Join LISC NY for our 2025 Big Apple Awards Gala on Thursday, April 10th at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
This year's theme, "Equity in the Urban Wilderness and Beyond," invites you to celebrate urban development's embrace of technological advancements and tools to serve our communities. Set beneath the iconic blue whale, the evening will honor visionary leaders working to advance equity across New York City. The event promises a night of inspiration, connection, and a renewed commitment to building a more inclusive and sustainable future for all New Yorkers.
To learn more and purchase your ticket today, click the link below.
If you have any questions or inquiries regarding sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to us at Liscnybigapplegala@lisc.org.
On Nov. 23, 2024, Valerie D. White, Senior Executive Director of LISC NY, New York Senator Jame Sanders Jr., and other distinguished panelists came together to discuss findings from the recent MWBE Disparity Study. The event was held at the Rochdale Village Ballroom in Jamaica, Queens, NY.
On Oct. 29, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. ET, LISC NY hosted an in-person information session regarding an RFQ for co-developing various redevelopment sites in Mt. Vernon, NY. Locations include:
- 125 East Third Street, Mount Vernon, NY
- 131 East Third Street, Mount Vernon, NY
- 147 East Third Street, Mount Vernon, NY
- 139 East Third Street, Mount Vernon, NY
- 141 Franklin Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY
- 153 Franklin Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY
- 154 Franklin Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY
The session took place at Onenesse Rehoboth Apostolic Church, located at 154 Franklin Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. Attendees joined us to learn more about this RFQ and Oneness Community Development Corporation (OCDC). If you could not attend in person, you can watch the video here. The application deadline is Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. ET, and submissions must be made through the online application portal.
On Oct. 5, 2024, at Riverside Church, there was an event designed to explain mortgage options for first-time buyers, grant programs, trends in Harlem homebuying, affordable property listings, pre-approval criteria, and much more! This workshop offered vital resources and expert advice for anyone looking to purchase a home in New York City. For more information, please email Dr. Charles Butler @ cbutler@hcci.org
LISC NY hosted our first “Buffalo Banger” fundraising reception at Streetlight Brasserie (5 E Huron St., Buffalo NY, 14203) on Oct. 3, 2024, at 5PM ET. This event focused on our commitment to the Western New York community. We used this as an opportunity for us to bring together our community partners, corporate partners, and community stakeholders from the Western New York area and beyond to gather and learn more about LISC NY.
On June 14, 2024, LISC NY held an informational session on Cohort 6 of LISC NY’s Developers Training Program and how to apply. Please view the information session below. Applications from interested developer of color firms were due on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. For more information on participating in the LISC NY Developers Training Program, send questions, comments, and concerns to nycdevelopers.org.
On Thursday, May. 23, 2024, LISC NY’s NYLOP held an information session about this RFP to serve as co-developers for various site redevelopments across Western New York and Downstate New York. The application deadline is no later than Monday, June 10, 2024, at 3:00 PM ET.
On June 4, 2024, LISC NY held an information session at the Women's Economic Institute - Lincoln Building located at 109 Otisco Street, 2nd Floor, Syracuse, NY for our New York Land Opportunity Program. LISC NY has been looking for co-developers for various site redevelopment projects across Western New York and Downstate New York, including:
- 1500-1610 South Avenue, Syracuse, NY
- 66 Wasson Avenue, Lackawanna, NY
- 201-11 Hollis Avenue, Jamaica, NY
- 206-14 Linden Boulevard, Cambria Heights, NY
On June 5th, LISC NY held an information session at Mount Olive Baptist Church, 66 Wasson Avenue, Lackawanna, NY for our New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP). LISC NY has been seeking co-developers for various site redevelopment projects across Western New York and Downstate New York:
- 1500-1610 South Avenue, Syracuse, NY
- 66 Wasson Avenue, Lackawanna, NY
- 201-11 Hollis Avenue, Jamaica, NY
- 206-14 Linden Boulevard, Cambria Heights, NY
On Thursday, March 21st at 5:30 pm at The Foundry (298 Northampton Street), LISC NY held the East Buffalo Business Bash. The event supported the launch of Round 3 of the East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant Program.
