LISC Digital Digest
Spring 2026
Dear LISC community,
For 45 years, LISC Chicago has had the privilege of working alongside residents, community organizations, and partners to strengthen neighborhoods across our Chicagoland. Since our founding in 1980, our mission has remained constant: to invest in people, places, and opportunities so that every community can thrive.
Over the decades, we have seen firsthand that lasting change happens when communities lead the way. Through partnerships with local leaders, nonprofit developers, small businesses, grassroots organizations, and the many funders investing in communities, LISC Chicago has helped finance affordable housing, support neighborhood-based economic development, expand access to financial opportunity, and create safer spaces for youth and families. By creating Quality of Life Plans, we have helped drive investments into communities by elevating community voice and vision. From those efforts, 20 years ago, we created programs including our Financial Opportunity Center® (FOC) network—helping individuals build financial stability—and Hoops in the Hood, which creates safe spaces for young people each summer through basketball.
This anniversary is not only a moment to reflect on the impact made over the past four and a half decades—it is also an opportunity to look ahead. Chicago’s neighborhoods continue to evolve, and so must the strategies that support them. As we move forward, LISC remains committed to deepening our partnerships, advancing comprehensive community development, and ensuring that residents have the resources and voice needed to shape the future of their communities.
For the past six months, we have continued investing capital and providing technical support to the community organizations and Illinois residents driving change on the ground. In this issue, you’ll find updates on South Chicago’s new Quality of Life Plan, the third cohort of Next Gen developers in partnership with IHDA, success stories from our Business Development Organizations, highlights from our latest investments, and more.
And we hope you’ll join us on June 25 as we Turn Up the Volume From Every Block at Radius for the 32nd Community Neighborhood Development Awards. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
Best,
Meghan Harte
Community Development
South Chicago Community Launches Quality of Life Plan
Residents and community leaders in South Chicago recently launched the South Chicago Quality of Life Plan (QLP), a community-driven framework designed to guide the neighborhood’s future growth, opportunity and long-term well-being. Convened by Claretian Associates, the plan was developed through LISC’s resident-centered process that engaged community members and local organizations in shaping priorities and a shared vision for South Chicago. This marks the 30th QLP published through LISC’s process.
More than 1,200 residents, community members, organizations, and stakeholders participated through surveys, focus groups, community events and public meetings. Their input helped define priorities across arts and culture, economic development, education, environment and infrastructure, health, housing and safety—creating a roadmap for coordinated action in South Chicago.
The launch was featured in outlets including the Chicago Sun-Times and Block Club Chicago, with interviews conducted with the Chicago Reader highlighting the resident-centered planning process and neighborhood priorities reflected in the plan.
Creative Placemaking Across Cook County
LISC continues to support creative placemaking initiatives that strengthen public spaces and neighborhood connections and spur future investment where community sees great opportunity.
In Englewood, Imagine Englewood If recently opened The Healing House on its Peace Campus, a newly renovated wellness hub offering counseling, health education, and community programming for residents. Supported by a Community Connection grant from the Mars Wrigley Foundation in collaboration with LISC, the space transforms an underutilized basement into a welcoming environment where residents can access health resources and participate in activities such as healing circles, healthy cooking demonstrations, tai chi and yoga classes.
Through a partnership with the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development and Cook County Arts, the Cook County Arts Creative Placemaking Program is providing $2.75 million in grants to 14 nonprofit organizations across suburban Cook County to support community-driven arts and culture projects. Grantees are currently advancing initiatives ranging from murals and community gardens to arts centers and creative public spaces, including the Brookfield Shops artist showcase. Throughout the process, LISC has supported organizations through learning circles and workshops as they move their projects toward implementation, with ribbon cuttings expected later this summer.
Next Gen Welcomes Third Cohort Across Illinois
The Next Generation Capacity Building Initiative (Next Gen) is strengthening the pipeline of emerging affordable housing developers across Illinois. Led by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and LISC, the statewide program provides participants with technical training, mentorship and industry connections to help move affordable housing projects from concept to construction and compete for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing.
Last fall, IHDA and LISC celebrated the graduation of the program’s second cohort. Participants are already applying what they learned to projects across the state, with several emerging developers advancing affordable housing proposals in their communities. Stories featuring members of the cohort have appeared in outlets including Bisnow and the Springfield Business Journal.
This February, IHDA and LISC announced the program’s third cohort of 16 participants representing communities across Illinois, including Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, Alton and Waukegan. Governor JB Pritzker also recently referenced Next Gen in his recent State of the State address as part of Illinois’ broader efforts to expand affordable housing development capacity statewide. Already, 8 Next Gen alums have submitted LIHTC applications to the City of Chicago and IHDA.
Economic Development
Celebrating 20 Years of the Financial Opportunity Center® Network
For two decades, LISC has partnered with its Financial Opportunity Center® (FOC) network to connect clients with a real pathway to financial security. Through an integrated career and financial coaching, as well as income and benefits support, FOC network partners have served 61,500 community members over the past 20 years with resources that help them grow their income and net worth, build credit, and create lasting stability.
Since 2005, we’ve worked with 23 partners to place 14,700 people in unsubsidized jobs. Our FOC network partners have supported 8,400 people in improving their net worth, 10,500 in growing their credit score and 11,300 in increasing their monthly net income.
This milestone year, we gathered to celebrate our Investing in Impact Awards at Revolution Workshop's newly renovated Garfield Park warehouse. We recognized five FOC Network members for their contributions to economic empowerment across Chicago, including honorees from Instituto Del Progreso Latino, Youth Job Center, and JARC Training Center. With generous support from JPMorganChase, honorees received funds for professional development.
Here's to 20 more years, to thousands more families increasing their net worth, and to the communities and partners who are making financial stability and wealth building a reality for our community.
