The information contained in this article is not intended as legal advice and may no longer be accurate due to changes in the law. Consult NHMA's legal services or your municipal attorney.
Community centers are essential, inclusive spaces that play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of health and well-being for New Hampshire residents. These centers provide a variety of services that allow for social connections, offer vital resources, and engage individuals in civic activities that strengthen local communities.
The Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) is dedicated to maximizing the impact of community development throughout New Hampshire. As a part of this effort, CDFA stood up the Community Center Investment Program (CCIP), aimed at supporting infrastructure improvements for community-based projects across the state. This investment of approximately $20 million in one-time federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Funds (SFRF), administered in coordination with the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief & Recovery (GOFERR), is deploying significant resources into our communities.
By directing ARPA funds into New Hampshire’s community centers, CDFA has enabled municipalities and nonprofit organizations to enhance the services they provide, expand their reach, and address civic inequities and barriers. The first round of funding, awarded in May 2023, supported 16 projects, and an additional round, awarded in winter 2024, supported 11 more projects.
In partnership with the University of New Hampshire Sustainability Institute, CDFA also developed a statewide community center inventory and Geographic Information System (GIS) map of existing facilities. This inventory allows CDFA to identify areas that are underserved by community facilities, known as “community center deserts.” By analyzing infrastructure in each municipality, CDFA is better equipped to identify where investments are needed most.
The community center inventory was built by analyzing municipal and nonprofit infrastructure across New Hampshire. Each potential facility was evaluated to determine whether it met CDFA’s definition of a community center: an open and accessible space that offers multiple services, including community engagement, civic participation, recreation, social services, and workforce development. Over 7,500 potential sites were reviewed, and an Excel database was created to categorize each location. This database not only identifies the number of qualifying community centers in each municipality but also explains why certain locations did or did not meet the established criteria. Additionally, it provides an activity number that includes the total number of locations
screened, including those that ultimately did not qualify.
After thorough analysis of each organization’s programs and services, only 100 entities across the 238 municipalities qualified as community centers. These centers serve as hubs for services and community activities, but there is a clear need for further investment. In particular, New Hampshire’s northern and western regions, known for being more rural, have significant gaps in community center availability. These areas, identified as “community center deserts,” require targeted attention to reduce civic inequities and improve community connections. If your community is interested in an opportunity to explore how community facilities can be leveraged to support local needs, consider a planning grant.
The identified 100 community centers in New Hampshire offer a wide variety of services, with many centers providing multiple types of services. These include:
- 87 community centers offer community engagement activities;
- 55 offer social services;
- 55 offer recreation;
- 24 offer workforce development;
- 7 offer civic engagement.
It is important to note that these categories overlap, as each community center, per the established definition, was required to offer more than one type of service to qualify. The variety of these services provided illustrates the community center’s central role in supporting diverse needs across the state.
This research highlights the ongoing need for investment in New Hampshire’s community centers, particularly in northern and western regions, where gaps in these centers are the most significant. By strengthening community centers, we can create stronger, more resilient communities that connect all residents, regardless of geography. CDFA’s work continues to show the importance of investing in infrastructure that brings people together and enhances community well-being. CDFA is creating case studies which highlight key outcomes of the 27 funded Community Center Investment Program projects, showcasing their local impact and the ongoing work to improve community infrastructure statewide. Additionally, CDFA and New Hampshire Humanities are launching a series of Community Conversations across six New Hampshire locations aimed at exploring the changing nature of communities and the role of community centers in strengthening our state’s towns and cities. All are welcome to attend. To learn more and register, visit: nhcdfa.org/CommunityConversations. CDFA is excited to share these learnings here in Town & City and more broadly in the coming months.