Clean Mobility Buffalo is an alliance of like-missioned organizations that have banded together to implement an investment of $10 million in clean transportation improvements throughout the East Side, beginning with the revival of bike trails and the expansion of an e-bikeshare, sparking important conversations about equitable access. The rubber met the road with the East Side Forward Expo on March 16, at Northland Workforce Training Center. This completely free event officially kicked off Clean Mobility Buffalo, welcoming community members to participate in family-friendly engagement booths, bike demos, workshops, raffles, and learn about projects in the works.
On Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, LISC NY’s NYLOP held an information session about this RFP to serve as co-developer for the redevelopment of a site located at 39-04 61st Street, Queens, New York, the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. The application deadline is no later than Monday, March 18, 2024, at 3:00 PM ET. Replay
On Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, LISC NY’s NYLOP held an information session about this RFP to serve as co-developer for the redevelopment of a site located at 66 Wasson Avenue, Lackawanna, New York, Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church. The deadline has passed to apply for this RFP.
On Feb. 1, 2024, LISC NY’s New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP) hosted an information session about this RFP (see attached) for a co-developer of 1500-1610 South Avenue, Syracuse, New York, The Women's Economic Institute (The WEI). During the information session, LISC NY discussed the RFP, NYLOP, The WEI, and the application. The deadline has passed to apply for this RFP.
On Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, LISC NY’s NYLOP held an information session about an RFP to serve as co-developer for the redevelopment of a site located at 3350 and 3356 Seymour Avenue, Bronx, New York, The New Testament Temple Church of God (NTTCOG). The deadline has passed to apply for this RFP.
On Oct 19th, LISC NY gathered its partners for an annual convening. During this time, we shared information about LISC NY, including our current work, programs, and how we can support you. The event provided a space for our community partners at the heart of our work, to connect with each other, and share opportunities and challenges facing the field of community development today. At the event, the LISC NY team also described our statewide strategy, our current programs and resources, and the purpose of our annual partner survey. Survey responses were due by Dec. 15, 2023. View convening presentation here (PDF attached).
If you are interested in serving as an LISC AmeriCorps member, please email your cover letter and resume to the designated contact listed below indicating your interest in an AmeriCorps position. We strongly encourage potential members who are considering applying to contact us with any question relating to this opportunity. Please use the following format to title your documents before you email them:
- Resume: “Yourlastname – Resume”
- Cover letter: “Yourlastname – Cover Letter”
Applications were due by December 15th. For more information, send questions to Christina Dellaventura at CDellaventura@lisc.org.
On Oct. 27, 2023, LISC NY held an informational session on Cohort 5 of LISC NY’s Developers of Color Training Program and how to apply. Please view the information session here. Applications from interested developer of color firms were due on Friday, November 3rd, 2023. For more information on participating in the LISC NY Developers of Color Training Program, send questions, comments, and concerns to nycdevelopersofcolor@lisc.org.
The Wealth Opportunities Realized Through Homeownership (WORTH) BIPOC Initiative hosted the Brooklyn Housing Expo on Wednesday, October 4th at 1368 Fulton St. The purpose of the event was to provide homeownership resources for Brooklyn residents and connect them with the experts they will need throughout the homebuying process. Representatives from local banks, brokerages, and housing development organizations were onsite. The Brooklyn Housing Expo was cosponsored by our WORTH Initiative partners, Restoration Plaza and Bridge Street Development Corporation. Download the flyer here.
On Friday, September 29th, LISC NY held a one-day statewide New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP) Convening with the sole purpose of bringing Faith-based organizations (FBOs) together from across New York State for a day of learning, sharing best practices and networking with market leaders in the industry. We had three workshops, a panel discussion, and a networking session. The workshop titles and descriptions were the following:
LISC NY PRESENTS “MISSION-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT” - This workshop focused on the first phase of the planning and development process – the visioning process. Knowing why you are doing what you are doing (your mission), where you are trying to go (your vision) and how you are going to go about it (your values) are crucial elements to bringing a development project to fruition.
LISC NY PRESENTS “THE FOUR STAGES OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS” - Housing development is usually described as having four stages. Participants learned the steps of the housing development process and the structuring skills needed to develop an affordable housing development successfully.
LISC NY PRESENTS “REAL ESTATE BASIC”-This workshop focused on the significant aspects of real estate finance from the perspective of investors, lenders, and developers. To be a successful developer, being equipped with the essential real estate financing knowledge and skills is critical.
