CLD receives funds for HQ expansion

Indianapolis’ Center for Leadership Development is a recipient of a $300,000 grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. The funds will be used to support the construction of a 20,000-square-foot addition to CLD’s headquarters.

CLD, a nonprofit that works with minority youth in central Indiana to encourage personal development and educational attainment, says it is planning a 60% increase in the number of students it serves by 2024.

“We know there are so many students in our community who do not have access to all the academic, career, and life resources they need to succeed,” said Dennis Bland, president of CLD. “but our current headquarters is at capacity. The only way to serve more youth is to make more space, and the grant from Nina Mason Pulliam Trust moves us significantly closer to being able to make that space for them.”

CLD works to use education as a “gateway to personal success, career opportunities, better health, and improved quality of life for minority youth in central Indiana.” The organization partners with colleges and universities that offer scholarships for students who’ve completed CLD programs.

“CLD’s unique and proven programs provide minority students with a continuum of support to ensure that each participant completes his/her academic programs prepared for future college and career success,” said Gene D’Adamo, chief executive officer of the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. “The Trust is proud to support CLD ‘s capital campaign to increase its existing space and expand its College Prep Institute.”

The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust was established upon the death of Nina Mason Pulliam in 1997. The trust provides grants to nonprofits, primarily in the Indianapolis and Phoenix metropolitan areas, that focus on animals and nature, women and children, and enriching community.