Michael Brader-Araje compares the Mariposa School for Children with Autism to the character in the children's storybook "The Little Engine That Could."

"They were just chugging up that mountain," Brader-Araje said. "Despite all the obstacles, they kept going."

Of course, it's a whole lot easier climbing that mountain with a $50,000 cash infusion -- and a variety of logistical supports.

Brader-Araje and his wife, Laura, who run a foundation in support of community nonprofits, have awarded the Mariposa School what they call a "spark" grant -- aimed at jump-starting new nonprofits that have great potential but can't seem to win the support that long-established charities tend to enjoy.

For Cindy Peters, founder of the school, the grant is simply a godsend.

Mariposa, which began as a school for severely autistic children, struggled for its first year to find a permanent home and a steady cash flow. They renovated a former day-care center last spring and moved in with high hopes.

But by early September, new financial woes seemed certain to close Mariposa's doors for good. The bad news was compounded by the withdrawal of several students.

"We were so desperate," Peters said. "Gosh, I'm so thankful that Michael read about us and was willing to get involved."

What especially delights Peters, though, is that the Brader-Arajes have offered support in areas other than the checkbook as well.

"They didn't want to just throw money at us," Peters said. "They wanted to help us succeed."

In addition to the spark grant, Michael Brader-Araje, an entrepreneur who sold his company OpenSite for $55 million in 1996 and now invests venture capital as well as running the foundation, has tapped his network of personal and professional friends to provide other assistance to the school: help with marketing and public relations, someone to help figure out what sort of insurance the school needs, Web design, legal advice.

This week, Peters is meeting with one of Brader-Araje's recruits to come up with something she knew Mariposa needed but had no clue how to provide: a business plan.

"I was doing so much, and wearing so many hats," Peters said. "I wasn't doing a very good job of writing grants or managing the bottom line -- in part because I didn't know what I was doing, in part because I just didn't have time."

Brader-Araje's goal is to help Mariposa become self-supporting. The ultimate goal, however, is for the school to expand to the point where it can offer scholarships for children whose families cannot afford the $60,000 tuition.

"A lot of this is about building awareness of autism, too," Brader-Araje said. "Incidence is increasing, but so many people know very little about autism."

That's another of the challenges Mariposa faces.

But there is good news about doggedly heading up even the steepest mountain, Brader-Araje said. "I think they're really going to pick up speed on the other side."

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