LISC Chicago

Four decades ago, five groups of community organizers and social justice workers got together at a convent in Massachusetts, all deeply committed to the idea that capital could do more to forge equity and justice in low-income places and to creating a forum for community development investment. That convening was the birth of the organization we know today as Opportunity Finance Network, which has been gathering and guiding the CDFI industry ever since, helping investors to put their resources in under-resourced places, in alignment with their shared social and spiritual values.   Yesterday, OFN’s 40th annual conference opened with an enthusiastic bang, and those same five groups are still in attendance—plus some 2,500 attendees from hundreds of member CDFIs across the country—to mark this history and chart the course for our collective work going forward. The opening day’s highlights included a welcome from the CDFI Oweesta Corporation, which led a Native gathering, a plenary talk by U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (a stalwart supporter of CDFIs), and a conversation with some of the lions of the CDFI movement, including Bill Bynum, founder of HOPE, Michael Swack (an attendee of the original OFN meeting), and Sister Corinne Florek (considered the godmother of the CDFI movement). There’s also an impressive exhibition tracing the roots of OFN and the CDFI movement from its earliest days to the present, with a shout-out to LISC as the first CDFI, in 2017, to enter the capital markets with our own notes.   LISC is honored to be a longtime OFN member (our CFO christina travers sits on the board) and a sponsor of this landmark conference, and to have a robust line-up of our staff as speakers and panelists, including our new president of LISC Green, John Moon. Stay tuned for more on this landmark event and the ideas and news that emerge! #CDFI #SocialImpact #EconomicJustice #OFN40

Applications are now available for the Next Gen Initiative’s 2025 Cohort! 🏠 Illinois Housing Development Authority and LISC are providing Illinois BIPOC developers who have struggled to access cost-effective capital with the resources, training and support to reduce barriers to entry in the field. If you’re an emerging developer in Illinois interested in creating affordable housing through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (#LIHTC), request your application today: https://bit.ly/4hiywBu #NextGen

LISC Chicago thank you for your partnership in the fight to educate Chicago communities! Financial literacy is a vital part of the work we do to promote life change. By the way, thank you to Jennifer D McClain for an awesome class! #LiSCCoveningPhoenix2024

In 2018, LISC teamed up with residents and longtime neighborhood partners to create a Quality-of-Life Plan for North Lawndale, which included building a network for STEAM programming in local schools. It took perseverance and many partners to get to today’s $40M announcement of the expansion of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programs at three schools in North Lawndale giving students the chance to continue their STEAM education from kindergarten through high school. Congrats NORTH LAWNDALE COMMUNITY COORDINATING COUNCIL's Education Committee & North Lawndale Community Action Council for your steadfast commitment over the last 8 years in advocating for North Lawndale youth. And to all the partners committed to this programming including Alderwoman Scott, Michael Scott Jr., BMO, Cabot Microelectronics, Caterpillar Inc., CHICAGO MERCANTILE EXCHANGE INC., Cinespace Studios, CORDOGAN CLARK & ASSOC INC, Exelon Foundation, McGowan Family Fund, Peoples Gas, Steans Family Foundation, Carole Robertson Center for Learning, Chicago Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program, Chicago Children's Museum, Fermi National Laboratory, Juvenile Protective Association, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Aurora University and University of Illinois Chicago.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re proud to spotlight Alex Anaya, Program Officer, Sports/Rec & Community Safety, for his remarkable contributions to uplifting Chicago’s neighborhoods. As a proud member of the Hispanic community, Alex has made a lasting difference through initiatives like Hoops in the Hood, creating safe, active spaces for youth. His dedication to fostering unity and building stronger, more connected communities is truly inspiring. Thank you Alex for empowering the next generation and being a leader in our city! #HispanicHeritageMonth

I’m writing this as I mark my first-year anniversary as President & CEO of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). The past year has been a time of learning and growth for me while gaining new insights and forging meaningful and impactful relationships with colleagues and partners. I am grateful for all the things I’ve experienced in my role and for all the ways in which LISC has welcomed me. I am also mindful that while this year was a fruitful one on many levels, both for me as CEO and LISC as an organization, it was also a time of great upheaval and chaos with regards to the climate.    We’ve experienced a year of escalating, and seemingly endless, ruptures in daily life due to climate change and its profound impact on each of us, especially, and most often disproportionately, the residents of communities where LISC works. Hurricane Helene caused a 600-mile swath of devastation, including in many places where our staff and partners live, work and invest. The effects aren’t finite; the repercussions may take years to understand and repair. And more hurricanes are already beginning to form.   Helene comes on the heels of a year of relentless forest fires, violent storms and flooding that have impacted LISC markets across the country including Houston, Jacksonville, and rural California, just to name a few. LISC will continue to stand with communities that need us, just as we’ve done for the past 45 years, helping to rebuild, and create resiliency anyway we can. And climate resiliency is truly one of our best tools for facing an uncertain future.   A year in a life can really fly by. So much happens that it’s often hard to see all that you’ve gained in that time. It’s rarely as hard to see what’s been lost. The losses communities across the country experience every day, because of the climate crisis, are devastating. I look forward to continuing our commitment and partnership with the people, places and organizations that are doing the work to address the climate crisis and its impact on all of us.    It’s been a year. Thank you.

Just released in Citizen Newspaper! Tina Hammond and her husband transformed a vacant lot in West Englewood into a vibrant oasis known as Hammond’s Promise Land. With support from LISC Chicago and the Mars Wrigley Foundation's Community Connection Grant, they’ve created a safe, beautiful space for their community. This inspiring story highlights how LISC's community-driven efforts can make a lasting impact. From murals to gardens, the Hammond family has truly made their block shine. Read more about their journey and the difference they’re making in Englewood at the link below! https://bit.ly/3XV7iYO

This summer marked a season of growth and community building for LISC's partner, Northwest Side Community Development Corporation! In June, they hosted the highly successful annual Día del Niño, bringing families and children together for a day filled with fun and community spirit. Additionally, their Corridor Ambassadors team made a lasting impact by planting flowers in neighborhood planters that had been neglected for some time. Thanks to these efforts, these spaces are now flourishing and regularly maintained, bringing new life to the Northwest community!

This summer, The Hammond Promise Land took major strides toward empowering the Englewood community! While construction was underway in July and August, the vision of a brighter future remained strong. We were excited to see them participate in the Grow Greater Englewood Ag Crawl on September 8, where they shared the progress and promise of this incredible space. LISC alongside Mars Wrigley Foundation is proud to support The Hammond Promise Land as it continues to grow and uplift the community!

Since its inception in 2019, Northwest Side Community Development Corporation has been a voice for Belmont Cragin's entrepreneurs and an advocate for equitable economic development. LISC has been proud to be a partner from the beginning. This past year, NWSCDC provided services to over 1,200 community members, secured hundreds of thousands of dollars for neighborhood investment, and hosted the inaugural ¡Gritos de Independencia! music festival. We are excited to see how NWSCDC continues to grow and look forward to being part of the journey!