Neighbor-led connections for thriving communities

2026 Civic Hub grantee

At the Community Builders Hub in New Hampshire’s North Country, Community Stewards are building a critical mass of local people to collaboratively address community-identified needs and opportunities. The Hub equips residents with the concrete tools and relationships they need to cultivate belonging and help their communities thrive.

A Civic Hub for local action

The Hub designs events and projects with and for neighbors, creating opportunities for people to connect and contribute. The Hub’s Community Stewards identify neighbors’ interests and untapped skills, then connect them with other people and resources. Projects make a tangible difference to both individuals and the community as a whole—repairing a neighbor’s roof, rebuilding an ice rink, hosting concerts, revitalizing Main Street.

Stewards also invite neighbors into planning efforts led by local funders and service organizations to ensure community voices shape initiatives ranging from housing programs to behavioral health strategies.

“Community is like a 1,000 pound weight. When only five people are carrying it, it’s exhausting. The Hub is all about gathering more neighbors to participate. If we can have 500 people, each carrying two pounds, it’s more sustainable—and way more fun!”

—Brian Laperle, Treasurer and Board Member
Community Builders Hub (2026 Civic Hub grantee)

Community impact in practice

When a Community Steward noticed community caregivers looking for opportunities to connect, they helped launch Tired Moms Club, now a monthly gathering where mothers share a free meal and conversation while their children play and make crafts. As relationships grew, two mothers naturally took on leadership roles for the group’s planning, recruitment, and decision-making.

The Hub built on those relationships by inviting the two group leaders to participate when the Coös Coalition for Young Children and Families asked for help planning a regional behavioral health summit. Those mothers contribute valuable insight into families’ experiences navigating behavioral health services while the Hub supports and encourages their growing leadership.

The opportunities ahead