The NH Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) is a statewide, nonprofit authority focused on maximizing the value and impact of community development, economic development, and clean energy initiatives, throughout New Hampshire.

CDFA’s Community Center Investment Program (CCIP) will provide resources to nonprofits and municipalities to support infrastructure improvements to community spaces across New Hampshire.

The program will focus on supporting facilities owned and/or managed by municipalities and nonprofits with limited resources and a demonstrated need to invest in their physical infrastructure to be viable for decades to come.

Some of the other project requirements include: show the social services that will be provided to senior citizens and/or children under age 18, show how it provides a sense of community, strengthening local participation in democracy, show a recreational element, show the facility will be ADA accessible, show high energy efficiency, show the secured 15% match (cash, third-party in-kind match, grant or loan), show construction will start within 6 months and complete in 2025.

Spread over 42.4 square miles, Grafton is home to 1,400+ people including 220+ children and 240 age 65+ (US Census). Nearly 10% of Grafton residents live below the poverty level (vs. 7.2% statewide). Grafton is a small rural town with no indoor public spaces for residents to gather other than a one-room town hall, the fire station (used for elections), and a tiny library with no plumbing. To address this problem and the limitations of our little library, the Friends of Grafton Library propose constructing a new library on a site donated for this purpose. This new facility will foster civic engagement and a sense of place while addressing community needs.

Because Grafton has no schools, our children endure bus rides of up to 90 minutes to and from schools in Canaan, curtailing their access to after-school activities. Some have no adult supervision until parents return from work and others don’t have a place at home to study. Creating an after-school program at the new library solves these problems while helping our children make up for Covid-related learning losses. Having running water and toilets will also make it possible for everyone, including kids, to be at the library for extended periods.

Because our town is so spread out and lacks open and accessible gathering places, isolation can be a problem – particularly for older adults. At the new library, they will be able to come together for coffee, conversation, and programming that supports healthy aging. Residents of all ages will benefit from having a comfortable place to meet and socialize.

Although many families in Grafton experience food insecurity, few make use of Upper Valley food pantries. Barriers include distance, pride, and lack of communication. Building on the trust we develop with families participating in library programs, we will be able to connect them with free food sources and can deliver emergency food packages as needed.

The new facility will address these issues while providing 21st century library services in an uplifting space that brings our community together.

The new after-school program for kids age 5-13 will operate weekdays from 3:30 - 6:30. Staffed by a director, assistant, and local volunteers, the program will build social-emotional skills and support academic achievement by offering evidence-based programming including fun STEAM activities, tutoring, outdoor play, nutrition, and community service projects. A second “late bus” to the library will also make it possible for teens to attend after-school activities at the high-school. Transportation, fundraising support, program development assistance, and hiring the director as a district employee will be provided by the Mascoma Valley Regional School District.

Programming for older adults will include exercise classes, drop-in hours for coffee and conversation, and expansion of the library’s popular “Cake Wednesday” gathering. We will also host a monthly Memory Café for adults with early dementia and their care partners to socialize while enjoying arts-based programming. These programs will be offered in partnership with the Mascoma Area Senior Center (MASC) and staffed by volunteers. MASC will provide transportation for the Memory Café and will support outreach and recruitment.

Food assistance will be provided by Friends of Mascoma (FOM). At present, few Grafton families in need make use of their services. Building on the trust we develop with patrons participating in library programs, we will be able to connect them confidentially with FOM’s Canaan food pantry. Library volunteers will deliver food packages as needed.

Because the new library will be far larger and more accessible than the current library, we will also be able to expand current programs and pilot new ones that fit local needs and interests.

The new Library Barn will be freely open to the public far more than the current library and its physical attributes will make it more accessible for people with disabilities.

The new Net-Zero building will be open at least 28 hours per week without incurring any energy expenses. This is more than twice the number of weekly hours the current library budget can support. We will expand open hours further as the library’s operating budget increases and FoGL secures philanthropic support for new programs. More solar panels will be added at the library site over time to increase the number of hours we can operate without incurring energy expenses. This plan will help us increase access by containing the cost of expanding open hours.

Access for people with disabilities will be ensured by ADA-compliant parking, entries, restrooms, and interior features. Although there will be no elevator, all amenities and programs available on the second floor will also be available on the first floor, providing unimpaired access for people with disabilities. The entire media collection will be housed on the first floor.

