The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) has emerged as a trusted and capable steward of New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) financing in rural Southeastern Vermont. BDCC obtained federally certified Community Development Entity (CDE) designation in 2017, repeatedly demonstrating the ability to structure, secure, and implement NMTC deals that catalyze transformative investments in low-income communities across the region.
BDCC’s track record includes successful delivery of intricate NMTC-supported initiatives that required aligning multiple funding sources, managing regulatory compliance, and maintaining long-term community benefits.
Examples include:
In each project, BDCC played critical roles—ranging from predevelopment and capital structuring to federal grant administration and real estate stewardship—demonstrating exceptional agility and expertise.
The NMTC program offers a rare but powerful financial tool to address chronic underinvestment in rural regions. By attracting private capital through federal tax incentives, NMTCs make high-impact community development projects feasible despite limited local financial resources. BDCC leverages NMTCs to:
This tool has proven especially vital for projects like Hundred Nights in Keene, NH and Groundworks in Brattleboro, which serve homeless and at-risk populations. NMTCs helped these organizations expand facilities and services to meet escalating community needs.
BDCC’s ability to harness NMTCs strengthens its role as a regional economic engine. Whether assisting municipalities with infrastructure development, helping businesses scale, or securing housing and health services for the underserved, BDCC ensures that rural Southeast Vermont benefits from capital tools often unavailable in non-urban markets. Its commitment to mission-aligned investment ensures NMTCs are deployed with community benefit at the core.
As Southeast Vermont seeks to address economic inequality, housing shortages, and infrastructure gaps, BDCC’s proven capacity to deliver NMTC-financed solutions positions it as a critical partner in building a more resilient and equitable regional economy.
In 2017 G.S. Precision, a high-precision manufacturer of machine components, officially completed a $17 million expansion that had the effect of retaining 300 local jobs and bringing an additional 100 manufacturing jobs to the region. The project was a result of the cumulative efforts of many organizations and programs, with the BDCC and Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) leading the way. The BDCC was instrumental in creating a package of financing and incentives to help fund the $17 million project, which included TD Bank and VEDA (Vermont Economic Development Authority) financing, a Community Development Block Grant, New Market Tax Credits, Windham County Economic Development Funding, and Vermont Employment Growth Incentives. For more information on the G.S. Precision expansion, see the articles below or visit the G.S. Precision project page.
Chroma is a local optical filter engineer and manufacturer that supplies lenses to industries across the world. In 2017, the company began a 40,000 square foot expansion costing roughly $20 million which is helping to retain the company’s 113 existing jobs as well as adding 26 new jobs to the region. Chroma is an employee owned (ESOP) business. This project was facilitated by the BDCC, the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, and the Town of Rockingham; the BDCC stepped in as a consultant for the project, facilitating local and state funding sources including the town of Rockingham, the Community Development Block Grant program, loans from the Vermont Economic Development Authority, the Windham County Economic Development Program, Vermont Employment Growth Incentives, and federal New Market Tax Credits. For more information on the Chroma expansion, see the articles below of visit the Chroma project page.
Securing NMTC funding: BDCC, as a Community Development Entity (CDE), likely assists Hundred Nights in securing NMTC funding. This program attracts private investment into low-income communities by providing tax credits to investors who make equity investments in CDEs. This allows Hundred Nights to access crucial capital for its projects.
Financing for project development: The NMTC financing obtained through BDCC can be used for projects that create significant community impacts, such as increasing services for low-income individuals and improving community involvement. This aligns with Hundred Nights’ mission of providing shelter and services to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Supporting the development of the new emergency shelter and resource center: Hundred Nights is leveraging Community Development Block Grant resources and working towards developing a new facility. While the provided search results don’t explicitly state BDCC’s direct involvement in this specific project, it’s reasonable to infer that BDCC, as a CDE focused on community development, would likely assist with finding suitable financing or providing expertise for such a project.
Capacity building and program expansion: Hundred Nights is also utilizing funding for capacity building resources, including a new position focused on developing opportunities in areas like housing, skill-building, and health/mental health services. BDCC’s involvement in the NMTC program could potentially support these broader programmatic goals by providing access to resources and expertise.
Since 1871, The Brooks House has been a pillar of downtown Brattleboro, serving as both a venue for retail space on Main Street (on its first floor) as well as apartments and residential housing on the upper three stories. However, after a devastating fire in 2011 which rendered the building uninhabitable, significant investment was needed to secure the future of the property and restore that critical section of Brattleboro’s main downtown block. To help with the renovation, the BDCC assisted in securing private financing from a variety of banks as well as public financing in the form of New Market Tax Credits, a Community Development Block grant, Vermont Downtown Tax Credits, Vermont Economic Development Authority Loans, and Federal Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credits. For more information on the Brooks House project, please see the articles below or the Brooks House project page linked above.