Equity

What we do

The work of rebuilding neighborhoods—creating affordable housing, renovating a retail corridor or constructing a new school, recreation center or office building—doesn’t happen without financing. And just as with for-profit ventures, nonprofit development requires significant capital. But community development projects in disinvested neighborhoods have a much harder time attracting capital investment.

To help get funding into the places that need it most, LISC created two affiliates—the National Equity Fund, the New Markets Support Company—that bridge the gap between investors and projects in disadvantaged communities and get things built. We also provided initial capitalization to the Community Development Trust, the first real estate investment trust fund specializing in affordable housing.

What we offer

The National Equity Fund® (NEF) is a nonprofit, Chicago-based affiliate of LISC and a leading syndicator of Low Income Housing Tax Credits. NEF helps bridge the gap between investors and nonprofit developers. Syndicators like NEF raise money from investors and identify low-income housing projects in which to invest that capital. NEF is focused on building long-term relationships with partners and investing in quality affordable housing projects that raise the standard of living in underserved communities.

The New Markets Support Company (NMSC) is a Chicago-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of LISC and a syndicator of federal New Markets Tax Credits. We work closely with institutional investors to support a range of developments including major retail developments, manufacturing/industrial sites, charter schools, theaters and urban entertainment districts, athletic facilities/fields, office space and health care centers. NMSC provides syndication services, third-party advisory services, software leasing services and small business lending.