The new library’s convenient location on Rte 4 will also support access and utilization. Residents will pass the new library frequently as they come to the town offices and post office or travel to nearby towns for work and shopping. For those who work in Lebanon or Concord, the new library’s location will make it easily accessible on the commute home.

Unlike the current library, the new facility will accommodate quiet use and group programming at the same time, offering unrestricted access to both whenever the library is open.

All library programs and services except the after-school program will be offered free of charge, eliminating financial barriers to participation. A sliding-fee scale for the after-school program will ensure access, regardless of ability to pay.

With no indoor gathering places other than the tiny library and the one-room town hall, Grafton’s resources for creating a sense of community are limited. The proposed project will make a dramatic difference by providing an uplifting space for residents to gather for community-building activity throughout the year. In a town that has made do with so little for so long, the new library will become a source of pride and optimism.

In the spirit of barn-raising, the community has come together to make this project possible and will continue to support library programs with their time and talent. Housing the library in a reconstructed barn will visibly connect Grafton with its past while symbolizing that it was made possible by neighbors working together for the common good.

Located opposite the town offices, museum, fire station, and post office, the new library will help create a town center with a strong sense of place. Building on the success of current library programs, the facility will also foster a sense of belonging. Newcomers to Grafton often find a way to get involved through the library, but the tiny, tucked-away building can only hold a few folks at a time. The proposed facility – with its visible location and beautiful accommodations – will attract and connect far more Graftonites.

The new facility and programming are consistent with the Grafton Library’s strategic plan, completed in 2021 by a committee representing the Library Trustees, Planning Board, Selectboard, and FoGL. The plan calls for addressing facility needs and developing programming for all ages that responds to local needs. The proposed after-school program is also consistent with the Mascoma Valley Regional School District’s strategic plan, which calls for partnering with local groups to provide after-school opportunities.

For the past decade, our community has been engaged in efforts to build a new library and expand its mission. The town has voted repeatedly to increase the library’s capital reserve, and residents have participated in multiple surveys and meetings to express their opinions.

n 2017, the Library Trustees conducted a town-wide survey to gather input and held a public meeting to review options. In 2018, an architectural firm developed plans for moving and expanding the current library, and in 2019 another firm presented plans for a pre-fab building. A third plan, calling for reconstructing a c.1812 barn to house the new library, was endorsed by the Trustees as the best option.

In 2021, the Library Trustees completed a strategic plan informed by a town-wide survey, interviews with potential partners, and research into the critical role of public libraries in rural communities. Our CCIP proposal is entirely consistent with the plan’s vision and priorities.

The town’s response to our recent pledge drive to secure matching funds for the requested CCIP funding confirms strong community support of this project. In just a few weeks, we have received $53,390 in pledges and gifts.

Moving forward, the Trustees and FoGL will continue to solicit input through periodic town-wide surveys, interviews with other stakeholders (e.g. healthcare, schools, human services), and open meetings.

The historic barn that will become the new library dates back to c.1812 when David and Ruth Tewksbury established a farm in West Grafton. This 250-acre farm provided a livelihood for many generations thereafter. Agricultural census records reveal that the barn predominantly housed sheep, a primary source of income in Grafton.

The barn is a rare example of a double English barn. An English barn is a roughly 32’ x 68’ timber-framed structure with three bents, or sections: one for threshing, one for hay storage, and one for stabling animals. English barns were replaced by the Yankee barn starting in the 1850s. Yankee barns were larger, had entrances on the gable ends, and were designed to be expandable. The preservation of this hand-hewn frame is therefore important for more than just Grafton residents. Its reconstruction will allow future generations to learn about early timber-framing and an increasingly rare building type.

Housing our new library in a historically significant barn will connect Grafton to its agricultural heritage and serve as an emblem of community spirit. As their predecessors came together for barn-raising, today’s residents have come together to make the Barn Library a reality.

The Barn Library will also help to create a lively town center. Located on Rte 4 opposite the town offices, historical museum, post office, and fire station, the new library will be an uplifting sign of community revitalization.

This project involves reconstructing and retrofitting an historic Grafton timber-frame barn on a 0.8-acre site donated to the Town of Grafton for use by the library. The site is centrally located on Rte 4 opposite the town offices, fire station, history museum, and post office. The terms of the deed give full site control to the library trustees.

