For more than 40 years, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has worked on the ground in communities across the country, helping nonprofits, business leaders, anchor institutions and municipalities tackle long-standing challenges and develop the economic infrastructure that families need to thrive.
We are proud of those efforts—including $29.7 billion in community investments through our 38 local offices, a rural program that reaches more than 2,200 counties states, and LISC affiliates focused on affordable housing and small businesses, working in nearly every state.
But we also know that much more needs to be done, and that the federal government has a critical role to play.
When our original report was issued in 2020, we were all living through the COVID-19 crisis, which magnified issues of economic inequality and social injustice that had persisted for decades. With pandemic recovery efforts taking shape, these issues have not been rectified. Families are still continuing to navigate the difficulties to improve their quality of life, including finding access to good jobs, schools, housing, healthcare, and safe communities. The question we asked in 2020 still remains: what will it take to ensure economic opportunity for all?
The pages that follow outline a federal policy agenda for 2023—2024 to do just that. We are pleased that some of the items from our 2021—2022 policy agenda have been implemented, including most notably: increased funding for CDFIs; major investments in broadband infrastructure and digital equity initiatives; and the authorization of the Minority Business Development Agency. But there is still much more that can be accomplished.
To this end, we have identified policy proposals relating to seven key pillars of LISC’s community and economic development work. We have also developed appendices to call out proposals that align with key organizational goals relating to closing the racial wealth gap, investing in rural communities, and supporting climate resiliency work. And because these proposals cut across 17 different federal agencies, we have also provided in the appendix a table that organizes our policy proposals by the federal agencies with jurisdictional authority.
We invite you to read through these proposals, share your ideas, and join us in these efforts. Together, we can help all Americans – regardless of race, class, or zip code – have the best possible chance to thrive.
- Foreword
- Executive Summary
- Capacity Building, Leadership and Innovation
- Economic Development
- Education
- Family Income and Wealth Building
- Health
- Housing
- Safety and Justice
- Appendix:
LISC SVP for Policy Matt Josephs zeroes in on the goals of LISC’s federal policy agenda in a blog highlighting proposals that tackle gaps in health, wealth and opportunity affecting millions of families and their communities.