On June 28, 2023, LISC NY, The Exchange at Beverly Gray, and The Foundry, hosted an information session about the East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant. The $3 million program will provide grants of $5,000 to $50,000 to eligible small businesses in Main Street (properties fronting on both sides); North Street (properties fronting on both sides); Michigan Street (properties fronting on both sides); William Street (properties fronting on both sides); Belt line; also known as the Eastern DL&W Rail Line (properties on the west of the corridor); and Kensington Avenue (properties on both sides). Applications are due by Friday, July 21, 2023. Learn more about the grant here.
On June 22, 2023, LISC NY held a panel discussion with experts leading the charge for the creation of economic growth in Central Brooklyn, and East Buffalo. Viewers had the opportunity to learn about ongoing corridor revitalization projects, their impact on local communities, local funding sources, and business attraction and retention.
Panelists: Oma Holloway (NYC), Operating Officer at Bridge Street Development Corporation; Andrea Haye (Mt. Vernon), President of the Mount Vernon Downtown Merchants Association; Carl Skompinski (WNY), Board of Directors, Fillmore Forward; William Franklin (NYC), Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation for Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation. Moderator: Pres Adams, Senior Community Investment Officer, LISC NY.
Women’s History Month is a time to commemorate and uplift the accomplishments of women. At LISC NY, we wish to celebrate the contributions of women on real estate and development.
On Thursday, March 30, 2023, LISC NY held a panel discussion exploring the careers of impactful women in the real estate, and development sector. New York City Panelist includes LISC NY Developers of Color alums Alexis McSween, founder and CEO of Bottom Line Construction and Development, Erica Keller, Chairperson and CEO of Brisa Builders Corp and Dawn Davis of Williams & Davis. Our Western New York panel will feature Chandra Redfern CEO of Buffalo Foundation of Neighborhood Centers, Gina Beam, Executive Director of Niagara Habitat for Humanity, and Jen Kasminsky real estate developer with MM Developers.
On March 9, 2023, LISC NY hosted a non-mandatory informational session about the launch of the second cohort of its LISC NY’s New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP). This RFEI's aim was to identify six mission-driven or faith-based organizations (MDOs or FBOs) that own properties in the five boroughs of New York City and the following cities across New York: Albany, Utica, Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo that would like to develop affordable housing. Applications for cohort two were open until Monday, April 3, 2023.
On February 7th, LISC NY, The Exchange at Beverly Gray, and The Foundry, hosted an information session about the East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant. The $3 million program will provide grants of $5,000 to $50,000 to eligible small businesses in the 14208, 14209, and part of the 14204 zip codes of East Buffalo, to help largely minority-owned establishments rebound from the social and economic impacts of the mass shooting at Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue earlier this year. Learn more about this grant here. The application is closed.
On February 16th, LISC NY hosted its first statewide AmeriCorps Information Session for organizations interested in becoming AmeriCorps host sites. The event was attended by over 40 organizations across the state, including partners from New York City, Buffalo, Syracuse, Poughkeepsie, and Rochester. During this webinar, Sarah Sturtevant, Deputy Director - AmeriCorps at LISC National, provides an overview of the program and the application process. Daysi Ball, Director of Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers' Hope Center, shares their experience as an AmeriCorps host site. LISC NY accepted applications for AmeriCorps host sites through Tuesday, February 28th. Learn more here.
LISC NY’s NYLOP hosted an information session about this RFP for a Co-Developer of 1175 Boston Road, Bronx, New York, New Covenant Faith & Miracle Arena (NCFMA) on February 7th at 1PM. During the information session, LISC NY discussed the RFP, the New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP), New Covenant Faith & Miracle Arena, and the application. We are no longer accepting responses. Interested respondents were asked to submit their responses per the guidelines outlined in the RFP by Monday, February 27, 2023, at 3:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME.
On Jan. 19, 2023, LISC NY’s New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP) hosted an information session about this RFP (see attached) for a co-developer of 2901 Frederick Douglas Boulevard, Bethany Baptist Church. During the information session, LISC NY discussed the RFP, NYLOP, Bethany Baptist Church, and the application. We are no longer accepting responses Interested respondents were asked to submit their responses per the guidelines outlined in the RFP by Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, at 3:00 P.M. EST.
