Several years after a newly established nonprofit announced plans to establish a community center for the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender community, India Point Place has yet to come to fruition. The delays in establishing the community center -- which would be the first of its kind in the state -- and related communication issues have raised concerns among some members of the GLBT community.

Garith Fulham, executive director of India Point Project (IPP), the nonprofit overseeing the development of India Point Place, acknowledges the gripes about stalled progress in bringing about the community center, which is being partially funded with a $25,000 grant from the City of Providence. But the main obstacle to completing the center, into which India Point Project has invested $775,000 in private funds, is the sluggish climate for fundraising, he says. "We're at a financial standstill right now with the final $200,000," says Fulham. "It's a very difficult time to be out there raising money for all nonprofits," and IPP doesn't want to compete for certain funds that might go to other local social service agencies.

Fulham recently held a community meeting at India Point Project, located on George M. Cohan Boulevard in the Fox Point section of Providence, to try to dispel concerns about the steady pushing back of the completion date for India Point Place. "We certainly have had delays throughout the entire process," from bringing up to code and making handicapped accessible the former furniture store that India Point Project bought with an accompanying three-decker house for $375,000 in early 2000. The progress at the site has been made with benefactor contributions, he notes, and without any kind of capital campaign or formal fundraising.

"Even though it feels like an awful long time, on national standards of a community center, in a lot of ways it's a model project," which will include a café, resource library, gallery, and professional services like phones and office space to help incubate nascent organizations, Fulham says, adding that he can't estimate when the center will be completed. "Even though it's painful that we're not open yet, if we're patient, it will be worth the wait," he says.

India Point Project, the parent organization for the forthcoming community center, was established in November 1999 to provide direct services and assistance to needy people from a variety of backgrounds. Funded mostly through private sources, the agency has also worked on a legislative agenda while collaborating with the National Conference for Community and Justice and other organizations. At the same time, Fulham's visible role with Voices 4 Equality, a gay organization whose credibility came into question when it endorsed Joseph R. Paolino Jr. over David N. Cicilline in the Providence mayoral primary, didn't diminish the skepticism of his critics.

Fulham acknowledges that some members of the GLBT community were annoyed about a lack of communication about India Point Place, even though, he says, he has been trying to make information available. And although the recent community meeting wasn't without some tension, Fulham believes the air has been cleared.

Ian Donnis can be reached at idonnis[a]phx.com.

Issue Date: December 20 - 26, 2002