MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
LISC’s mission to help forge resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America–great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families--won’t be fulfilled until we dismantle the structural racism that underlies disinvestment in urban communities and limits the choices of where Black and Brown residents can live and the opportunities they have.
At LISC Connecticut, we are focused on dismantling racism and improving racial equity, in partnership with residents, banks, philanthropy, government, and other nonprofits. In 2021, we used our role as a financial intermediary to increase investment in urban communities, and listened to community residents about the investments they seek. We are on the ground, in the community, seeking to build trust, and committed for the long-term to build health, wealth, and opportunity for people of color.
In 2021, to build racial equity and opportunity, LISC Connecticut:
- Deepened our engagement with residents of Hartford’s North End,
- Focused our AmeriCorps program on organizations led by people of color,
- Assumed leadership of the Housing and Community Development Leadership Institute HCDLI), with its focus on bringing Black and Brown women into the field, and
- Completed our first full year of the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) network, to build family income and wealth.
Dismantling structural racism and building real racial equity will take much more, of course. In 2022, LISC Connecticut is redoubling our efforts. We will create a capacity-building initiative for BIPOC-led Community Development Corporations and expand the HCDLI. We are convening an inclusive cross-sector of Hartford stakeholders to implement equitable neighborhood plans, including more homeownership for people of color, to build long-term wealth. Some FOCs will move toward becoming career-oriented Bridges to Career Opportunity sites. LISC’s mission statement begins with “together with residents and partners,” and we excited and optimistic to partner with all of you so that all families and communities can share in dynamic, growing, and equitable prosperity.
Jim Horan LISC Connecticut Executive Director
Diane Smith LISC Connecticut Local Advisory Committee Chair
We are on the ground, in the community, seeking to build trust, and committed for the long-term to build health, wealth, and opportunity for people of color.”
BY THE NUMBERS
invested in 2021
leveraged in 2021
affordable homes and apartments
square feet of commercial, retail and community space
Building Capacity
in grants
CDCs served
jobs created/sustained
Building Family Income & Wealth
clients served
received multiple services
in organizational grants
Engagement Through Service
hours of AmeriCorps served
volunteers engaged
pounds of food distributed
PORTRAITS OF IMPACT
Family Income & Wealth Building
During Fall 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, LISC Connecticut launched a network of ten Financial Opportunity Centers (FOCs), which provide income supports counseling, one-on-one employment coaching, and one-on-one financial coaching to individuals and families with low-to-moderate incomes. 1,046 people received employment services, resulting in 206 people accessing jobs. 1,789 people received income supports counseling, resulting in 70% of those eligible for benefits increasing their net income, and 959 people received one-on-one financial coaching.
In 2020-2021, LISC granted $456,721 to support its statewide FOC network. LISC provides staff trainings for FOC program managers and coaches, technical assistance to support the use of LISC’s Family Financial Tracker (FFT) data collection system via Salesforce, capacity-building support around program implementation and management, and peer learning connections throughout the statewide and national network.
"The Financial Opportunity Center has filled a critical need in the greater Norwalk area, providing education and access to the resources community members need to stabilize themselves in housing and drive them towards upward economic mobility. Open Doors is proud to partner with LISC to bring these valuable resources to our community." – Michele Conderino, Executive Director.
Open Doors, LISC’s FOC site partner located in Norwalk, served over 300 households in 2021 and now reaches an average of 40 new households each month. The launch of the FOC at Open Doors aligned with its strategic shift from homeless services to homeless services and homeless prevention. The average starting wage for clients placed in jobs in 2021 was $19.25/hour.
Open Doors has been able to leverage not only the financial impact of this grant, but the reputation of LISC's FOC model to engage other donors in supporting and expanding the program. Eliminating barriers and connection to resources honors the skill sets the clients are bringing in the door and pairs them with the tools needed to generate economic growth for their households.
Open Doors is a co-creator of the City of Norwalk’s Workforce Council. With LISC’s support, Open Doors has developed the framework to serve as a community hub connecting Norwalk residents with workforce development organizations, education institutions, and local businesses. Open Doors continues to build relationships with employers to increase the diversity of employment opportunities, with the goal of becoming Norwalk’s largest employment hub for both potential employers and employees.
