Certified CDCs

In 2010, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed into law Certification Standards for Community Development Corporations (M.G.L. Chapter 40H). Through 40H, the Commonwealth standardized what qualifies and defines an organization as a CDC in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts General Law chapter 40H, § 2 defines a CDC as:

a non-profit corporation organized under chapter 180 [Charitable Corporations], and exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and which:

    (a) focuses a substantial majority of the corporation’s efforts on serving one or more specific neighborhoods or municipalities, a region of the commonwealth or a constituency that is economically disadvantaged;
    (b) has as the corporation’s purpose to engage local residents and businesses to work together to undertake community development programs, projects and activities which develop and improve urban, rural and suburban communities in sustainable ways that create and expand economic opportunities for low and moderate income people;
    (c) demonstrates to the department of housing and community development that the corporation’s constituency, including low and moderate income people, is meaningfully represented on the board of directors of the corporation; provided, however, that in making this determination, the department shall consider the following criteria: 
         (1) the percentage, if any, of the board that is elected by the general membership; 
         (2) the percentage of the board members that are residents of the service area; 
         (3) the percentage of board members that are people of low or moderate income; 
         (4) the racial and ethnic composition of the board in comparison to the racial and ethnic composition of the community being served; 
         (5) other mechanisms, including committees, membership meetings, that the organization uses to ensure that their constituency has a meaningful role in the governance and direction of the organization; and  
         (6) other criteria as determined by the department

CLICK HERE to go to the Certified CDC webpage on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development website.


Massachusetts Community Development Corporations (CDCs): Certified under MGL Chapter 40H

  • ACT Lawrence

  • African Community Economic Development of New England

  • Allston Brighton CDC

  • Asian CDC

  • Boston Neighborhood CLT

  • Brookline Community Development Corporation

  • CDC of South Berkshire

  • Chinatown Community Land Trust

  • Coalition for a Better Acre

  • Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corp

  • Community Development Partnership

  • Community Economic Development Center

  • Community Teamwork

  • Domus Inc.

  • Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corp

  • Downtown Taunton Foundation

  • Dudley Neighbors Inc.

  • Fenway CDC

  • Franklin County CDC

  • Groundwork Lawrence

  • HAC Cape Cod

  • Harborlight Community Partners

  • Hilltown CDC

  • Home City Development

  • Homeowner's Rehab

  • Housing Corp. of Arlington

  • Housing Nantucket

  • Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA)

  • Island Housing Trust

  • Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp.

  • Just-A-Start Corporation

  • Latino Support Network

  • Lawrence CommunityWorks

  • Lena Park

  • Madison Park CDC

  • Main South CDC

  • Metro West Collaborative Development

  • Mill Cities Community Investments

  • Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services

  • NeighborWorks Housing Solutions Southern MA

  • NewVue Communities

  • NOAH

  • North Shore CDC

  • Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation

  • OneHolyoke CDC

  • Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation

  • Quaboag Valley CDC

  • Revitalize CDC

  • Somerville Community Corporation

  • South Boston Neighborhood Development Corp.

  • South Middlesex Opportunity Council

  • Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts

  • Southwest Boston NDC

  • The Neighborhood Developers

  • Urban Edge

  • Valley CDC

  • WATCH CDC

  • Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE (WHALE)

  • Way Finders

  • Wellspring Cooperative Corporation

  • Worcester Common Ground

  • Worcester Community Housing Resources