Overview
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is dedicated to helping local partners transform neighborhoods into resilient and sustainable communities of choice and opportunity — good places to work, do business and raise children.
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is dedicated to helping local partners transform neighborhoods into resilient and sustainable communities of choice and opportunity — good places to work, do business and raise children.
Together with residents, partners, and local leaders, LISC Rhode Island forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity. We work to create great places to live, work, visit, do business, and raise families.
Our unique structure not only enables local organizations to access national resources and expertise, but also allows our funding partners to leverage their investment through local agencies to produce an impact that is truly remarkable. LISC currently operates nationwide in 35 cities and in rural locations in 44 states.
LISC is the largest community development support organization in the country. In 1979, when the Ford Foundation first conceived of LISC, it envisioned an “intermediary”—a smart and savvy non-profit that would connect hard-to-tap public and private resources with hard-to-reach communities struggling to revive.
In 1991, LISC opened an office in Rhode Island. Since that time we have invested $396 million in neighborhoods across our state, helping to create more than 8,330 affordable homes and support the development of more than 2 million square feet of commercial, child care, educational and community space. We also support workforce development, early learning and child care facilities, and health equity through our work managing the Pawtucket|Central Falls Health Equity Zone.