Community Economic Development

LISC Philadelphia believes that all residents should have access to vibrant, community-sustaining economies. Our approach to economic development embraces small business lending and coaching, building capacity for local partners, and leadership development with community organizations across the country.

In collaboration with community-based organizations we identify shared priorities and co-design solutions. LISC provides grants, loans, and capacity building to community-based partners to plan and implement these as economic development strategies.

We achieve this work through acting as an:

Investor: direct and leverage strategic flow of capital to people and communities with less access to economic opportunity.
Capacity builder: develop leadership and capacity at the local level to equip individuals and community partners to implement and align effective strategies.
Advisor: serve as trusted partner to residents, organizations and investors seeking to deliver solutions in their communities.
Convener: foster cross-sector and interagency collaboration, helping to manage project implementation

We leverage the collective power of residents and community-based organizations (CBOs) to achieve economic goals and increase the financial well-being of residents.

Our neighbors possess critical experience, insights and knowledge for addressing systems failures and driving innovation. Our priority is to engage community partners and neighborhood leaders in identifying and executing ways to align local talent with broader workforce and economic development efforts.

Inclusive economic development yields opportunities for residents to earn a living, build wealth, and start businesses, and for communities to close the racial wealth gap, expand resources, and connect to regional assets. We center those residents and communities that historically have been under resourced and excluded from the city’s growth.

We work in collaboration with community-based organizations to identify shared priorities and co-design solutions. LISC provides grants, loans, and capacity building to community-based partners to plan and implement these as economic development strategies.