Housing
·Each year, LISC’s capacity building supports the sustainability and new construction of affordable housing units across the state. Through financial investments and technical assistance, as well as advocacy for state-level policies and interventions, LISC is an active player in addressing the significant housing affordability gap that persists in our state.
In May 2021, after nearly eight years of planning and construction, Mutual Housing Association of Greater Hartford finally celebrated the opening of The Hub on Park, a 45-unit mixed-income development. The project included the new construction of a 36-unit building and the renovation of three 3-family buildings along Park Street, Park Terrace and York Street. These buildings, designed to blend harmoniously with the historic Frog Hollow neighborhood, are part of a comprehensive strategy that has led to the redevelopment of nearly 300 units in the neighborhood.
LISC supported this project with two acquisition loans totaling $1.42 million. These loans, originated in 2015 and 2017, were made with the funds from the LISC Connecticut Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Fund, which was seeded with the support of Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and the State Department of Economic and Community Development.
AmeriCorps & Community Engagement
LISC’s AmeriCorps program is based on a community-driven model and aims to lift up the next generation of community development professionals and resident leaders.
In 2021, LISC Connecticut AmeriCorps volunteers offered more than 5,561 hours in service to their communities and provided assistance to 319 residents to avoid eviction. LISC Connecticut provided support to aid recruitment efforts of BIPOC members and host organizations led by people of color. This support helped us toward our goal of increasing participation of and by organizations led by and benefiting Black and Brown people, with the goal of creating local career opportunities at not-for-profits. In 2021, 5 of 7 organizations hosting an AmeriCorps member were BIPOC led, and 6 of 7 members serving were people of color.
In the past two years, LISC CT has begun more direct community engagement. Program Officer Debi Martin meets regularly with community, grassroots, and faith leaders, to understand the concerns of residents and shape our work. Staff regularly participate in community meetings, including those of Neighborhood Revitalization Zones and the North Hartford Promise Zone. Our hope and goals are to create a system to ensure authentic and equitable resident participation in creating plans that promote equitable neighborhood revitalization and opportunity, and ensure that community residents have opportunities to provide input and review progress.
Capacity Building
Each year, with the support of U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), LISC is able to deploy capacity-building grants to community development corporations through the Section 4 Capacity Building Program. Over the past twenty years, LISC has deployed $7.3 million across Connecticut, helping CDCs serve thousands of residents with low- and moderate incomes.
In 2021, LISC granted a total of $188,058 in Section 4 funding. Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury (NHS-W) received a grant for $40,000 to support the creation of a Community Engagement Coordinator.
“Community building and engagement activities are key for effective community development and lasting change. The Section 4 grant provided by LISC afforded NHS-W the opportunity to expand our capacity and partnerships and work closely with residents towards building a healthier neighborhood, addressing quality of life issues, making physical improvements, and promoting community building activities. Additionally, the grant laid the foundation for the vision for a vibrant and welcoming place for all to call home – Crownbrook.” --Kevin Taylor, Executive Director, Neighborhood Housing Services, Waterbury.
Having a dedicated staff member to focus solely on community building and engagement has resulted in numerous partnerships with other non-profits, grassroots organizations, schools, businesses, and individuals. Additionally, NHS-W was able to leverage this funding to secure additional resources from financial institutions and foundations to support initiatives such as the Resident Leadership Training, Urban Forestry Program, and the Love & Care Community Garden.
“At NHS-W, we believe resident engagement and leadership are essential for communities to realize their vision for a vibrant and welcoming place for all to call home … Our resident-driven approach has strengthened relationships among neighbors; catalyzing positive community change in the Crownbrook neighborhood of Waterbury,” said Ian T. Blake, NHS-W's Community Engagement Coordinator. While Crownbrook has been the sole focus of Ian’s work, it has attracted the attention of local elected representatives, who have asked the organization to expand these initiatives to the South End of Waterbury.
Community Investments
In light of the magnitude of disinvestment in Hartford, and significant disparities between the urban center and surrounding region, there is an urgent need to develop affordable housing and other physical improvements. Such development must strengthen residents’ economic stability and improve their quality of life, while leveraging improvements to bring new investments. LISC Connecticut addresses these needs by helping CDCs be catalysts for physical and economic revitalization of urban neighborhoods, through creation and preservation of affordable housing and other community development.
