A recent graduate of the UALR Nonprofit Management Program contributed to writing a successful grant that is helping fund earthquake recovery efforts in Nepal.

David Mabry said Aythos, a Conway-based economic development nonprofit, submitted two grant proposals from the materials he and his classmates worked on through Barb L’Eplattenier’s grant writing course at UALR.

Aythos received approval for a $10,000 grant from Clif Bar Family Foundation, formed from Clif Bar & Co., a corporation that produces organic food and drinks.

“We spoke with Clif Bar Family Foundation and they agreed to place no restriction on funding and expedited the check so it can be used on recovery for the earthquake,” Mabry said.

The company also overnighted 100 pounds of Clif Bars to distribute to rural villagers in Nepal, according to Mabry. Aythos was working in Nepal and shifted to disaster relief after the April 25 earthquake destroyed the city.

Mabry arrived in Nepal on April 30, where he said he put the funding and Clif Bars to good use.

Mabry, who was named Student of the Year for UALR’s Nonprofit Management Program, is also the volunteer finance director for Aythos and is an Arkansas-licensed EMT.

Aythos received another $10,000 from The International Foundation to support agricultural work in Nepal a week before the earthquake struck.

“We are trying the same approach to unrestricted funding for earthquake recovery efforts with The International Foundation who agreed to have the grants committee look at it,” Mabry said.