MESSAGE FROM RURAL LISC
It’s often said that hindsight is 20/20 – and nothing could be truer as we reflect on the major milestones, impact, and changes that 2023 brought in as we prepare a clear vision for the future.
Like you, we are devoted advocates for supporting the diverse tapestry of rural communities as great places to live, work, and innovate. Rural LISC’s comprehensive community development approach allows our team to work on the ground with partners to identify needs and opportunities so we can develop meaningful training, technical assistance, and access to financial resources to strengthen community capacity.
In 2023, our work continued to demonstrate this commitment as we developed and preserved more than 2,000 affordable housing units, bridged the digital divide with new programs and partnerships, executed $136 million in loan and grant products, and supported workforce and small business partners that served more than 16,000 individuals.
I remain proud and humbled to show up each day as a servant-leader amongst a stellar group of professionals on the Rural LISC team. And, we are truly thankful for our generous funders, program partners and rural champions who enable us to make a difference for rural America.
Sincerely,
Nadia Villagrán Rural LISC Director and LISC Vice President
2023 BY THE NUMBERS
$136M
Direct equity, loans, & grants invested
117,448
Square feet of commercial, industrial & community facilities developed and/or in development
2,207
Jobs created and/or retained
$22,000
Average savings increase for Rural LISC Financial Opportunity Center clients
$455M
Total development impact in rural community development
15,845
Clients served by rural workforce development programs
4,277
Job placements
1,768
Small businesses served by Rural LISC-funded Business Development Organizations (BDOs)
$42M
Additional economic development funding awarded to rural communities with Rural LISC’s support
2,338
Affordable housing units developed and/or preserved
9500+
Hours of technical assistance & training hours to rural community-based partners
$19,000
Average net worth increases for Rural LISC Financial Opportunity Center clients
OUR PROGRAMS & IMPACT
Rural LISC strives to identify priorities and opportunities to meet local needs through integrated strategies and programs focused on access to capital, digital equity, disaster supports, financial wealth-building, housing, small businesses, and workforce development.
Our work is built on a foundation of technical assistance & capacity-building strategies and intentional diversity, equity, inclusion, & justice practices.
When Rural LISC works with a community, available resources are deployed to advance multiple levels of a community’s development plan. Rural LISC resources are integrated and proven to leverage funding and partnerships for continued community development. A holistic and comprehensive approach is taken with every community supported by Rural LISC.
Here are the 2023 highlights of this work in action:
CAPACITY-BUILDING & PEER LEARNING
Rural LISC Seminar
In December 2023, more than 800 rural leaders from across the country came together virtually and in-person in California's Coachella Valley to learn from other successful rural community and economic development programs to take back to their communities.
DIGITAL EQUITY & SMALL BUSINESS
Wells Fargo Rural Connect Program
More than 2,500 individuals were served through the Rural Connect program, with Wells Fargo and Rural LISC investing in technical assistance, training, and funding for three community-based partners in Idaho, South Dakota, and Wyoming to provide financial coaching and digital skilling support to both individuals and small businesses.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
USDA Rural Partners Network (RPN) & Rural LISC
Rural LISC provided more than 1,100 hours in technical assistance and training to RPN Community Networks in nine states & U.S. territories. The USDA Rural Partners Network is moving the needle on key community and economic development strategies, and we are proud to partner with It on this important work.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Delta Economic Asset Building: Walton Family Foundation & Rural LISC
More than 1,200 individuals were directly served through this partnership between Rural LISC, the Walton Family Foundation, and lead partners on the ground in the Mississippi/Arkansas Delta, focused on equitable pathways to home ownership, stronger workforce development ecosystems, resources to support small business entrepreneurs, and access to capital.
INCOME & WEALTH BUILDING
East Texas Infusion of Collaborative Community & Economic Development: T.L.L. Temple Foundation & Rural LISC
Building off a long-standing partnership with the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, Rural LISC has launched its third Financial Opportunity Center in the Deep East Texas region and has trained seven libraries to serve as Digital Connectors, collectively helping more than 6,400 individuals to meet their financial, employment, reliable internet access and digital skilling goals. These programs are part of a much larger collective impact partnership growing in Deep East Texas.
WORKFORCE
Rural Workforce Collaborative Models & Apprenticeship Toolkit
Nearly 16,000 individuals were served by Rural LISC-funded workforce partners with the support of a Rural LISC-developed Apprenticeship Toolkit and an innovative model to build Rural Workforce Collaboratives. Ascendium, Markle, Aspen, and Arconic were key funders in this initiative.
DIGITAL EQUITY & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Digital Equity for Rural: Infusion of Technical Assistance & Resources to Connect Rural Households
In December 2023, with support from Schmidt Family Foundation, Rural LISC was funded to stand up the National Broadband Technical Assistance Marketplace and the Broadband Help Hub, which will provide communities nationwide with high-quality, targeted data and recommendations to produce investment-ready broadband plans as billions in federal subsidies begin to flow to community infrastructure projects. The Hub extends the reach of Rural LISC's digital equity work, which in 2023 supported more than 1,000 households in Arkansas with computer access and affordable internet. We also provided technical support to five community broadband projects around the country in partnership with Just Transition Fund.
SMALL BUSINESS
Rural Small Business Support through Verizon, SBA Community Navigator, Walton Family Foundation, and Wells Fargo
More than 1,700 small businesses were supported with one-on-one technical assistance and grants from Rural LISC Business Development Organizations (BDOs) supported by SBA Community Navigator, Verizon, Walton Family Foundation, and Wells Fargo.
INCOME & WEALTH BUILDING
Individual Wealth Building through Rural LISC Financial Opportunity Center® Network
More than 1,400 individuals were served by Rural LISC Financial Opportunity Centers with integrated financial and employment coaching. Among the individuals working closely with coaches, 70% saw an increase in net worth with an average increase of $19,000. More than $500,000 was deployed to local partners delivering integrated financial and employment coaching. General Motors, T.L.L. Temple, Capital One, and Fannie Mae were key funders in this initiative.
1,400
individuals were served by Rural LISC FOC Network Centers
70%
saw an increase in net worth
$500,000 deployed to local partners
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Healthy Housing Initiative
Since 2015, Rural LISC's Healthy Housing Initiative has invested more than $4.3 million through 269 grants to 66 community-based partners across rural America.
In 2023, Rural LISC awarded $440,000 to 22 grantees to support healthy housing program and multi-benefit projects. This program collectively supported the production or preservation of 646 units of healthy, affordable, energy-efficient housing. In total, these programs and projects served 3,057 individuals and created 168 jobs. Clayton helped fund the Healthy Housing Initiative.
SAFETY & JUSTICE
Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative
In collaboration with the LISC Safety & Justice program, 19 rural communities are participating in the Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative. Three of these sites are directly supported with training & technical assistance. The Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative (RVCRI), funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), supports community collaborations between community engagement organizations and law enforcement to address violent crime and the issues associated with violent crime. Funding supports necessary equipment such as cameras and forensic tools, as well as awareness campaigns, suicide reduction efforts, and school-based violence deterrence.
RURAL PHILANTHROPY
Delta Philanthropy Forum
Over the last year, Rural LISC has supported the Delta Philanthropy Forum as the backbone organization for the philanthropies across the Mississippi/Arkansas Delta to come together and share learning, align strategy, and leverage resources to improve their work in the Delta. This work is currently being funded by the Walton Family Foundation, Casey Family Programs, Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation, and Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.
CREATIVE CAPITAL & SMALL BUSINESS
Keeweenaw Food Co-op
Rural LISC provided $5,297,686 in financing to the Keweenaw Food Cooperative in 2023 to allow the co-op to expand its current storefront location to a larger location in Hancock, Michigan. The co-op will expand its offerings to include an expanded deli with indoor and outdoor seating, fresh produce, meat, dairy, frozen, and a full line of packaged groceries on Hancock’s main street. Downtown Hancock is a food desert. It has not had a viable grocery store in more than 20 years.
OUR FUNDERS
2023 Private Sector Support
Tori Abbott
American Express
Arconic Foundation
James Ariail
Arkansas Impact Philanthropy
Arthur M. Blank Foundation
Ascendium Education Group
Forum for Community Solutions at the Aspen Institute
Bank of America
Jared Beatrice
Capital One
Casey Family Programs
Tara Claeys
Clayton
Bryan Cochran
Community Foundation of the Ozarks
ConnectED New York, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Fannie Mae
Federal Home Loan Banks
Doug Ganey
General Motors
Christine Gibson-Norris
Bradley Grining
Hagerty Consulting
Stephen Hagerty
Matthew Hochstein
Danielle Holmstrom
Jobs for the Future
JPMorgan Chase
Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation
Ewa Knapik
Lowe's Foundation
Robert Manes
Markle Foundation
Michelle Masoncup
Amelia Muccio
Jim O’Connor
Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
Gary Seeberan
Tanya Shannon
Benjamin Shay
Stacy Smith
T.L.L. Temple Foundation
Amanda Tamburro
TD Bank
Dallas Thueringer
Truist Bank, through the Truist Charitable Fund at The Winston-Salem Foundation
Lauren Turner
Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation
U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank Foundation
Walton Family Foundation
Robert S. & Susan Warwick
Wells Fargo
Isabel Whiston
Jessica Widhalm
Woodforest National Bank
Thank you to all the partners who make this work possible.”
2023 Public Sector Support
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Small Business Administration
THE RURAL LISC TEAM
Our Staff
Nadia Villagrán LISC VP and Rural LISC Director Indio, CA
Emily Avery Director, Alignment Swanton, OH
Erica Bradley Program Officer Fowler, CO
Julianne Dunn Senior Program Officer, Workforce Kansas City, KS
Sharon Dwyer Program Assistant Newark, DE
Kathy Feingold Lending Director Evanston, IL
Melaku Gebreselassie Director, Finance & Compliance Washington, D.C.
Jason Li Program Assistant Washington, D.C.
Keegan McChesney Senior Program Officer, Housing Seattle, WA
Tammie Nelson Assistant Program Officer Fowler, CO
Stephanie Ross Assistant Program Officer Peoria, IL
Dr. Moriah Shiddat Program Officer Washington, DC
Tiffany Taylor-Minor Director, Communications Richmond, VA
India Turner Assistant Program Officer Richmond, VA
Christa Vinson Senior Program Officer, Broadband Charlotte, NC
The RAC serves as the voice of various sectors in the local community.”
Rural Advisory Committee
Stephen Fitzgerald, RAC Chair Sr. Vice President, Program Director Foundation Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Lee Beaulac President Beaulac Associates, LLC
Alan Branson Chief Operating Officer Hope Credit Union-Hope Enterprise Corporation Mississippi Economic Policy Center
Laurel Brown Regional Head of Economic and Community Development, Global Infrastructure Google
Marcia Erickson Chief Executive Officer GROW South Dakota
Lydia P. Jackson CRA Business Development Officer Capital One
Stan Keasling Consultant (Retired)
Michael Levine, Esq. Executive Vice President and General Counsel Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Retired)
Brenda McDaniel Vice President Kentucky Highlands Investment Corp.
Katie Naftzger Vice President and Community Investment Officer, Community Investment and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
James Stark Executive Director Fayette County Community Action Agency (Retired)
Eileen Stenerson Senior Vice President Community Lending and Investment Wells Fargo (Retired)
Duane Yoder President Garrett County Community Action Committee, Inc.