Ferncliff receives Mabee, Walton grants

Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center announced Tuesday that it has been awarded a $986,537 challenge grant from the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation and a $1 million grant pledge from the Walton Family Foundation.

The money will fund a significant portion of the more than $7.6 million needed for its Connect, Inspire, Transform Capital Campaign, which will mean additions to Ferncliff’s youth camp and renovations to the retreat and conference areas.

The facilities would include the Youth Commons Dining Hall, the Program Activity Center renovation and the Center for Restoration and Healing, which includes retreat lodging, meeting space and an open air chapel.

The Mabee Foundation challenge grant requires Ferncliff to raise an additional $1.52 million by Jan. 9, 2025. The challenge grant is intended to spark private donations, Ferncliff said in a news release announcing the grants.

The Walton Family Foundation’s gift would support the entire fundraising campaign, including work on the the Stream Restoration Project and the Belden Pond Waterfront development, according to Ferncliff.

Ferncliff, founded in 1937, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization 10 miles west of Little Rock. Initiatives for children and adults include camps, retreats, nature preschool, disaster assistance, outreach initiatives, and environmental stewardship.

Ferncliff Executive Director Joel Gill said in a news release that the expansion effort addresses facilities that have long needed care and attention while also creating new spaces that enable Ferncliff to serve more people.

“People need a place to connect with one another in a comfortable environment surrounded by nature,” Gill said in the news release.

Gill said receiving the new funding puts Ferncliff more than halfway to its $7.6 million goal.

More information on the campaign is available on their website.