who might not have been able to play with them on the old equipment.
"Our park system is an important part of our community," said Heather Tokarz, Office Manager for the Town of DeMotte. "It is a place where families gather, friendships are made and imagination takes over. We are upgrading the playground equipment so that everyone, regardless of their disability, can join in the fun and be more active. For some, this will be the first time they can actually play in the park with their children."
CreatINg Places employs a donation and reward-based method of crowdfunding called crowdgranting. In crowdgranting, citizens actively support projects and activities through web-based donations which, if the fundraising goal is reached within a set time, are matched by a sponsor.
Since the program began, 10 projects have been launched and raised in excess of $300,000 in public funds. Six of these campaigns have met their their fundraising goal and therefore were awarded matching funds from IHCDA. The other four projects remain open.
The CreatINg Places program is available to projects located in Indiana communities or neighborhoods which contain a traditional downtown or traditional neighborhood commercial node. Non-profit entities (with 501c3 or 501c4 status) and Local Units of Government are eligible to apply.
Eligible projects must have a minimum total development cost of $10,000, where the recipient will receive $5,000 in IHCDA matching funds should they successfully raise $5,000 through Patronicity. IHCDA will provide matching grant funds up to $50,000 per project.
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