Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is a national organization with a community focus. LISC has offices in 30 urban areas nationwide, including the Twin Cities and Duluth, and is dedicated to helping residents transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy, sustainable communities of choice and opportunity. They achieve this aim by mobilizing corporate, government, and philanthropic sectors to provide local community development organizations with loans, grants, policy support, and technical and management assistance.
McKnight’s Region & Communities program promotes economically vibrant neighborhoods that create communities of opportunity and offer integrated systems of support. LISC currently receives project funding to build sustainable communities throughout the Twin Cities, as well as program and operating support to implement Duluth LISC’s integrated housing and community economic development strategies.
LISC pushes for community development impact that goes beyond physical improvement.
LISC pushes for community development impact that goes beyond physical improvement. Their COACTION grants provide operating funds to Twin Cities nonprofits that work not only to improve the look of a neighborhood, but also the economic outlook for its residents. COACTION supports community-based organizations and partnerships that advance critical real estate and small business development projects that lead to quality of life improvements.
EMERGE Community Development, a real estate developer in north Minneapolis, is one of Twin Cities LISC’s COACTION grantees. EMERGE co-developed Camden Apartments, a 23-unit supportive housing project that offers a range of services that help residents get on their feet again, including family-centered case management and a workforce program that provides employment assistance and support services to job seekers. LISC believes this kind of integrated, multi-pronged community development approach is key to helping hard-pressed families and neighborhoods flourish.