The reconstructed barn will provide 3,200 sq. ft. of community space on two levels. The first level will offer space for an expanded media collection; a meeting room with kitchenette; a children’s room; open space with tables for reading, computer use, and programming; a director’s office; and storage. The library stacks and tables will be moveable so that the space can be reconfigured to accommodate larger groups. The second level will include a second meeting room plus flexible space for quiet reading, conversation, and small group activity. The second level will be open to the first, preserving the open feeling of the barn’s interior.

State-of-the-art insulation, roof-top solar panels, heat pumps, and other features like automated lighting will contribute to our Net-Zero energy plans, which will allow the building to be open at least 28 hours per week with no energy expenses. We plan to add solar panels on the site as needed to increase Net-Zero capacity.

The historic barn has been purchased and disassembled, and the timber frame is currently being repaired and readied for reconstruction on the new library site. The associated expenses have been covered by the Friends of Grafton Library.

The completed library building will be owned by the Town of Grafton and managed by the Library Trustees following acceptance of the gift via warrant article.

The site plan and septic design were completed by Mike Duffy, PC, of Horizons Engineering.

Interior Designer Paige Parrish confirmed that the available space within the barn envelope is sufficient to accommodate the services and programming we are proposing, including library stacks, program areas, conference rooms, reading nooks, a children’s area, office space, and bathrooms.

Architect Jessica Cook has updated the interior floor plans. Mechanical space and storage will be in the basement.

To help us meet CFDA's energy policy requirements, we have engaged Paul Leveille of Resilient Buildings Group to create a Net-Zero model that accommodates our projected needs. Leveille’s model shows that the proposed structure can operate for at least 28 hours per week, enough to cover current library operating hours plus operating hours for the after-school program. It also exceeds the current NH Energy Code.

Our energy model features a super-insulated envelope including walls with R value of 23.8 and roof with R value of 50.7 (standard R value of 6” walls is 21), heat pumps, a heat recovery ventilator, and an 18.6 KW net-metered solar array on the south-facing roof.

To confirm that the structure is air-tight, Leveille will donate his time to conduct a blower door test once the building envelope is sealed with windows and doors.

To identify opportunities for increased efficiency, while incorporating any available incentives into our energy plan, we will be conducting the required energy design charrette this winter. A preliminary email exchange with Eversource indicated that the incentive level for this project will be 30 cents per kwh saved over code requirements. Paul Leveille will lead the charrette with the design team and utility representatives. We expect the charrette to identify additional measures that will enable us to achieve Net-Zero status for more than 28 hours per week.

As additional programming is developed, operating hours expand, and community organizations begin to use the library for meetings, the building will be open more than 28 hours per week, which will initially incur energy expenses. We will monitor energy usage closely to make data-driven decisions about supplementing the rooftop solar array with a ground-mount array or an array on the roof of an outdoor pavilion.

All pre-award work – including final architectural plans, the energy design charrette, timber frame repair, preliminary site work, and selecting the general contractor – will be complete by 4/24. Responsible parties include Jessica Cook, Paul Leveille, Horizons Engineering, Aaron Allen, Razor Hill Excavation, and Elaina Bergamini as project manager and liaison to the Library Trustees.

Site preparation – including clearing, grading, excavation, and septic installation – will be finished by 6/24 by Razor Hill Excavation.

Aaron Allen will be responsible for assembling the timber frame on site by 8/24.

The building’s exterior – including the stick-built envelope, sheathing, insulation, roofing, windows, and doors – will be completed by 1/25. The General Contractor will be responsible for hiring and managing the necessary subcontractors.

Interior carpentry, finish electrical and plumbing work, HVAC systems, and interior/exterior painting will be complete by 7/25. The General Contractor will be responsible for hiring subcontractors. Through Bergamini’s work with MVP, we have established relationships with many and will leverage those as needed.

Eagle Pond Studios will be conducting regular on-site visits to make sure construction matches the construction documents.

Landscaping and furnishing will take place during the summer of 2025. FoGL will be responsible for securing the donations and volunteer labor for this work. Associated costs are not included in the project budget.

The Library Barn will be ready for occupancy on Sept 1, 2025. General contractors who have expressed interest in bidding this project have deemed the timeline generous and reasonable.