In December of 2021, LISC closed on a $2.6 million acquisition loan to Real Art Ways (RAW) to support the purchase of its longtime home at 56 Arbor Street in Hartford’s Parkville neighborhood. The purchase is the first part of an overall expansion plan that will lead to RAW more than doubling its square footage. RAW plans to offer a wider variety of new independent films, visual art, music, literary events and educational programming to better serve the community. It will continue to offer rental space to creative entrepreneurs on the upper levels. Plans for the building include four cinemas, a theatrical space for performing arts, a café, renovated outdoor spaces, as well as rental space for events, studios and offices.
“Real Art Ways is grateful for our partnership with LISC, and the support received from Trinity Health of New England. LISC's enthusiasm for Real Art Ways’ acquisition project has laid the foundation for the expansion of our operations, and set the stage for greater impact in Hartford and its region. We are pleased to be a part of the good work that LISC and Trinity Health encourage in our community. “--Tricia Haggerty Wenz, RAW Director of Development
This was the first loan provided out of a $5 million loan pool from Trinity Health Of New England, which LISC manages, to support housing and economic development projects in the Greater Hartford and Waterbury markets.
To learn more about the Real Art Ways’ expansion plans, visit From modest beginnings, Real Art Ways’ $14.7M expansion aims to create major center of contemporary art.
OUR FUNDERS
2021 Private Sector Support
American Savings Foundation
Anonymous
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Berkshire Bank Foundation
J. Walton Bissell Foundation, Inc.
Capital One
Citi
Citizens
Connecticut Community Foundation
Connecticut Main Street Center
Fairfield County's Community Foundation
Farmington Bank Community Foundation
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Ion Bank Foundation
JPMorgan Chase
KeyBank Foundation
Liberty Bank Foundation
Lincoln Financial Foundation
George A. & Grace L. Long Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee
The M&T Charitable Foundation
Nutmeg Foundation
People's United Community Foundation
Prudential Foundation
Dorothy B. Ralston Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
The Right Track Fund
Santander Bank, N.A.
Signature Bank, N.A.
Harold Webster Smith Foundation
TD Bank, N.A.
TD Charitable Foundation
Trinity Health Of New England
United Way of Central & Northeastern Connecticut
United Way of Greater Waterbury
Webster Bank
Wells Fargo Foundation
STAFF & LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
LISC Connecticut Staff
Angela Berry Office Manager
Christina Dellaventura Program Officer
Irene Feliciano Program Assistant
Jim Horan Executive Director
Esther Jean-Marie Program Officer
Kasey LaFlam Senior Program Officer
Debi Martin Program Officer
RaQuasia Smith Assistant Program Officer
Matt Straub Senior Program Officer
Local Advisory Committee
Dean Andrews Senior Vice President/Senior Relationship Manager, Global Banking & Markets,Bank of America, N.A.
Joan Bartolomeo Director of Community Development\Vice President, Signature Bank
Richard Brown Board Member Representative, J. Walton Bissell Foundation, Inc.
Liz Buczynski Director, Community Investment, United Way of Central & Northeastern CT
Art Casavant Vice President and CRA Officer, People’s United Bank
Glenn Davis Vice President, Community Development/CRA Officer, Liberty Bank
Mario J. Florez Regional Director, Community Health and Well Being, Trinity Health Of New England
Terence Floyd Vice President / Community Relations Consultant, Wells Fargo Bank
Erika Frank Senior Community Investments Officer, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Analisha Gois Community and DE&I Relationship Manager, KeyBank
Lisa Joyner New England Regional Community Development Manager, TD Bank
Hans Jung CFA Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager, Corporate Banking, Santander Bank
Lily Lopez Senior Vice President, Citi Community Relations
Tim Malone Community Development Deputy, Capitol Region Council of Governments
Peter Mosbacher Senior Vice President Community Development Officer, Webster Bank, N.A.
Diane Smith, Local Advisory Committee Chair Chief Real Estate Officer, Wayfinders
Mary Thompson Senior Vice President/Senior Relationship Manager, Bank of America, N.A.
Vanessa Toledo-Vickers Vice President |Community Development Market Manager, Citizens Bank
Christine Traczyk Executive Director, Farmington Bank Community Foundation
Jonathan Vazcones Vice President / Community Reinvestment, M & T Bank
Priscilla Williams Community Impact & Investment, Capital One