By Chris Mays, Brattleboro Reformer, published April 15, 2026

BRATTLEBORO — Public funding, private investment and community-driven financing are how The Village at Winston Prouty is being pieced together. 

A capital campaign to raise $4.75 million is underway for construction of the first phase of the project, following the $4 million commitment from the state of Vermont and $1 millon through financing. The remainder is being raised through “a blended capital approach that integrates traditional philanthropy with investment opportunities designed to generate both financial returns and measurable community benefit,” according to a news release.

Chloe Learey, executive director of the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development, said $2 million is needed in the short term to secure construction of the 28 units this year. “Impact investing” and “mission-driven financing” are key strategies, with $330,000 already pledged.

“I really hope that we can make it happen because I don’t want to put it off,” Learey said. “Costs are only going to go up, and our community needed it five years ago.”

The project aims to provide “workforce housing.” The goal is to create a mixed-income, mixed-age neighborhood, with future phases considering co-op and condo options.

Learey said impact investing can be achieved “through multiple channels and vehicles.”

“I think some people think, Oh you got that funding for the treasurer’s office,” she said of a low-interest loan announced last month. “So there’s that piece. That was a boost, but it was just under half. So we have some more work to do.”

Learey said the housing will help to attract and retain employers and employees, and increase the tax base.

“The return on investment isn’t just financial,” she said. 

She noted the financing isn’t just about relying on individual people writing checks for the projects. 

“They’re also figuring out institutional investors,” she said. “There are larger organizations that might have resources that they don’t need for cash, that they’re willing to invest it in a project and get an interest rate that allows them to be part of it without, again, just giving money.”

Learey said people getting to an age where they need to take distributions from their IRAs can put money towards the project if they don’t need it for retirement. Others want to participate in what she called “planned giving.” 

The Village at Winston Prouty “isn’t just a real estate project,” said Marty Cohn, public relations consultant.

“This is a project that’s tackling an issue that we’ve been talking about for years, housing affordability and availability,” he said. “This project supports workforce stability and local economic growth.”

The Village at Winston Prouty will help to provide “that missing middle housing,” Learey said.

“Nobody’s doing it, because they can’t figure out how to make it pencil out,” she said. “We’re going to pencil it out by subsidizing it with impact investment and donations. Keep it simple. Don’t use complicated tax credit programs. Let’s see what we can do.”

The hope is to use the model for other phases of the project and other projects in the community. 

The development will be on the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development campus and is “designed to integrate housing with existing early childhood education and family support services — creating a holistic environment that addresses multiple dimensions of community well-being,” according to the news release.

For more information about supporting the initiative, contact Learey at 802-257-7852 or chloe@winstonprouty.org.