On Nov. 10, 2022, the New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP) conducted a virtual workshop designed to help developers understand and master the development process. During this workshop, Jimmy Miller from Censere Consulting, led and conducted a deep dive into the development process and the four critical stages developers should be aware of. Learn more about NYLOP here. View webinar recording below.
On Dec. 6, 2022, the New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP) conducted a virtual workshop designed to help developers understand the financial basics behind real estate. During this workshop, Jimmy Miller from Censere Consulting, guided us through the financial basics and infrastructure behind real estate financing. Learn more about NYLOP here.
On September 27th, LISC NY hosted a Community Partner Convening, which was attended by over 30 community partners. The event provided a forum for attendees to connect in person and virtually and discuss opportunities and challenges in carrying out the mission of community development in today’s environment. At the event, the LISC NY team described our newly expanded statewide strategy, our current programs and resources, and the purpose of our annual partner survey.
Key takeaways can be found here.
On Sept. 28, 2022, we held an information session for the third cohort of the LISC NY Developers of Color Training Program. The application deadline was Oct. 12, 2022. Replay the video here.
LISC NY is excited to announce the launch of their third cohort of the LISC NY Developers of Color Training Program! Applications from interested developer of color firms were due on Wednesday, October 12, 2022!
On May 11, 2022, LISC NYC held its first annual Developers of Color Convening at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, NY. This inaugural Convening featured in-depth panels on the state of developers of color and the structural inequalities that have created obstacles to the advancement and economic success of minority-owned firms in the development space. The Convening acted as a call to action, spotlighting these inequities, but also proposing policies, procedures, and best practices that will help developers of color thrive in this industry. The Developers of Color Training Program was launched with the goal of growing and strengthening New York City Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) development firms, helping them to expand their portfolio of businesses and contracts and making them more competitive in this growing market. Watch the recorded live stream below.
LISC NY is launching its New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP) by releasing a Request for an Expression of Interest (RFEI) to identify at least 10 potential Mission-driven Organizations (MDOs) who have property that they would like to develop for affordable housing. Many MDOs serve their local communities by providing myriad essential services. Some have underutilized property they may wish to develop for housing but lack the resources and capabilities to accomplish this objective. Submissions were due by April 26, 2022, at 11:59 PM (EST). View the webinar recording below.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, LISC NY held a webinar entitled, Rising Together: Uplifting Women Entrepreneurship in the Face of COVID-19, to bring together outstanding female leaders in community development to talk about supporting female entrepreneurship. Panelists discussed the challenges facing female entrepreneurs, the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses, and how community development organizations can best support them to thrive.
On March 1, 2022, LISC NY partnered with Chase for Business to co-host a virtual learning session for small, minority, women, veterans, LGBTQ+, and immigrant business owners. In this webinar series, Chase for Business discussed vital components for entrepreneurs seeking to build a lasting business foundation. Some of the topics covered will included: Thinking Like an Entrepreneur, Developing Agility and Resilience, and other topics related to business fundamentals. Take an opportunity to review our presentation, the Business 201 Workbook provided by Chase for Business, and the video recap below.
On Feb. 3, 2022,. LISC NY held its annual Big Apple Awards Gala, where we recognized community-based partners and advocates that are creating a bright future for New York City. The event provided viewers with a unique opportunity to learn how these trainblazing organizations and allies are transforming our city into a more equitable place for everyone.
In a strategic partnership to support small businesses, LISC, Verizon, and Next Street have collaborated to launch Verizon Small Business Digital Ready! The program is simple to use, with all the information available online in one place. The event took place on Oct. 25, 2021. Please watch the video of the engagement session here.
Watch our panel discussion where we cover the suite of financial products for affordable housing and economic development, and learn more about the capabilities of LISC NY's lending team.
View the slides from our panel discussion concerning the range of financial products for affordable housing and economic development, and the capabilities of LISC NY's lending team
In celebration of Women’s History Month, LISC NY hosted a panel discussion with outstanding female leaders in community development who talked about their work, leadership, and insights for future female identifying professionals.
On March 16, 2021, LISC NY held a webinar intended for developers, property managers, realtors, existing marketing agents and other firms interested in establishing or expanding a marketing agent line of business, and want to learn how experienced firms have successfully conducted this work.
On Feb. 4, 2021, LISC NY recognized those community-based partners and advocates on the frontline of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and current economic crisis that is impacting countless New Yorkers.
