Funded Projects Underscore New Hampshire’s Significant Need for Affordable Housing, Child Care and Revitalization Efforts to Drive Economic Development
(Concord, N.H.) – The New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) announced today it has awarded $6.6 million in tax credits to projects throughout New Hampshire. The funds will have a significant impact on initiatives that advance local community economic development goals and build capacity within New Hampshire’s nonprofit sector. View video highlighting all organizations awarded funds.
Organizations across the state being awarded funds are helping to address some of New Hampshire’s most significant challenges, including access to affordable housing and quality child care, innovative approaches to workforce development and downtown revitalization efforts to drive economic development and job creation.
“This year’s awardees have demonstrated a deep dedication to their communities and are leading impactful projects that will deliver critical services and infrastructure needed throughout the Granite State,” stated Katy Easterly Martey, Executive Director of CDFA. “CDFA’s Tax Credit and Capacity Building Programs are a vital resource for New Hampshire nonprofits and municipalities to advance projects that create the foundation for strong, thriving communities and grow our economy.”
The following organizations have been awarded tax credits from CDFA for their respective projects.
Franklin Opera House Inc. (Franklin) – $312,500: The Franklin Opera House will use tax credits to renovate its historic venue which serves as an important community gathering space, cultural center for the downtown, and offers educational opportunities for Franklin’s youth. The project will result in the restoration of programs for over 450 school children and a wide variety of performances which drive economic activity downtown and have a notable economic impact.
Gather (Portsmouth) – $625,000: Gather will leverage tax credits to renovate an 18,000 square foot space in Portsmouth to become New England’s first Community Food Center with a commercial and teaching kitchen, as well as an expanded warehouse, pantry market and dining space. The new location will provide space for local partners to deliver wraparound services and the delivery of an innovative culinary workforce program. The project expects to create 10 new jobs, retain 30 jobs and expand services for the 175,000 people served annually who are experiencing food insecurity.
Lakes Region Community Developers (Wolfeboro) – $500,000: Lakes Region Community Developers will leverage tax credit resources to develop Harriman Hill Phase III, a workforce housing project in Wolfeboro with 30 units of rental housing, 27 will be designated as affordable, ensuring access to safe and stable homes for low- to moderate-income individuals and families. Notably, five of these units will be reserved for individuals with developmental disabilities, promoting inclusivity and supportive living environments.
Mark Stebbins Community Center (Manchester) – $625,000: Tax credit resources will support the development of the Mark Stebbins Community Center, a 20,000 square foot multi-service nonprofit center to provide a centralized hub for children and families to access vital resources, participate in community programs and receive tailored support. The project is designed to address the critical needs of Manchester’s West Side. Services will include affordable before and after school care, healthcare, food access initiatives, and a community navigator program. Key partners in the project include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester and Amoskeag Health.
New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, Inc. (Concord / Statewide) – $262,500: The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund will use tax credits to support families with low- and moderate-incomes with assistance to purchase new, affordable energy efficient manufactured homes. These homes are anticipated to cost well below the median cost of a home in New Hampshire which was $514,000 in 2024 and unattainable for many homebuyers. Supported households will also have access to free financial and personal counseling for homebuyers.
New Hampshire Historical Society (Concord / Statewide) – $247,354: The New Hampshire Historical Society will use tax credits to complete the renovation of its Collection Management Center with the installation of a new climate control system. This will improve the conditions for their nationally significant collections and complement the recently completed renovations to their space. The New Hampshire Historical Society plays a vital role in preserving and promoting the state’s rich heritage through its robust public programming, which serves more than 14,000 people annually. The Society is a significant cultural and historic economic driver in Concord, contributing to the city’s vibrancy, attracting tourism and community investment.
Portsmouth Housing Authority (Portsmouth) – $625,000: The Portsmouth Housing Authority will leverage tax credit resources to develop the Sherburne School Workforce Housing project, which includes ninety permanently affordable housing units. The project will serve more than 200 residents, including the local workforce and families. The mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments will be located near public transportation, playgrounds, medical facilities, and places of employment.
Portsmouth Music and Arts Center (Portsmouth) – $625,000: Portsmouth Music and Arts Center will use tax credits to renovate the historic South Meeting House in Portsmouth to support their growing arts programming and community engagement. The new space will enable the organization to significantly expand the number of participants in its free programming by up to 500, serving a total of 700 participants annually, which will continue to grow their significant impact on the local economy. The development of this new community facility will also create two full-time administrative positions, two full-time and 12 part-time teaching artist positions.
The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (Dover) – $200,000: The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire will use tax credits to support the addition of a Luckey Climber, an interactive, three-dimensional vertical maze climbing sculpture. Due to the ongoing childcare shortage in the state, more families are turning to the museum for quality enrichment programs to meet the social and developmental needs of their children. The new structure will provide a new play-based learning opportunity for older children and those with sensory processing differences, as well as increase attendance and expand the museum’s economic impact on downtown Dover.
The Walpole Foundation (Walpole) – $525,000: The Walpole Foundation will leverage tax credits to develop the new 5,205 square foot Walpole Village School to preserve and increase the availability of safe, quality childcare in Walpole and surrounding communities at a time when access to childcare in extremely limited. The project will replace the existing school and increase the number of preschool students served, add an infant program, sustain four local jobs and add one full time position. The new facility will include a community room to host intergenerational programming which will be available to other community groups.
Theatre UP (Littleton) – $500,000: Theatre UP will use tax credits to renovate and rehabilitate the Masonic Temple Building in downtown Littleton to serve as their administrative, educational, rehearsal and small performance hub. The project will expand access to arts programming and education for fifty communities in the North Country, preserve and upgrade a historic structure and provide a positive economic impact to downtown Littleton.
