Lakes Region Community Services Tax Credits

LRCS has been awarded $956,250 in tax credits from the NH Community Development Finance Authority

Lakes Region Community Services (LRCS) has been an essential community partner in the greater Lakes Region since 1975. LRCS primarily serves, and was initially established to serve, individuals with developmental disabilities and acquired brain disorders and their families. Since its inception, LRCS has broadened and strengthened its scope of services to include broad based family support, early childhood, and economic and community development initiatives and programs. LRCS has a Family Resource Center, provides supports to elders, and operates small businesses.  LRCS works collaboratively within the organization and with the citizens in the community at large to support, expand and enhance broad based community involvement.

Through its work, LRCS believes that by strengthening individuals and families it thereby strengthens the community.  LRCS is committed to the principles of family support and asset-based community development.  LRCS values the relationships in the communities where we live and work and its role as facilitators of such relationships.  LRCS supports and encourages employment for all individuals and has established and sustained relationships with local employers who employ individuals with disabilities.  LRCS continues to support community economic development as it opens it fourth small business in Laconia – the Clothesline, an upscale children’s resale boutique.  LRCS also supports and encourages local volunteerism.  Individuals supported by LRCS collectively volunteer over 10,000 hours per year.

Annually, LRCS serves over 1200 individuals and families, has 350 employees and contracts with an additional 150 independent contractors to assist us to carry out our mission. The mission of LRCS is “dedicated to serving the community by promoting independence, dignity and opportunity.” 

In December 2009, LRCS was awarded the Federal Building located at 719 North Main Street in Laconia. LRCS sought to acquire the Federal Building to become the Administrative Office of the organization, as well as to consolidate the operations of the Family Resource Center. LRCS is currently located at 67 Communications Drive, on the land of the former State of New Hampshire Prison and Laconia State School. In the summer of 2009, LRCS was notified that they must vacant the office building it currently occupies.

The Federal Building is a beautiful, centrally located building in Downtown Laconia. LRCS moving to this location will assist with the redevelopment of the downtown area. With the addition of sixty employees who will make this their daily destination, foot traffic and the need for commodities and services will increase.  In addition, LRCS routinely throughout the week has people that visit the Administrative Office, whether it is for training, meetings, to drop off paperwork, or attend parenting events. All of this activity will also increase the number of people coming into Downtown Laconia.  In its work to fulfill its mission, LRCS supports individuals and families to live meaningful lives and to serve as contributing citizens of their communities; many to whom Laconia is home.  The businesses and citizen’s of Laconia need a vibrant, thriving, busy downtown.  Adding LRCS to the fabric of downtown Laconia will be an important and essential component to the revitalization of this area of the City of Laconia. 

While the Federal Building is beautiful and structurally sound there are improvements that need to be made to enhance the effectiveness of energy and accessibility improvements. Any and all operating costs ultimately reduce the resources LRCS has for services and programs for the people we serve. The energy improvements will assist in reducing the operating costs for LRCS for years to come.     The Federal Building currently does not meet the standards as set forth by the American’s with Disability Act (ADA).  Specific renovations that LRCS plans to make are identified in the attached document, titled: Renovations to Federal Building.

One mechanism LRCS is planning to use to assist with the cost of necessary renovations is the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority’s (CDFA) Tax Credit Program.  Through a competitive process, LRCS was awarded $956,250. in tax credits.  The Tax Credit is an effective way for businesses to support LRCS.  Simply stated, the Tax Credit Program enables a business to significantly increase their community impact by leveraging the tax dollars they would pay to the state and federal government. The business can also claim a donation for the full amount of the tax credit paid on their federal taxes.  A full description of how the Tax Credit Program works is included in the attached document, tilted: Tax Credits and Your Business.

Helpful Resources:

• LRCS Tax Credits - Next Steps for Interested Donors
• NH Business Enterprise Tax Calculator
• Donor's Net Cost of Contribution through CDFA Tax Credit Program
• LRCS Pledge Agreement
• CDFA Tax Credit Brochure
• New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority website link

For more information about how you can work with LRCS to leverage tax dollars for economic development, please contact Becky Bryant, LRCS Finance Director at 524-8811 extension 1505 or beckyb@lrcs.org.

LRCS Career Opportunities

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