A Year of Laying the Groundwork: Gratitude Village Colorado’s Journey So Far

When Gratitude Village Colorado was incorporated in January of 2025, it existed mostly as an idea—rooted in values, shaped by possibility and fueled by a deep belief that housing could be more connected, more sustainable and more humane. One year later, that idea has been tested, stretched, shared, questioned, refined and—most importantly—held by a growing circle of people who said, “Yes, this matters.”

This past year wasn’t about breaking ground or moving in. It was about laying the groundwork: building relationships, learning from others, inviting conversation and doing the slow, often invisible work that turns vision into something real. What follows is a reflection on that year—not just the numbers, but the story they tell.

From Zero to Momentum

Gratitude Village Colorado began the year with no mailing list, no formal board and no guarantee that the idea would resonate beyond a handful of early believers. Today, our mailing list includes 588 people, each one a sign that the longing for community-centered, sustainable housing is very real.

Over the course of the year, we hosted 36 Zoom information sessions and 16 in-person info sessions, creating space for hundreds of questions, conversations and “aha” moments. We also held 20 one-to-one Zoom meetings and 20 coffee meetings, offering personalized opportunities to talk through what cohousing is—and what it isn’t. These weren’t sales conversations. They were listening sessions, curiosity-driven exchanges and relationship-building moments that helped shape the community we are intentionally creating.

In addition to live engagement - gatherings and conversations, Gratitude Village Colorado has prioritized public education as a core part of its mission. Over the past year, the organization published 159 original blog posts, offering free, accessible resources on cohousing, community living, sustainability, affordability, and collaborative governance. This growing body of work allows people to engage with the ideas behind Gratitude Village at their own pace, lowering barriers to understanding and participation long before the village exists physically.

Building Community Before Buildings

One of the most meaningful accomplishments of the year was something that can’t be measured easily: the formation of a real, engaged community before the village exists physically. We hosted three Gratitude Village community gatherings—a lunch, a dinner and a summer potluck—where future neighbors met one another not as buyers or stakeholders, but as people.

We held three community meetings for Founders and Explorers, plus one Founders-only meeting, creating early containers for trust, shared learning and collective imagination. These meetings form the foundation for our community to make decisions as the new year unfolds. As a group, we toured the Geos Neighborhood in Arvada, met with its developer and founder, and visited a couple of homes to see what a sustainable, Passive House home looks like when it’s lived in. We also toured Vederra Modular in the fall, expanding our understanding of sustainable and efficient building options. These shared experiences helped transform abstract ideas into tangible possibilities.

Leadership, Learning, and Governance

This year marked major progress in building a strong organizational foundation. Gratitude Village Colorado was officially incorporated on January 24, 2025, and our 501(c)(3) application was submitted in late February and is currently in process. We began the year with seven initial board members and welcomed six additional members in December, bringing a diverse range of expertise, perspectives and passion to the table. We signed a Fiscal sponsorship agreement with a local non-profit to enable us to apply for various grants and subsidies even before receiving approval from the IRS for our non-profit status.

The board met 17 times over the course of the year—mostly virtually, sometimes in person, including a fun and memorable trip to Casa Bonita over the summer. Alongside board governance, the Executive Director engaged in 70 hours of classes and read 6 books on cohousing, deepening her understanding of cohousing, development and collaborative processes.

Outreach, Partnerships, and Visibility

Gratitude Village Colorado did not grow in isolation. This year included 33 meetings with potential partners, 11 networking events, and two media interviews, each helping to expand awareness and build credibility. We have half-a-dozen experienced developers, land trust partners and more serving as our unofficial advisory council all of whom have said to call anytime with questions. We applied for eight grants, laying the groundwork for future funding, and made a formal land pitch to the City of Westminster, marking an important step in our site search journey. Speaking of land, we reviewed 32 potential properties—each one teaching us more about what is possible, what is practical and what truly aligns with our mission.

One of the year’s standout moments was our public presentation with Charles Durrett, the architect and author who introduced cohousing to the United States. The event sold 170 tickets, welcomed 150 attendees and was supported by 10 sponsors, demonstrating both strong interest and broad community support. From comments made by attendees, it was a generally favorable event that people enjoyed.

A Community Takes Shape

Numbers tell part of the story, but people tell the rest. By the end of the year, Gratitude Village Colorado was supported by 11 founding families and 20 exploring families, each bringing their own hopes, dreams, questions and gifts. Together, this growing circle represents the heart of what we are building: a multigenerational, mixed-income community grounded in belonging.

Financially, the community raised $72,000 in donations, with a little more than 35% of our total income still in hand to support ongoing work. These contributions—large and small—reflect trust in the vision and belief in what’s possible when people come together around shared values.

Looking Ahead

As we close last year and start our second fiscal year, Gratitude Village Colorado is preparing to host Charles Durrett of the Cohousing Company once again as he presents our Get It Built Workshop. An intimate gathering of just 30 attendees, this intense, 15-hour event - which is officially sold out - will bring our community even closer and set us up for success in this next year. This milestone feels symbolic: a gathering focused not just on dreaming, but on the practical steps required to bring a village into being.

This past year was about proving that the idea of Gratitude Village resonates—and that there is both the will and the capacity to move it forward. The work ahead is still significant, but it is no longer solitary. To everyone who attended a meeting, asked a hard question, shared a meal, joined the board, made a donation or simply stayed connected and curious—thank you. This village is being built long before the first foundation is poured and it’s being built together.