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital (Dover) – $250,000: Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover will leverage tax credits to support the construction of a new operating room in its Women and Children’s Center to address the specific needs of laboring mothers, newborns and their families. The hospital is home to the busiest birth center in the region and the only Seacoast hospital with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The new operating room has been identified as an urgent need to support safe, timely access to medical care on the Seacoast and outlying rural areas with limited access to maternity services.
CDFA awarded tax credit funds for its Community Economic Development Capacity Building Program. New Hampshire needs a strong, effective nonprofit network with the capacity to support our communities and envision, create, and implement broad-based community economic development projects. The awarded Capacity Building resources will support the following organizations in advancing their missions and serving the needs of New Hampshire communities.
CDFA awarded tax credit funds to support capacity building for the following organizations:
Eastern Monadnock Housing Security Coalition (Peterborough) – $150,000: The Eastern Monadnock Housing Security Coalition is a group of five local organizations addressing housing instability in the region. The Coalition was formed to share resources, mobilize volunteers, and streamline the creation of transitional and emergency shelters within underutilized church spaces. Resources will build the organizational capacity to manage the growing collaborative, as well as position the Coalition to focus on developing streamlined systems, improve organizational structure, and increase outreach and communication with other housing agencies.
Committee for Concord’s Plan to End Homelessness (Concord) – $150,000: The Committee for Concord’s Plan to End Homelessness is advancing a two-year strategic plan to support residents at risk of homelessness through a coordinated system that better aligns government, business and nonprofits to achieve ongoing homelessness reductions. The long-term value of this work is to better coordinate existing community resources, support unhoused residents, and provide more affordable housing.
Home for All Coalition (Portsmouth/ Seacoast) – $150,000: Home For All Coalition works to collaboratively address housing challenges in the Seacoast. The Coalition plays a critical role in facilitating cross-sector collaboration, coordinating regional housing solutions, launching a housing data dashboard, and mobilizing grassroots advocacy through Neighbor to Neighbor Housing Chats. Resources will strengthen the Coalition’s organizational capacity and governance structure, build their fundraising capacity and provide strategic coordination for collaboration.
Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity, Inc. (Hollis) – $150,000: Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity’s impact on the local community includes the Home Repairs Program which provides urgent repairs to low-income homeowners, including seniors, veterans and individuals with disabilities. Resources will improve organizational capacity to manage the Home Repairs Program and increase its impact, including deepening the partnership with the City of Nashua to serve local residents.
New Hampshire Art Association (Portsmouth / Statewide) – $150,000: The New Hampshire Art Association is the state’s primary organization focused on serving artists. The organization has identified the need to increase economic and educational opportunities for underemployed artists, especially those living in rural and underserved regions of the state. Resources will increase organizational capacity to design and implement two new pilot programs – the Rural Artist Carrier Service and the Artist Professional Development Program – to expand access to supports and programming to artists in rural communities.
Coös County Childcare Directors Network (Gorham / Coös and Grafton Counties) – $150,000: The Coös County Childcare Directors Network is a collaborative of childcare centers serving Coös and upper Grafton Counties working to ensure that every child has access to high-quality early education. Efforts to increase access to quality care remains a significant challenge. Resources will support the establishment of a nonprofit organization that will act as a fiscal sponsor for childcare centers and offer centralized professional financial and business management services. The administrative and cost-saving efficiencies will help sustain and grow childcare capacity throughout Coös and Grafton Counties.
Queen City Bicycle Collective (Manchester) – $133,000: Queen City Bicycle Collective provides affordable, accessible transportation that meets basic mobility needs and fosters community connection. Through its community bike shop and programs the Collective has created a platform for civic engagement, skill-building, and neighborhood collaboration, helping to shape a more inclusive, bike-friendly Manchester. Resources will support the development a strategic plan to embed the founders’ vision and values into the organization’s infrastructure and transition from a volunteer-led business model, ensuring sustainable growth and long-term success.
Second Start (Concord) – $150,000: Second Start serves more than 1,000 students annually with comprehensive programs including early childhood education, education and substance misuse prevention for middle- and high-school students, adult education programs, and services for New Americans, including English language learning, driver education, and high school degree completion. Resources will support Second Start in strengthening its internal operations and investing in systems to better support its employees.
The Home Possible Project (Gilford) – $150,000: The Home Possible Project’s mission is to provide long-term, supportive housing that empowers adults with developmental disabilities to live independently and develop strong peer connections. The organization is focused on building a community residence for adults with developmental disabilities in the Lakes Region to address the critical shortage of housing to serve this population. Resources will increase organizational capacity to design and build a new supportive housing project for adults living with developmental disabilities.
Grants made to organizations are in the form of tax equity. New Hampshire businesses support the selected projects by purchasing the tax credits, resulting in the nonprofit receiving a donation and the company receiving a 75 percent New Hampshire state tax credit against that contribution. The credit can be applied against the Business Profits Tax, Business Enterprise Tax, or Insurance Premium. Learn more about projects currently fundraising.
To learn more about CDFA, its impact on New Hampshire communities, and available funding resources, visit www.nhcdfa.org.
About the Community Development Finance Authority
The Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) is a statewide nonprofit public authority focused on maximizing the value and impact of community development, economic development, and clean energy initiatives throughout New Hampshire. The organization leverages a variety of financial and technical resources, including the competitive deployment of grant, loan, and equity programs. Those resources include New Hampshire state tax credits, federal Community Development Block Grant resources and the CDFA Clean Energy Fund. For more information about CDFA and its programs visit www.nhcdfa.org or call 603-226-2170.
