New Early Learning Center + Quality Affordable Housing
McNeilly Campus is a local partnership bringing affordable childcare and affordable housing together on one campus in McFerrin Park
Become a part of the mission to support 180 children and build 232 affordable homes in one of Nashville’s underserved communities.
Davidson County Is Running Out of Childcare
Nashville cannot afford to lose a single childcare seat. Across greater Davidson County, roughly 246 licensed child care centers offer about 22,184 slots for children under five — enough to serve just over half of working families with young children.
The shortage is so severe that 88% of centers report waitlisting or turning away children because of lack of capacity, and the licensed system has room for only about 1 in 5 infants born in the county.
That cost directly falls on working parents: 60% report employment disruptions — lost hours, declined opportunities, or leaving the workforce entirely — due to inadequate childcare.
Sources: Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, Nashville Early Education Coalition
The McNeilly Center Has Provided Working Nashville Families With Safe, Affordable Childcare For Over A Century
The families McNeilly serves earn an average of just $31,000 a year. Most are single-parent households who are working, in job training, or in school to provide for their families. What these families need above almost everything else is safe, affordable childcare.
Since 1916, the McNeilly Center for Children has provided high-quality, affordable early learning to Nashville’s working families on a sliding scale based on income.
But In Recent Years, The McNeilly Center Legacy Has Been At Risk
Our campus is in constant need of repair and is a continual source of financial stress that ultimately results in a decreased operating capacity.
McNeilly has had multiple offers to sell its property and move to the suburbs. The answer has always been no. It is important to McNeilly that they remain in McFerrin Park, closest to the low-income families who rely on their support.
This campaign makes sure the McNeilly center can do what it’s always done, even amidst a rapidly changing neighborhood – for the next 100+ years.
The McNeilly x
Holladay Ventures Partnership
Ready to write the next 100 years of their story, the McNeilly Center issued an RFP to redevelop their campus. From that process, Holladay Ventures, a leading Nashville-based developer that builds affordable housing with nonprofits, was unanimously selected by McNeilly’s board for their mission-driven approach.
“McNeilly chose Holladay because they provided an environment of collaboration and partnership.”
3 Factors Have Made This The Hardest Time To Build In A Decade
(As Well As The Most Important)
Elevated
Interest Rates
Since Dec. 2023, long-term bond yields and interest rates have risen roughly 15%.
Limited
Grant Funding
Federal funding for affordable housing and early learning centers has sharply declined.
High Construction
Costs
Costs are up 9.6% over the past year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis.
We’re Asking For A
Capital Campaign Donation
To Support the Construction of McNeilly’s New Early Learning Center.
You may donate up to an $8 million tax-deductible donation. Every dollar donated goes directly to The McNeilly Center for Children, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to fund this project including:
Funding Opportunities & Naming Rights
Campus-Wide Naming Rights – $2,000,000
Put your name on the entire campus. Become the lead partner in a place built to serve Nashville families for the next 100 years.
A Dedicated Infant & Toddler Wing – $1,250,000
A dedicated wing designed and built for the needs of our infants and toddlers
A Kitchen and Pantry That Serve Families – $450,000
A commercial kitchen and a pantry to collect dry food donations for the community.
An Outdoor Learning Garden – $250,000
Playground spaces that provide enrichment and learning opportunities along with play.
More Funding Opportunities & Naming Rights
Furniture and Equipment That Facilitate Early Learning – $800,000
Child-sized tables, cribs, cubbies, and learning materials so every classroom is ready for children on day one.
A Preschool Playground Built for Adventure – $600,000
An outdoor play space where our Toddler II and preschool children (ages 3–5) can climb, explore, and build confidence.
A Children’s Enrichment Room – $400,000
A dedicated space for art, music, and hands-on exploration that sparks curiosity in every child.
A Multipurpose Room for Movement and Play – $400,000
An indoor multi-purpose space where children can play and families and staff can gather in any weather.
An Infant & Toddler Playground – $400,000
A safe outdoor space designed for our youngest children (0–24 months) to crawl, toddle, and discover the world around them.
Early Learning Classrooms – $300,000 Each (14 Available)
Bright, welcoming classrooms where children build the skills to enter kindergarten ready to read.
Technology and Security That Keep Children Safe – $300,000
Secure entry, campus safety systems, and classroom technology that give families peace of mind.
Administrative Offices That Support Families – $300,000
The hub where McNeilly’s staff coordinate care, connect families to resources, and keep the center running.
A Welcome Lobby and Family Commons – $250,000
The first space families see each morning, and a warm place to connect at drop-off and pickup.
Solar Energy for a Sustainable Campus – $200,000
Renewable power that lowers McNeilly’s utility costs for decades to come.
