The Campaign for Peace is a call to action for all who share our vision of a more peaceful world. With this transformative $25 million campaign, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute will build a new National Center of Healing, Teaching, and Learning in one of Boston’s most violent neighborhoods, scale programs and services, lead the movement for peace, and invest in long-term sustainability. 

Investments in the Campaign for Peace and the new Center will enable the Peace Institute to serve more people locally and to drive scalable, national solutions to interrupt cycles of violence by sharing our best practices through training and education. A permanent center means more survivor support, more youth programming, and more training for providers, all from a foundation that brings revitalization and economic benefits to the community.

After more than 30 years, the Center represents legacy and permanence in a community that has been deeply impacted by murder, trauma, grief and loss. Built by and for survivors, the Center will be a hub for healing and a beacon for peace that will reach beyond Boston as we teach others what we have learned about homicide response, violence prevention, and peacebuilding.

Peacebuilding requires permanence, purpose-built space, and long-term sustainability.

We have extensively and carefully considered options for renting and renovation of existing space. Renting limits growth and flexibility. Leases expire. Landlords change. These uncertainties undermine stability for the families and communities we serve—especially those navigating trauma, grief, and crisis.

Over the years, every existing building we explored was purchased by developers, leaving us to continue looking. Building on this site at 30 Westville Street is the ideal way to carry the legacy of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute to its next level. 

We also know that the cost of renovation is nearly the same as new build, and it can limit options for functionality and sustainability.  A new Center allows us to create the Center with intention: trauma-informed design, dedicated space for survivor support, training, youth development, and community healing. It also signals permanence—an investment not just in our organization, but in the people and neighborhoods we’re rooted in. 

This is not just a building. It’s infrastructure for peace.

The Center will be at 30 Westville Street, in Four Corners Dorchester. After an extensive community engagement process, the LDBPI has been designated as developer for this site by the City of Boston. We are in close partnership with the City as we move through the pre-development process, and we will officially take ownership of the land when we begin construction.

The Center will feature a 19,000 square foot building with public and private spaces for training, education, counseling, arts, and movement therapy. The site will also include exterior spaces for healing/meditation, small gatherings, and community events. The Center is designed to fit into the neighborhood setting and is easily accessible by public transportation.

Our building development team has completed construction documents for the National Center of Healing, Teaching and Learning, and we have received major approvals from the City of Boston. We are prepared to submit for building permits and begin construction as soon as funding for the building is fully committed. Once construction begins, the building will be open within 18 months.

As of June 30, 2026, we have $8.7 million committed toward the $20 million needed for construction.  We also have letters of interest from partners who can help us leverage New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) community development funding  that could represent a large share — as much as 20% — of the $20 million total. 

NMTC funding is only available if we can bring the rest of the capital to the table, so our current focus is to secure an additional $7.3 million that will allow us to unlock NMTC funding and begin construction. 

Providing additional support and flexibility for the Campaign, PCI, a Boston-based social impact lender, has offered $10 million in bridge financing, allowing donors to fulfill commitments over a 5-year period.

We are fortunate to have a wide range of support for this project, from our neighbors to City and state government to community partners, faith leaders, and philanthropy. See Leaders/Supporters page for more information.

Everyone can help build with us. We welcome donations of all amounts, and we invite our supporters to help spread the word about the Center to people in their networks. See Get Involved page for more information.