Conferences and Events
Funding Opportunities
Information Resources
Policy News
FeaturesConferences and Events>> Rural LISC's Pennsylvania Initiative will train CDCs March 13-14 in Harrisburg, Penn. Topics include fundraising, New Markets Tax Credits, and place-based tourism. The conference is being underwritten by State Farm and Pew Charitable Trusts. For more information, contact Elise Hoben at (616) 343-5472 or at ehoben@liscnet.org. >> The 4th Annual Milwaukee Area Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDI) awards will be March 20 in Milwaukee. Introduced by Milwaukee LISC, MANDI rewards the accomplishments of the community development industry in Milwaukee. For more information, contact Leo Ries at (414) 273-1815 or at lries@liscnet.org. >> McAuley's 8th National Women & Housing Conference will be May 1-4 in Oakland, Calif. The conference celebrates women-led community development groups, as well as the McAuley Institute's 20th anniversary of supporting affordable housing and communities. It is sponsored in part by The National Network of Women in Community Development. For more information, visit the McAuley web site; for registration materials, email conference@mcauley.org. >> 2003 Rural LISC Annual Seminar will be May 19-22 in Pittsburgh (the first night) and Garrett County, Md. (the remaining nights). Fayette County Community Action Agency (Uniontown, Penn.) and Garrett County Community Action Committee (Oakland, Md.) are co-hosting the seminar, and seminar participants will tour both Fayette County and Garrett County developments. >> The Second Annual Financial Management Professionals Conference, hosted by LISC's Organizational Development Initiative and sponsored by Citibank, will be July 31- Aug. 1 in Chicago. The conference is designed for CDC financial management professionals and includes training, networking, and peer-to-peer sessions. For more information, contact Lisa Deller at (212) 455-1619 or email ldeller@liscnet.org. LISC is hosting, presenting at and/or helping to sponsor all of the events listed above. Funding Opportunities>> The Funding Exchange (FEX) is accepting applications for three grant programs: the OUT Fund for Lesbian and Gay Liberation, the Saguaro Fund, and the Grantmaking Docket. Candidates must be working for social change to eliminate oppression; feature organizing as a primary strategy; be able to demonstrate constituency involvement and leadership; and have limited access to corporate or mainstream sources of funding. The application deadline is March 1. For more information, go to the Funding Exchange web site. >> American Express is accepting applications for its Economic Independence Fund, which will award grants from $15,000 to $30,000 to about 20 nonprofit organizations that provide financial education to underserved populations, including immigrants and people moving from welfare to work. The application deadline is March 7. For more information, go to the National Endowment for Financial Education web site. >> The Enterprise Foundation is accepting applications for the Frederick P. Rose Architectural Fellowship, a program that encourages partnerships between new architects and community development organizations that are members of the Enterprise Foundation Network. The fellowship includes an annual stipend of $40,000 for three years, and Enterprise will contribute toward health insurance and payroll taxes. The application deadline is March 31. For more information, go to the Enterprise Foundation web site. >> The Zoe Life Enrichment Foundation promotes the organizational stability of faith-based and grassroots social service organizations to increase their impact in communities. The application deadlines for technical assistance or funding are April 15 and Oct. 15. For more information, go to the Zoe Foundation web site. >> The Jenesis Group supports nonprofit organizations with budgets under $500,000 that focus on youth development, education, and social entrepreneurship. Grants range from $1,000 to $100,000. The application deadline is open. For more information, go to the Jenesis Group web site. For more Funding Opportunities please see the eNewsletter Archive Information Resources>> Leveraging Colleges and Universities for Urban Economic Revitalization: An Action Agenda, a recent study by CEOs for Cities and Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, introduces a framework to evaluate universities' impact on communities. It features case studies and best practices in university partnerships, including Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond and Columbia University in New York City. To download this study, visit the CEOs for Cities web site. >> Mixed-Income Housing Developments: Promise and Reality, published by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies and Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, and written by Alistair Smith, finds that a mixed-income approach is important in getting affordable units built, ensuring high-quality housing, and decentralizing poverty, but it is not a panacea for these complex issues. To view the full report, visit the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation web site. >> Using Public Schools as Community-Development Tools: Strategies for Community-Based Developers, published by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies and Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, and written by Connie Chung, examines ways in which community developers can learn from and contribute to efforts that link public schools and neighborhoods. To view the full report, visit the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation web site. >> Rewarding Work Through the Tax Code: The Power and Potential of the Earned Income Tax Credit in 27 Cities and Rural Areas is a 2003 study by the Brookings Institution that examines the year 2000 spatial distribution of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in 27 places participating in the National Tax Assistance for Working Families Campaign. To download this study, visit the Brookings Institution web site. For more Information Resources please see the eNewsletter Archive Policy News>> Dividend exclusion proposal would hurt tax credits. The Administration's proposal to exempt shareholders from tax on corporate dividends would inadvertently jeopardize the production of low-income rental housing, as well as other community revitalization investments. The proposal would adversely affect the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, the New Markets Tax Credit, Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, and the Administration's proposal for a new homeownership tax credit. If the dividend exclusion proposal is enacted, tax credits would be worth less to corporate investors. Under the proposal, the more taxes a corporation pays, the more income shareholders can receive tax-free from the corporation. Since tax credits reduce corporate taxes, they would also reduce the ability of shareholders to receive income tax-free. That would make tax credits less valuable to corporations. For additional information, visit the LISC web site. >> Congress set FY 2003 spending levels on domestic programs for the fiscal year that began last October 1. HOME funding is increasing in FY 2003 by $125 million, to $1.9 billion. In addition, $75 million will be available through states and localities for HOME-eligible down payment and closing cost assistance to homebuyers. CDBG funding to localities and states will be roughly flat. Section 8 vouchers will be renewed, but no incremental vouchers are funded. The CDFI Fund will receive $75 million, down from $80 million. Section 4 capacity building is funded at $28.25 million through LISC and the Enterprise Foundation, plus $4.25 million through Habitat for Humanity International. Rural Housing and Economic Development grants will total $25 million. Rural Community Development Initiative will provide $6 million. >> A homeownership tax credit bill was introduced by ten members in the House, led by Reps. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), which is almost identical to last year's bill. Under H.R. 839, about $2.5 billion in tax credits would be available for investors in the development of homes sold to low- and moderate-income families in distressed low-income communities. President Bush included a similar proposal in his 2004 budget. To view the bill, visit the Library of Congress web site. >> State budget crunches threaten funding. Facing massive state budget deficits, California advocates have been successful in preserving funding for affordable housing. The state Senate and Assembly both passed mid-year budgets maintaining housing-related funding that the Governor had proposed cutting. Negotiations continue on the broader budget bill. In Virginia, the Governor has proposed the sale of the Housing Partnership Fund to the state housing finance agency. In Massachusetts and Florida, housing dollars are also threatened as leaders seek money for general funds. For more Policy News please see the eNewsletter Archive FEATURES>> The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta's Economic Development and Growth Enhancement Program (EDGE) The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta's (FHLBA) Economic Development and Growth Enhancement (EDGE) program is a vehicle through which FHLBA member banks, community development corporations (CDCs), and LISC have collaborated to finance economic development and community facilities projects. In Washington DC, Richmond, Greater Miami, and Palm Beach County, LISC has played an active role in identifying, securing and using the FHLBA program. A new dance school for inner city youth in Washington DC, the restoration of an historic landmark in downtown Richmond, and the revitalization of a key commercial corridor in West Palm Beach are examples of projects financed through this innovative program. To download On the Edge of Community Development, a new LISC publication that describes the EDGE program, visit the LISC Online Resource Library. |
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