Preserving History. Strengthening Community. Building the Future.

🌿 WHY SUPPORT THE N.I.C.E. FOUNDATION?

Communities don’t disappear all at once. They fade—quietly.

A boarded window.
A building no one can afford to fix.
A place that used to matter… sitting empty.

In rural Oregon, this is happening every day. Not because people don’t care— but because the tools, funding, and support to act simply aren’t there.

⚠️ ACROSS RURAL OREGON

• Historic buildings sit vacant due to lack of redevelopment capital

• Small towns lose economic activity and identity

• Nonprofits and small businesses lack affordable space

• Tradespeople and young workers lose local opportunities

• Vulnerable populations lose access to services and safe environments

Without intervention, these losses compound—economically and socially.

🪄 THAT’S ’s WHERE THE N.I.C.E. FOUNDATION STEPS IN.

The N.I.C.E. Foundation restores and reactivates historic buildings and land to serve the people who live there—now and into the future.
We don’t just preserve structures.
We bring them back into use as:

• community gathering spaces

• small business hubs

• nonprofit service centers

• therapeutic and educational environments

✨️ THIS WORK LIVES THROUGH FIVE CORE INITIATIVES:

1) THE OAKS LEGACY RANCH –

The Oaks Legacy Ranch is a flagship initiative of The N.I.C.E. Foundation, built to preserve rural heritage, create hands-on workforce pathways, and develop a durable community asset that strengthens local identity and long-term resilience.

At N.I.C.E., we believe that true community wellness flourishes when individuals have access to supportive environments and enriching programs that nurture their physical, mental, and emotional health. We aim to provide accessible mental health support, wellness programs, horse therapy, and vibrant communal spaces for all, with a special focus on women and children.

2) N.I.C.E. COTTAGE COMMONS – A Rural Affordable Housing & Community Stewardship Project

Cottage Commons is a small-scale housing development designed to address the growing shortage of attainable housing in rural Oregon communities.

The project combines a cluster of thoughtfully designed cottage homes that provide affordable and stable housing opportunities for local residents while preserving open space, neighborhood character, and quality of life.

Unlike large apartment complexes, Cottage Commons emphasizes dignity, privacy, community connection, and environmental stewardship.

The development is designed to demonstrate that affordable housing can also be beautiful, peaceful, and community-centered.

Additionally, The N.I.C.E. Foundation Safe & Stable Housing Placement Program will exist to ensure that vulnerable individuals have a place to live while stabilizing income, accessing community resources, and transitioning toward long-term housing security.

Included in that concept is our Housing & Education Sponsorships Program. By using our Cottage Commons properties for affordability and serenity, we will be providing housing for students to live while in our Trade School Scholarship Program. A crucial step in the success of our scholarship program. Giving students the advantage of housing stability so they can focusing their attention on their chosen career paths.

3) HISTORY CITY – History City is the storytelling and public engagement platform that supports the mission of N.I.C.E. — New Initiative Community Enhancement Foundation, documenting preservation, housing, and land-based recovery projects in rural communities.

Why This Matters – Small towns across Oregon are facing the same question: What do we keep—and what do we let go?

Without intention, history fades quietly. Buildings sit empty. Stories disappear. Main streets lose their purpose. But with care, those same places can become anchors again—for community, for local economies, and for a shared sense of identity.

4) OUR TRADE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM (Future Initiative) – It is incredibly important to have experienced tradespeople, especially in rural communities.

Our scholarships will help individuals pursue a career that inspires them!

Our goal is to educate, create apprenticeship programs & help individuals start a business based on their trade if/when they are ready.

A Workforce Development Initiative of The N.I.C.E. Foundation

5) LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS

Protecting open space and rural character through N.I.C.E. Parks & Trails Environmental Initiative

• Habitat Restoration & Protection

• Community Parks & Outdoor Recreation

• Watershed Restoration, Watershed, Farm & Livestock Adaptation

• Sustainability Practices

• Wildreness Educational Opportunities

• Environmental Science

• Purposeful Environmental Planning For Affordable Housing Communities

Protection & Enhancement Of Rural Communties Through Advanced Planning Of Future Population Growth

We will be purchasing land to accomplish these goals, including the creation of dedicated horse trails.

🛠 WHAT MAKES THIS WORK DIFFERENT

N.I.C.E. doesn’t wait for redevelopment—we step in as mission-driven ownership.

By combining:

• Historic preservation

• Community programming

• Revenue-generating models

• Affordable housing

• Trade school scholarships

This allows properties to sustain themselves while serving public good.

📊 EARLY IMPACT + WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Year 1–2
• 1–2 historic properties stabilized and prepared for reuse

• Strategic partnerships formed with local organizations

• Initial tenants secured

3–5 Years
• Active community use (events, therapy, education, small business)

• Increased foot traffic and economic activity

• Local trades and contractors engaged

Long-Term

• Replicable model across rural Oregon

• Preserved identity + strengthened economies

• Community-rooted ownership that prevents displacement

🤝 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

We don’t build in isolation.

N.I.C.E. actively works with:
• Local residents and property owners

• Small businesses and nonprofits

• Schools and trade programs

• City and county partners

Through:
• Listening sessions

• Shared-use planning

• Co-located services

This ensures each project reflects the people it serves.

💰 HOW FUNDING IS USED

Funding supports both projects and infrastructure:

Project Development
• feasibility studies

• structural stabilization

• architectural planning

• accessibility and safety upgrades

Organizational Capacity
• legal and governance systems

• accounting and compliance

• insurance and risk management

• donor and grant systems

Community Activation
• outreach and engagement

• partnership development

• program launch support

🌱 WHY THIS MATTERS

This work is about more than buildings. It’s about:

• Keeping small towns alive

• Protecting history without freezing it

• Creating places where people feel they belong

• Building opportunity where it’s been missing

👋 FOUNDER NOTE

I didn’t come to this work through theory.

I’ve lived through housing instability, loss, and the gaps in systems meant to help.

That experience shaped how I see this work:

Community revitalization only works
when it includes the people already there.

♥️ This foundation exists to make sure it does.
— Martine Rohlfing
Founder & Executive Director

CALL TO ACTION

There are several ways to be part of this work:
• Fund a Project

• Support early-stage property acquisition and stabilization

• Become a Founding Partner

• Help launch The Oaks Legacy Ranch and History City

• Collaborate Locally

👉 info@the-nice-foundation.org
👉 Zeffy Donation
👉 Please share our mission with others

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