This project was launched 5 years ago when FoGL purchased the 18th century barn that will be reconstructed to house the new library. The barn frame defines the dimensions of the building. Standard stick-built (2” framing) construction will create an envelope around the frame, facilitating state-of-the-art insulation.

The thickness of the exterior walls and the roof are determined by the insulation requirements of our Net-Zero energy model. This modeling has already been completed, resulting in a design that will allow us to keep this much larger library open more than twice the hours at the current tiny library with no energy expenses.

The site plans were completed by Mike Duffy, PC, of Horizons Engineering. His firm will also provide structural engineering services, working with the architect to complete plans for reconstructing the timber frame.

Interior Designer Paige Parrish confirmed that the available space within the barn envelope is sufficient to accommodate the services and programming we are proposing, including library stacks, program areas, conference rooms, reading nooks, a children’s area, office space, and bathrooms. (Mechanical space, and storage will be in the basement.)

We have engaged Jessica Cook of Eagle Pond Studio to complete the architectural plans and ensure compliance with state codes for municipal structures. As noted in her attached project timeline, this work will be completed before the April 1 start date for construction.

Budget estimates were completed by Elaina Bergamini, FoGL President and Mascoma Valley Preservation (MVP) board member, and Andrew Cushing, Library Trustee Chair and MVP President. Both have developed budgets for recently funded MVP projects and have applied research completed for MVP projects to the Library Barn budget. Bergamini vetted projected costs with contractors in relevant fields.

Since Grafton does not have any zoning or permitting requirements other than septic design approval, our plans have been designed to comply with state codes and fire marshall requirements for a municipal building. Our architect will review our building plans to vet their compliance, and we will secure septic design approval from the Grafton Selectboard before the April 1 start date.

While we have commitments from our architect, timber-frame specialist, site and structural engineer, structural engineer, excavator, and energy specialist, we are still in the process of selecting a general contractor, who will be responsible for hiring subcontractors with our input. We will select the general contractor by the project start date of April 1, 2024.

As a small town with a constrained tax base, Grafton does not have the resources to fund the proposed building with tax revenue. The Friends group – which has raised sufficient funds over the past several years to purchase the barn, disassemble it, and repair the beams – cannot expect to raise enough capital from fundraising events and foundations to complete the project expeditiously. With construction costs increasing at an alarming pace, we know that any delay in breaking ground will result in a much more expensive project. The opportunity presented by CCIP to fully fund construction and complete the new library quickly makes this project feasible.

To date, we have secured $35,000 in pledges from the Byrne, Upton, and Brundage Foundations toward fulfilling the CCIP match requirement, and a recent appeal to town property owners has secured an additional $53,690 in pledges and donations for this project. In addition, we have documented the donation of professional services valued at $27,005, and the Library Trustees have committed up to $50,000 from the Library Capital Reserve Fund, of which we will need only $35,000 to meet the match requirement. The remainder will remain in the Library Capital Reserve Fund for future maintenance and repairs. Altogether, we have secured $150,695 in cash, pledges, and in-kind support, which represents 15.1% of total project costs

Friends of Grafton Library incorporated in the State of NH to serve as the primary fundraising arm of the library community and to support the development of new programs as requested by the library trustees or director. Since our inception, we have created several events in our community that raise money and community spirit, gaining us loyal supporters. The events have grown in popularity and have created the healthy reserves that we currently enjoy.

In our nine years of operation, we have been able to pay for architectural plans that tested the feasibility of moving and expanding the existing library while providing money tor media purchases, townwide mailings and, most recently, the purchase and dismantling of the historic barn that will provide the timber frame for the new library. Despite these expenses, we have maintained an operating reserve that can be tapped to support landscaping and furnishings for the new library as well as new programming.

Mascoma Valley Regional School District will support the after-school program

Mascoma Area Senior Center will support the Memory Cafe

Friends of Mascoma will support the Food Assistance

Jessica Cook, architect, Eagle Pond Studios, construction drawings, construction compliance checks

Michael Duffy, Horizons Engineering, site/septic plans

Paul Leveille, energy plan

Robert Senter, Razor Hill Excavation, site work

Aaron Allen, Aaron Allen Timber Framing, timber frame disassembly, repair, reassembly

Mark Phelps, Winni Construction, general contractor