PENDLETON — The Pendleton Children’s Center is getting a big funding boost to make building improvements.

The center on May 14 announced it received a $20,000 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation for a roof canopy project.

The center is constructing an improved stairway and a ramp to the upper level of its new building at 920 SW Frazer Ave. in Pendleton. The Wildhorse Foundation grant provides funds for a roof canopy over these stairs and ramp.

The building was built as a church in the 1940s, according to the statement from the center, and has never been wheelchair accessible. The stairs and ramp will provide for safer, universal access to offices and the future child care rooms. The roof canopy over the ramp and stairs will keep the entrance clear of ice and snow, as well as providing shade to the south side of the building.

The work is part of the Pendleton Children’s Center second phase, which a federal grant is partially funding.

Wildhorse Foundation announced it has awarded grants to 40 organizations  in the first quarter of 2025 for a total of $515,757. The grants ranged from $2,249 to $30,000 for projects in the areas of public health, public safety, arts, education, environmental protection, historic preservation, and cultural activities.

The foundation has awarded more than $19 million in grant funding since its establishment in 2001.