Small Business Façade and Property Improvement Program provides grants to property and small business owners to improve the exterior of their buildings and storefronts to attract new customers and beautify the area.

• 2023 Impact: 21 project grants; 90% of recipients were minority and women-owned enterprises, improving 306,538 of total building square footage.

Real Estate Assistance Fund for Black-Owned Businesses offers grants up to $40,000 for loan closing costs for Black businesses in Indianapolis that are seeking to purchase commercial property or retain their commercial property through capital improvements.

• 2023 Impact: Eight businesses closed on loans to purchase property and received a total of $305,000 in down payment grants, with a $4.2M leveraged impact.

Latino Business Support Network promotes growth in the Latino business ecosystem by fostering collaboration among partners, mapping existing resources, and providing marketing support for Latino nonprofit Business Development Organizations working in this space.

• 2023 Impact: Launched Latino Business Support Network website; hosted launch event; provided support to spotlight initiative at three major events; provided support to create two new programs to serve Latino entrepreneurs and small business owners; and referred 60 business to services provided by the Network.

Indianapolis CDFI Collaborative is a partnership of community development financial institutions that focus on commercial or small business lending to minority, female, veteran, and reentry-owned businesses.

• 2023 Impact: Provided funding to the Indy Chamber’s Business Opportunity Initiative and Bankable to create new lending products and provide credit repair support services, resulting in nine 0% interest loans to minority borrowers; partnered with Bankable to provide credit builder and credit repair loans to support 39 Black-owned businesses.

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is an online curriculum designed to give small businesses the personalized tools to succeed in today's digital world, including learning modules, expert coaching, peer networking, grant opportunities and more.

• 2023 Impact: 1,403 entrepreneurs reached; six events hosted; two $10,000 grantees in Indianapolis market.

The Microenterprise Navigator Program provides technical assistance and training to business owners who are at or below 80% of the Area Median Income. These services specifically prioritize communities and microenterprises that have historically faced barriers to resources and business services.

• 2023 Impact: LISC expanded the program to include four community-serving sites (Martindale Brightwood Community Development Corporation, Indy Black Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Neighborhood Development (SEND), and Crooked Creek Community Development Corporation) to serve a total of 120 microenterprises.

LISC Indianapolis provides Capacity Building for Entrepreneurial Support & BDOs that focuses on key components of non-profit development including executive coaching; digital transformation training; and organizational development in core areas like board governance, financial management, funds development and human resources.

• 2023 Impact: Five BDOs served with the first round of capacity building support, increasing their ability to fundraise and improving operational performance through accounting systems and financial management.

Far Eastside Economic Inclusion Agenda: Through its partnership with Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE), LISC Indianapolis is implementing strategies identified on the Far Eastside Economic Inclusion Agenda.

• 2023 Impact: LISC provided barrier-busting transportation funds to support Far Eastside residents; 100+ residents connected to employers through job fairs and training programs; 18 employers engaged in the Employer Engagement Taskforce and/or Employer Roundtable.