Founders Circle Donor Wall – $25,000–$99,999
Permanent recognition for the supporters who help build the next 100 years of McNeilly.
Legacy Bricks – $100–$500
An engraved brick that allows supporters to leave a legacy on the new campus.
And Your Gift Doesn’t Stop There
By funding McNeilly’s new center, you make an entire community possible.
McNeilly’s new building is the cornerstone of a larger campus — and when it’s funded, it unlocks up to 232 affordable homes on the same land, built and financed separately by Holladay Ventures:
Quality In Every Home
In-unit washer and dryer, quartz countertops, and Energy Star Certified stainless steel appliances.
Resident Amenities That Build Community
In-unit washer and dryer, quartz countertops, and Energy Star Certified stainless steel appliances.
Family-sized Units
An urban mixed-use, multifamily community for residents earning 60% AMI, with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes and long-term affordability.
Designed for Modern Life
EV charging, off-street parking, and outdoor recreational areas for families to play, gather, and unwind.
Project Overview
McNeilly Campus
100 Meridian St, Nashville, TN 37207
Holladay Ventures + McNeilly Center for Children
Up to 18,000 SF
Up to 232 Unites Serving Residents at 60% AMI Financed by 4% Bond Financing
Estimated $86 Million Total Development Cost
When Childcare And Housing Come Together
Nashville’s Most At-Risk Families Don’t Just Get By — They Get Ahead
Nashville faces a significant shortage of affordable housing, particularly for households earning between 0% and 80% of the area median income (AMI). For a family of four, this income range—up to $91,840—leaves many unable to find affordable options. The city needs over 90,000 new housing units by 2035, driven by job and population growth. Nearly 50% of rental households in Davidson County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
Rising costs push working families farther from jobs, schools, and services. McNeilly Campus reverses that, anchoring affordable childcare and affordable housing side by side, on a major transit corridor, in the heart of the city.
The families we serve and our employees will have priority access to the affordably priced housing right next door.
Source: Nashville Unified Housing Strategy
The result is one campus that reinforces 7 key predictors of upward mobility, as identified by the Urban Institute’s Upward Mobility Initiative:
Project Timeline
-
October 30, 2026
Event Title
Funding commitments needed by October 30, 2026, to meet state, local, and federal public-funding deadlines.
-
March–April 2027
Event Title
Construction start targeted for
March–April 2027. -
March 2027 – early 2028
Event Title
Construction happens around McNeilly’s continued day-to-day operations.
-
early 2028
Event Title
McNeilly’s new building delivered in 10–12 months, with move-in expected around early 2028.
-
2028 – 2030
Event Title
After McNeilly moves to their new building, the old building comes down and multifamily construction begins, with that phase completing around 2030.
We’re almost halfway!
Thank You to Our Early Supporters
This project is possible because Nashville institutions believed in it first. We’re grateful to the funders whose early commitments are bringing McNeilly Campus to life:
$3.5 Million
Barnes Housing Trust Fund
Awarded by Nashville’s Barnes Fund, the city’s dedicated affordable housing trust — a competitive award that reflects the city’s confidence in this project. The Barnes Fund has backed Holladay Ventures developments before, including Shelby House, The Opaline, and Park24, and this award puts Metro Nashville squarely behind McNeilly Campus.
$50,000
Tennessee Titans ONE Community
A Home Field Advantage Catalyst Grant from the Titans’ community initiative — early support that signals what Nashville’s biggest institutions see in this project.
Every dollar from here brings 180 kids closer to a campus built for them.
How to Donate
Every gift to McNeilly Campus is a tax-deductible donation to The McNeilly Center for Children, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — which means your support carries the full benefits of charitable giving while funding an impact far beyond a single building.
| Level | Investment | Signature Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone | $2,000,000+ | Campus-wide naming rights; lead partner in all branding |
| Visionary | $1,000,000-$1,999,999 | Naming of a signature building or wing |
| Champion | $500,000-$999,999 | Naming of a major campus facility |
| Builder | $250,000-$499,999 | Naming of a key program space |
| Advocate | $100,000-$249,999 | Naming of a classroom or specialty space |
| Friend | Up to $99,999 | Named recognition on the campaign donor wall |
Please fill out this form, and a member of our team will be in touch to answer any questions you have before donating.
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We are seeking commitments by October 31 to stay on track for a Q1 2027 construction start.
Be Part Of The Next 100 Years Of McNeilly
For over a century, McNeilly has answered when Nashville’s families needed them. Now it’s our turn to answer. Donate and help One campus 180 children and 232 families in a neighborhood that will support them for generations to come.