NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley

What NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley does

NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley (NWBRV) is a nonprofit community development corporation founded in 1987 and headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The organization operates as an affiliate of the national NeighborWorks America network and delivers a portfolio of integrated community programs across affordable housing, economic development, youth services, and creative placemaking in the Blackstone River Valley region. Core programs include the HomeOwnership Center (homebuyer education and financial counseling in partnership with Citizens Bank), the Woonsocket Free Home Repair Program (delivered with Group Cares, serving 200 homeowners since 2016), Accessing Home AmeriCorps housing stability services, Millrace Kitchen (a commercial kitchen incubator at 40 South Main Street hosting over 40 food businesses since 2017), Greenridge Commons (96 units of affordable housing in Pascoag), the Mary A. Longtin C3 Center youth program, and the Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series at River Island Art Park.

The organization's revenue model is structured as a typical 501(c)(3) nonprofit: grant funding from federal and state agencies via the NeighborWorks America network forms the core, supplemented by corporate and foundation sponsorships (Citizens Bank, Levitt Foundation, United Way of Rhode Island, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Eastern Bank, Navigant Credit Union, RISCA), individual and corporate donations, and modest earned income from Millrace Kitchen rentals and event space fees. Most programs are delivered free or low-cost to community members; Millrace Kitchen offers usage-based pricing for food entrepreneurs. Distribution is exclusively regional, via direct service delivery through three physical Woonsocket locations and program sites, with marketing conducted through the organizational website, social media, email newsletters, and community events.

Name

NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley

Legal name

NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley

Website

https://neighborworksbrv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley is a Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based nonprofit community development corporation and NeighborWorks America affiliate delivering affordable housing, homeownership education, free home repairs, food business incubation, youth programming, and free community concerts to Blackstone River Valley residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing and Community Development

NAICS

Residential Building Construction (2361), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Homeownership education
• Community development services
• Commercial kitchen incubation
• Youth development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Woonsocket

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Federal and state grants from government agencies and national NeighborWorks America affiliation for housing development, community programs, and neighborhood revitalization
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations from sponsors supporting community events and programs
3. Commercial Kitchen Rental: Millrace Kitchen facility rental fees from food entrepreneurs and businesses using the licensed commercial kitchen space
4. Event Space Rental: Event space rentals at Millrace Kitchen facilities for community events and private gatherings

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley is a nonprofit community development corporation based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island that builds and manages affordable housing, delivers homeownership education and free critical home repair services, runs a commercial kitchen incubator for food entrepreneurs, and operates youth and community arts/music programs across northern Rhode Island. Founded in 1987 and affiliated with the national NeighborWorks America network, it combines real estate development with place-based community programs serving low- and moderate-income households.

Product overview

NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley is a community development organization offering a portfolio of integrated services focused on affordable housing, community enrichment, and economic development in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The core offerings include Property Development (affordable housing construction and management), the HomeOwnership Center (homebuyer education and financial assistance), the Woonsocket Home Repair Program (free repairs for qualifying residents), Accessing Home AmeriCorps program, Millrace Kitchen (food business incubator), Creative Placemaking initiatives including the Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series, Community Building and Engagement programming, C3 Center youth services, and Resident Services. These programs work together to build safe, healthy communities and support residents across all stages of housing and life.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HomeOwnership Center: Supporting path to home ownership with financial capabilities, homebuyer education, and housing opportunities.
• Millrace Kitchen
• Accessing Home
• C3 Center
• Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series

