At its Oct. 4 meeting, City Council approved a professional services agreement with Serve Denton, the largest nonprofit center in the state, to do the $61,800 study paid for with American Recovery Program funds.
The study was first proposed in June when Lewisville Assistant City Manager Claire Powell discussed how Serve Denton is making a positive impact on the lives of Lewisville residents, according to meeting documents.
Serve Denton’s current space is shared by various nonprofits that pay less than 50% of the current market rate for rent. Having so many organizations under one roof allows them to pool their resources for things such as printing and wireless Internet. The shared space also allows them to save about $500,000 each year, money that can then go to expand the scope of their programs or hire additional staff. That in turn helps more people in Lewisville and across Denton County, according to city documents.
The study will look at interest and plans needed to create a similar facility in Lewisville. The study is expected to take six months and consist of four phases. The first phase involves interviewing 10 local nonprofits about the proposed new center. Other aspects include a town hall meeting, site analysis, concept design, a financial mode and a final report.
