b'Sounding the alarmThis year, Cambridge came very close to losing an reached out as a potential partner, said Tom Evans, important site for nonprofit services. The sale of the row- executive director of the CRA, which usually takes on houses at 9399 Bishop Allen Drive would have displacednew construction and repurposing projects. As part of CCF and 10 other social-service and arts nonprofits thatthe grassroots outreach, City Council candidate Nicola educate, lead, heal, and inspire. Last fall, the buildingsWilliams started an online petition and several sitting owner, Enroot, announced it was selling the nearly 18,000-councilors wrote letters urging Enroot to accept the square-foot space so it could expand its mission ofCRAs bid. In early October of this year, when the CRAs promoting educational equity for immigrant students. Ten- purchase of the building was announced, the tenants ants feared a bidding war among commercial developers. celebrated. By working together, said Ben Moynihan of the Algebra Project, we created a space for dialogue and For nonprofits working on shoestring budgets, the found a way to collectively make it happen.potential loss could have had devastating consequences. We have deep roots in this location and being near the Joining forces to protect nonprofitsT is crucial for us, said Gina Scaramella, executive direc- It wouldnt have worked without the Cambridgetor of the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Maisha MosesCommunity Foundations involvement, said Evans.of the Young Peoples Project added that if anything The Foundation is a key, trusted partner to all of thewas going to happen, we knew we had to talk to CCF.buildings tenants, and it became the thought leader on this, making the connections that needed to be made. Finding a solutionWithin a week after learning about the sale, the Foun- Evans said that other arts and social-service organizations dation formed a project team and started looking forin the city may be at similar risk going forward. The suc-solutions by talking to the community and researchingcess of the CRAs economic development work in Kendall what other cities have done. That led us to connect withSquare has created new challenges in that its helping to the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, said CCFspur the displacement of some of the institutions that are board member Andus Baker, who led the project team. a key component of what makes Cambridge unique, he said. We need to make sure we continue to value innova-We had heard rumors about the sale but didnt considertions not only in business and technology, but in the social it something wed get involved with until the Foundationsector as well. CCF helped to start that conversation. 3. ADVOCATINGSPRING 2019 4. CELEBRATINGSUMMER/FALL 2019March to April 2019 October 10, 2019 November 15, 2019Seven city councilorsCRA, CCF, and the otherCRA, CCF, and theand the buildings tenantsnonprofits at 9399Central Square Business write letters of support forBishop Allen Drive Improvement District hostE C P I O P N O N G S V R E S E R I N R F T A PCRA purchase. A petitioncelebrate with a party. a public celebration.on change.org gains more than 500 supporters.Purchase milestones:April 11, 2019 June 25, 2019 October 2, 2019CRA submits formal CRA and Enroot CRA and Enroot closebid to Enroot. announce that a purchaseon building sale.and sale agreement hasbeen signed.Photo by Allegra Boverman7'