The Village Bell - July 2026 Edition

The Foundation Beneath the Village

From the Founder’s Porch

One of the things I've learned over the past year is that progress doesn't always look the way people expect.

When people imagine a new neighborhood being built, they picture bulldozers, foundations, and homes beginning to rise from the ground. Those days will come. But first comes another kind of construction—the careful work of building partnerships, refining financial plans, completing due diligence, and creating the foundation that will support the village for years to come.

This month has been filled with that important behind-the-scenes work. It may not make for dramatic photographs, but every conversation, meeting, and milestone brings Gratitude Village one step closer to becoming a place people can call home.

It's also exciting to see our community growing alongside the project itself. This fall, Founding Members will begin participating in the Common House and Private Home Design Workshops with Studio CoHab, helping shape the spaces where future neighbors will gather, celebrate, and build community. We'll also be participating in the National Cohousing Alliance Fall Summit in Denver, sharing our vision while learning from communities across the country.

As we look ahead to our anticipated August land closing, I'm filled with gratitude for everyone who has helped us reach this point. Whether you've donated, volunteered, attended an information session, become an Explorer or Founding Member, introduced us to a potential partner, or simply shared our story, you've helped move this dream forward.

Thank you for being part of the journey. I'm excited to share this month's progress with you—and even more excited for all that's still to come.

With gratitude,

Suzie Shride
Founder & Executive Director
Gratitude Villages, Inc.

Building the Financial Foundation

While our future neighborhood is taking shape on paper, another kind of foundation is being built behind the scenes. Throughout July, we continued working with Chestnut Ridge Consulting to refine the project's financial model and underwriting, while Trellis Housing Partners advanced the affordable homeownership strategy and explored funding opportunities that support a diverse, mixed-income community.

We're also continuing conversations with lenders, philanthropic partners, and public agencies as we refine the project's capital stack—the combination of financing sources that will help bring Gratitude Village to life. This work may not be visible, but it is essential to creating a financially sound and sustainable community.

Want to learn how mission-driven neighborhoods are financed? Read our latest blog, Before the First Shovel: Why Building a Neighborhood Starts with Spreadsheets, for a behind-the-scenes look at how the pieces come together.

Designing the Heart of the Village

This fall marks an exciting milestone for Gratitude Village as Founding Members begin the next phase of our collaborative design process.

Unlike a conventional development—where homes are designed before buyers ever arrive—cohousing communities are shaped with the people who will eventually live there. Working alongside our architects, future neighbors help create the spaces that will support daily life and community for years to come.

In September, Founding Members will gather for our Common House Design Workshop. Often called the heart of a cohousing community, the Common House is where neighbors share meals, celebrate milestones, welcome overnight guests, work remotely and gather for meetings and activities. Together, we'll explore everything from the kitchen and dining spaces to guest rooms, coworking areas, wellness spaces, children's areas and the connection between indoor and outdoor living.

In October, our Private Home Design Workshop turns to the homes themselves. Founding Members will help shape priorities such as home layouts, accessibility features, storage, outdoor living, and the mix of housing types before construction drawings begin.

These workshops are one of the unique benefits of becoming a Founding Member. Rather than selecting from a finished product, Founders have the opportunity to help shape the community they will one day call home.

We're excited to share this next chapter of the journey—and we can't wait to show you the ideas that emerge.

Gratitude Village Takes the Stage

This fall, the national cohousing community will gather in Denver for the National Cohousing Alliance Fall Summit, bringing together residents, developers, architects, community leaders and cohousing curious from across the country to share ideas, celebrate successes and explore the future of cohousing.

We're excited to share that Gratitude Village will be part of that conversation.

On October 23–24, Gratitude Village will host an exhibitor booth throughout the Summit, and I'll have the opportunity to present during the New Communities Showcase, introducing our vision for Colorado's first Zero Energy, mixed-income, multigenerational cohousing community to attendees from across North America.

For years, we've been learning from the experiences of established cohousing communities and the many people who have generously shared their knowledge with us. This invitation marks an exciting milestone. Gratitude Village is beginning to contribute to the broader cohousing movement by sharing what we're learning as we create a new model that combines cohousing, affordability, universal accessibility, and environmental sustainability.

Several of our Founding Members and Explorers plan to attend the Summit. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet future neighbors, learn from experienced communities and connect with people who share a passion for creating neighborhoods where people truly know and support one another.

If you've been curious about cohousing or are considering becoming part of Gratitude Village, the Fall Summit is an inspiring place to experience this movement firsthand. Whether you attend for a single breakout session, all day or the entire event, you'll leave with a deeper understanding of what's possible when neighborhoods are intentionally designed around connection.

We're honored to help showcase what's taking shape here in Colorado—and even more excited about the conversations, partnerships, and friendships that will grow from it.

The Village Keeps Growing

One of the most encouraging signs of progress isn't something you can see on a construction schedule—it's the growing number of people choosing to become part of the journey.