Welcome to Our New FOC Members
Illinois Central College, Minority Business Development Center, and Revolution Workshop joined the Financial Opportunity Center® (FOC) Network in Illinois at the end of 2025!
Together with our existing partners, these new FOC model adopters strengthen the reach and impact of the Illinois network, ensuring more residents have the tools and support they need to thrive. We’re thrilled to welcome them aboard and look forward to collaborating on innovative strategies, sharing best practices, and advancing economic opportunity across the state.
LISC and Meta Support Community Organizations For Neighborhood Development
Thanks to LISC’s collaboration with Meta, which made grants to 20 organizations across California, Illinois, New York, Minnesota, and Puerto Rico, LISC supported community-based economic development organizations in building capacity and advancing their neighborhood economic development work. These grants were unrestricted and flexible, allowing grantees to focus on their own priorities and utilize the funds where they were needed most. Crucially, the program also matched organizations with consultants whose expertise helped them hone and implement their capacity building strategies.
Our case study, which focuses on two of Chicago’s grantees, shows that unrestricted, trust-based funding models lead to deep and sustainable capacity-building outcomes. The two grantees highlighted in the case study, the Greater Englewood Chamber Foundation and Latinos Progresando, each received grants of $200,000 and support from expert consultants over a 15-month grant term. Each organization used the funds and consultant support they received to build internal capacity and respond to local priorities in the Englewood and Little Village neighborhoods, respectively.
Read the full case study HERE
National Convening of Business Development Organizations
The LISC Chicago team joined colleagues from across the country in Washington, D.C., last November for the National Convening of Business Development Organization (BDOs). The gathering brought together more than 100 BDOs from across the nation. Illinois BDOs showcased their work on several panels, sharing insights on corridor planning, data management and disaster preparedness, elevating the visibility of our local partners’ impact across a national audience.
Investing
our Lending Impact in 2025
An investment in Chicago's communities is an investment in our city's future, and we're proud to help make it happen.
In 2025, LISC Chicago deployed over $17M in loans that leveraged more than $155M in total investment across the city.
LISC loans fund the small businesses, affordable homes, and community spaces that make Chicago's neighborhoods thrive.
That investment is creating 200 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs, preserving 330 affordable housing units, and activating nearly 149,000 square feet of commercial and community space.
Last year, LISC financed eight organizations spanning housing, small business, and community development: Bickerdike Edgewater, Tu Party, EG Woode II (Food Hub), Project HOOD, Black Ensemble Theatre, Urban Roots Inc., Unity Solar, and POAH.
Project H.O.O.D.
Lending Highlight
Project H.O.O.D. (Helping Others Obtain Destiny) is a powerhouse of education, violence prevention, job readiness, community health, re-entry services and youth programming on Chicago’s South Side. Now, the organization is finalizing construction on a new community amenity: the Robert R. McCormick Leadership & Economic Opportunity Center.
When construction cost increases stalled progress in 2024, the Center required gap financing to meet the all-or-nothing requirements of the New Market Tax Credits program. LISC Chicago stepped in as the final lending partner, helping close financing in March 2025 and restart construction. As Executive Director Dez Marshall puts it, “to deliver catalytic projects like this, it takes a village. You need visionary lenders like LISC, creative tools like New Markets Tax Credits, and partners from across the country all rowing in the same direction.”
Opening this summer, the Center will bring a health clinic, a trade school, financial services, arts and cultural spaces, athletics, and community gathering spaces under one roof, serving upwards of 25,000 members every year.
E.G. Woode Food Hub
Lending Highlight
E.G. Woode is an Englewood-based incubator, developer, and investor whose mission is to reinvest profits into minority-owned businesses and build up the neighborhood from within. Later this year, E.G. Woode will open their Food Hub at 1022 W. 63rd St., a significant gut rehabilitation of an 113-year-old former mechanic shop. The two-floor development will house a commercial kitchen, two permanent restaurants (Pass the Peas and Ellie’s Urban Grill), a pop-up kitchen for emerging food entrepreneurs, culinary classes, and office spaces.
For years, disinvestment has left Englewood without something most neighborhoods take for granted: a place to sit down in community and share a meal. The E.G. Woode Food Hub is changing that, signaling that real investment in the neighborhood is underway.
When the project needed gap financing to bridge grants from the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois, LISC Chicago provided a $3.2 million loan to complete the $7.1 million development budget. As President Deon Lucas reflects, “since 2018, LISC has been an invaluable partner to E.G. Woode, providing critical support through a multitude of financing options. Our journey has been filled with challenges, but their commitment has never wavered. We are grateful for a partner that understands the importance of taking on complex, high-risk projects that can ultimately become transformative assets for the community.”
Capital in Action Breakfast
LISC Chicago hosted its inaugural Capital in Action series with a breakfast last December, exploring how LISC's local and national lending products, expertise, and affiliates — National Equity Fund Inc., Broadstreet Impact Services, and LISC Fund Management — can be leveraged to build stronger, more inclusive communities. The Capital in Action series is an opportunity for cross-sector connection, learning around community focused capital investment. More information to come on the next Capital in Action event to be held in July.
WHAT'S UP NEXT?
This summer will be a busy one for LISC Chicago, with the return of our Community Neighborhood Development Awards (CNDAs) and a full lineup of programming across Chicago and beyond.
In June, Hoops in the Hood tips off for another season. The summer programming will lead to a citywide tournament in August as the program marks its 20th year of creating safe spaces for youth to play and community to gather.
Check out some photos from last year below!
Join us on June 25 at Radius in Pilsen for this year’s CNDAs. This year, we’re Turning Up the Volume from Every Block to celebrate the people, projects and partnerships driving community development across Chicago. More details coming soon!
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