Cranston League for Cranston Futures (CLCF) is nearing the finish line of $1.2 million renovations of their main athletic building.

Founded in 1953, CLCF is home to 15 youth sports teams and over 3,000 children ages 4-18. The organization has been renovating its building following a large swell of fundraising, led by Steve Marocco, current fundraising director and former president of CLCF.

The renovations include new flooring for the gymnasium, retractable stands for spectators, new bathrooms, masonry on the exterior, a new sign for the organization, and an additional 1,400 square feet added to the building. Inside, plaques will honor those who donated to the project in addition to a mural tracking CLCF’s history.

Part of the new gymnasium floor reads “Play for Jax,” following support from the Jaxon Marocco Foundation. The foundation honors Marocco’s grandson who died at 22 months from Niemann-Pick disease.

The league is tentatively looking to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 23.

A final push came from the Champlin Foundation which gave the sports league a $98,000 grant to renovate the interior gymnasium. In October 2023, CLCF broke ground on its building expansion, also partially funded by the foundation.

This year, the Champlin Foundation — which awards capital grants for equipment and facilities — gave $148,903 to Cranston non-profits. On top of CLCF’s grant, the organization gave $44,278 to the Hope Alzheimer's Center for service kitchen renovations and $6,625 to the Rhode Island Children's Dyslexia Center for a new printer and copy machine.

Since 2019, the Champlin Foundation has awarded $441,830 to CLCF for its renovations in three separate grants.

“They have been an excellent partner,” Marocco said.

Other organizations that have supported the renovation include Rossi Electric, the (Michael) Marocco Family, DelPrete Family Foundation, GerFloor USA, New England Laborer’s Union, A.A. Building Wrecking Company, D. Fiole Masonry, D’Ambra Construction, Narragansett Improvement Company and the Lawn Beauticians. CLCF also received $50,000 from the City of Cranston American Rescue Plan Act Grant Fund.

Marocco says the influx of support stems from CLCF’s impact on the local community. Many donors had families or played on CLCF teams themselves and are happy to give back to the organization. Some give money, while others donate time or materials from their businesses.

“There’s some really generous people out there who care about the youth,” Marocco said.

Both Marocco and current president Frank Notarianni thanked their staff, who are all volunteers who keep the non-profit running. Marocco specifically thanked Tom Dorsey, building administrator for the CLCF, for his help with fundraising the project.

CLCF staff manage teams including football, wrestling, golf, lacrosse, cross country, pickleball and street hockey.

Notarianni applauded Marocco for his work spearheading the fundraising.

“He’s been the driving force,” Notarianni said.

The building will be dedicated in honor of Leo Castiglione, CLCF’s first president.