This month, Gratitude Village welcomed another Founding Member and continued to see new Explorers joining information sessions and community conversations. Our onboarding circle is helping future neighbors get connected, volunteers are stepping into new leadership roles, founders are hard at work preparing for upcoming design workshops and our Discord community continues to buzz with ideas, questions, and encouragement.

That same momentum is growing beyond our future residents.

Over the past several weeks, we've strengthened relationships with key partners who are helping bring Gratitude Village to life. Legal counsel, affordable housing experts, financial consultants, the Brighton Housing Authority, City of Brighton staff, lenders, and other advisors are contributing their experience as we prepare for land closing and the next phase of development. We're also beginning conversations about the future commercial spaces along Bromley Lane and how they can best serve both the village and the surrounding community.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for Golden Startup Coffee on August 12, where we'll have the opportunity to introduce Gratitude Village to a new audience of entrepreneurs, community leaders and potential partners. Later this fall, our collaborative design workshops will invite Founding Members to begin shaping what will become the heart of the neighborhood.

Every new relationship strengthens the foundation we're building.

Villages are never created by one person or one organization. They grow because people choose to contribute their time, talents, ideas, and encouragement. Month by month, we're seeing more people make that choice—and that may be the clearest sign yet that Gratitude Village is becoming something larger than any one of us could build alone.

Gratitude List

❤️ Reyna

Every village needs people working quietly behind the scenes, and I am deeply grateful for my daughter, Reyna. She is a constant source of creativity, thoughtful feedback, and encouragement. Whether she's brainstorming ideas, helping refine projects, listening patiently as I work through challenges, or gently reminding me to stay grounded in the vision, her support touches nearly every aspect of Gratitude Village. I truly couldn't imagine this journey without her.

❤️ Dr. Wanda Bedinghaus

Dr. Wanda Bedinghaus has become one of Gratitude Village's most steadfast champions. As both a physician and a Functional Medicine practitioner, she believes deeply that communities built around connection, belonging, and mutual support are essential to our long-term health and well-being. She has been a trusted friend, a compassionate listening ear, a generous financial supporter, and a passionate advocate for the vision. Her unwavering belief in what we're creating continues to inspire all of us.

❤️ The Buckley Family

This month, we're also celebrating the Buckley family, whose commitment to Gratitude Village is nothing short of extraordinary. They are preparing to move their entire family from Texas to Colorado because they believe so deeply in this vision of community. Their faith, trust, and optimism have often been a lifeline during moments when the inevitable challenges of creating something new can feel overwhelming.

One of the most meaningful moments came during our Site Design Workshop, when their adult son gradually became comfortable with the group, building connections and finding a sense of belonging. Since returning home, he's been enthusiastically telling anyone who will listen about his family's upcoming move to Colorado and the community they'll soon be joining. Moments like these remind us that Gratitude Village isn't just about building homes—it's about creating a place where people of all ages and abilities can truly belong.

Beyond their encouragement, the Buckleys are generous financial supporters and active volunteers, contributing their time, energy, and ideas through circles, meetings, and countless acts of service. We are honored to have them helping build the village alongside us.

To Reyna, Wanda, Tom, Joan, Dan and John—thank you for sharing your time, your expertise, your generosity, and your hearts. Gratitude Village is stronger because of each of you.

Gather With Us

The best way to understand Gratitude Village is to experience it in community.

Whether you're actively exploring membership or simply curious about cohousing, we'd love to meet you at an upcoming event.

Upcoming opportunities include:

• Monthly information sessions about cohousing and Gratitude Village

  • Next Sessions:

    • Tuesday August 4, 2026 5:30-6:30pm (MT) Zoom Info Session - register to get link

    • Wednesday August 12, 2026 Golden Start Up Coffee 9:00-11:00am

    • Saturday August 15, 2026 In Person Info Session Columbine Library 9:00-11:00am

    • Thursday August 27, 2026 5:00-6:00pm (MT) Zoom Info Session - register to get link

These gatherings help shape the culture and relationships that will eventually define the neighborhood. If you’ve been curious about cohousing, we would love to welcome you to an upcoming event.

🔔 Until the Bell Rings Again

Some months bring visible milestones. Others strengthen the foundation in ways that are less obvious but just as important. This month reminded us that before a neighborhood can be built, relationships must deepen, plans must mature, and a shared vision must continue to grow.

Whether you've attended an event, joined a workshop, become a Founding Member, shared our story with a friend, made a donation, or simply followed our journey, you are helping build something much bigger than a housing development. Together, we're creating a village where future neighbors will know one another long before they receive their keys.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to sharing more milestones—and hopefully seeing many of you at our upcoming events—before the Village Bell rings again.

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info@gratitudevillageco.com

720-689-4821

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Gratitude Village Inc. is a 501(c)3 charitable corporation (public charity) that values diversity, equity and inclusion as essential to our mission. EIN #33-2499522

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