Products and services

• Property Development (Affordable Housing) Development and stewardship of affordable rental and ownership housing units, including recent projects such as Greenridge Commons, for income-eligible households in northern Rhode Island.
• HomeOwnership Center Homebuyer education, counseling, and pre-purchase support for prospective first-time and low- to moderate-income homebuyers preparing for homeownership.
• Woonsocket Home Repair Program Free critical home repair services (roofs, heating systems, accessibility modifications) for income-eligible homeowners in Woonsocket and surrounding communities.
• Accessing Home AmeriCorps Program AmeriCorps service program placing members to deliver home repair, housing counseling, and community service work for income-eligible residents.
• Millrace Kitchen Shared-use commercial kitchen space and food-business incubation program for food entrepreneurs and small food-product businesses seeking licensed kitchen access, classes, mentorship, and a small-business community.
• Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series Free weekly outdoor live music series featuring local, regional, and national artists, presented at River Island Art Park as a creative placemaking initiative for Woonsocket.
• C3 Center Youth Programs Out-of-school-time youth programming offering academic support, enrichment, and college/career readiness for middle and high school students in Woonsocket and surrounding communities.
• Community Building and Special Events Year-round community-building events (e.g., 2025 Block Party, family-friendly activities, neighborhood engagement events) for residents of Woonsocket and northern Rhode Island.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.5 million invested in Woonsocket through home repair program serving 200 homeowners since 2016
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Group CarescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based home repair organization with 40+ years experience bringing free home repairs to communities. Partners with NWBRV for Woonsocket Free Home Repair Program, providing volunteer workforce and Christian youth groups for week-long workcamps performing repairs for seniors, low-income, veteran, and disabled families.
• RI Department of HealthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicenses Millrace Kitchen as a commercial kitchen facility, with each food business separately licensed to the kitchen and then renting time to work independently.
• City of WoonsocketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity partners with NWBRV for Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series, Earth Day initiatives, and various community development programs including Woonsocket Home Repair Program.
• Downtown Woonsocket CollaborativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner supporting Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series and downtown economic development initiatives.
• Swearer Center, Brown UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized NWBRV's C3 Center with award for Community Joy and Resilience through their Community Advisory Board.
• Local Businesses (Woonsocket)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHome repair program purchases materials and supplies from local businesses, supporting the local economy while bringing volunteers into the community.
• NeighborWorks AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational affiliation providing network support, proven community development methodology, and resources for NWBRV's housing and community development programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts: A fellow NeighborWorks America affiliate providing affordable housing development, homebuyer education, and community revitalization in southern Massachusetts. Closely comparable in mission, programmatic scope, and funding model to NWBRV, with similar scale and rural/small-city service area.
• Higher Ground Inc: Providence, RI-based nonprofit providing affordable housing, supportive services, and youth development for families experiencing housing instability. Directly comparable to NWBRV in geography (Rhode Island), mission (affordable housing + wraparound services), and customer segments.
• West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation: Providence-based nonprofit community development corporation developing affordable housing and providing supportive services in Rhode Island. Same mission, geography, and program mix (housing development + resident services) as NWBRV, making it a closely comparable regional peer.
• SWAP Inc. (Stop Wasting Abandoned Property): Rhode Island nonprofit focused on rehabbing abandoned properties into affordable housing, paired with homebuyer education. Comparable to NWBRV in target geography, affordable housing development approach, and homeownership education model.
• Community Action Partnership of Providence County: Regional antipoverty agency providing housing, energy assistance, youth programming, and economic development across Rhode Island. Comparable in wraparound community services model and low-income target segments, though at larger geographic scale than NWBRV.
• Hope & Main: Rhode Island-based nonprofit food business incubator providing licensed commercial kitchen space and business support to food entrepreneurs — directly analogous to NWBRV's Millrace Kitchen program and serving the same micro food entrepreneur customer segment.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI and community development intermediary providing funding, training, and capacity-building to local CDCs like NWBRV. Comparable in mission and program areas (affordable housing, economic development, community health) but operates at significantly larger national scale and serves as a capital intermediary rather than direct service provider.
• Habitat for Humanity of Rhode Island: State-level affiliate of national affordable housing nonprofit, building homes for low-income families in Rhode Island. Comparable in affordable housing mission and Rhode Island geography, but operates a much larger volunteer-driven new construction model rather than the comprehensive CDC wraparound model NWBRV runs.
• Rhode Island Housing: State housing finance agency providing mortgages, rental subsidies, and development financing across Rhode Island. Comparable in affordable housing focus but operates as a quasi-governmental statewide intermediary rather than a local direct service CDC.

Regional players

• Capital Good Fund: Rhode Island-based nonprofit CDFI offering small-dollar loans, financial coaching, and homeownership support to underserved populations. Comparable in Rhode Island geography and financial empowerment/housing stability mission that overlaps with NWBRV's HomeOwnership Center.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NWBRV
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC35J-3LDfV4lOQLzmUPwTQw
• Facebookfacebook.com/NeighborWorksBRV

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley