1979
New York
New York
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) was founded in 1979 as a nonprofit community development intermediary organization based in New York City. The organization was a result of Ford Foundation’s refocused effort on urban issues in the mid-70s to respond to the economic and social challenges facing low-income communities across the United States. LISC’s founders recognized the need for a new approach to community development involving partnerships between residents, community organizations, and public and private sector institutions. LISC has become one America’s largest social enterprises with nearly $30 billion invested to date.