Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Background and Purpose
Changing the Face of Housing in Minnesota (Partnership) is a collaborative effort of the Local Initiative Support Corporation, the Family Housing Fund and the Corporation for Supportive Housing. The Partnership was created in 2002 to increase the levels of participation of people of color at all levels of Minnesota’s affordable housing industry. The three collaborating agencies created the Partnership to take tangible action in addressing the problem of under-representation of people of color in the industry. The Partnership is built around five key strategies: 1) Identify model recruitment and outreach tools that will help organizations think creatively about how to attract and retain people of color; 2) Develop self-assessment tools that will help organizations identify internal barriers which prevent their success in retaining staff of color and providing services to people of color; 3) Expand the pool of qualified job applicants by creating high-level internships and educational experiences for people of color; 4) Provide multi-year seed capacity building grants and technical assistance to emerging culturally specific affordable housing organizations; and 5) Create a grassroots leadership development program. Thirty-one housing organizations throughout the Twin Cities currently have joined the Partnership and have participated in a cultural audit of their programs, services, and administrations.
Current Request
The Partnership is requesting $75,000 for second year funding to continue assisting nonprofit housing developers in making tangible changes in the diversity and inclusiveness of their organizations; training new leaders, particularly people of color, for professional positions in affordable housing and community development; developing the organizational and financial capacity of emerging developers from communities of color; and training low-income and people of color to better understand how public policies affect their lives and create opportunities for them to participate in self advocacy and the legislative process on various public policy issues.
It is recommended that the board approve a grant of $50,000 to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation to help finance the budget of Changing the Face of Housing in Minnesota.
The Archive
Looking for more grant recipients or to print a list? Visit the Partners in Philanthropy Archive.