LISC helps West Philadelphia win $6 million in Promise Neighborhood funding

Efforts to improve the outlook for low-income families in West Philadelphia got a major boost at year-end, as the Obama Administration announced announced a $6 million Promise Neighborhood award for the first year, which could expand up to $30 million over five years. The grant will fund a "cradle to career" plan to significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth living in Mantua and surrounding communities.

The City of Philadelphia and Drexel University are leading the effort, working closely with the Philadelphia School District and local nonprofits, including People's Emergency Center, Wordsworth, and LISC. The goal is for all children and youth to have access to great schools and strong systems of family and community support that prepare them for college and a career.

Since 2011, LISC has played a leadership role in West Philadelphia, convening a collaborative focused on equitable community development that would support the community's top priorities. LISC has worked closely with local organizations, residents, anchor institutions and public agencies on plans that address a wide range of needs, from affordable housing and homeownership, to commercial corridors and jobs. LISC's collaborative work with Community Development Corporations, Drexel University, and the City set the stage for a Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation grant in 2012. Shortly after, a Promise Zone designation in 2013 recognized the progress underway in West Philadelphia and gave the area a leg up in efforts to attract additional public and private funding.

Now, as part of Promise Neighborhoods, LISC will play a lead role with community engagement, capacity building, housing stability and economic development.

"Promise Neighborhoods has education as its central organizing principal, but it also recognizes that kids can't succeed in school if their families and neighborhoods are in distress," said Andy Frishkoff, executive director of Philadelphia LISC.  "In West Philly, we are going to leverage this grant to improve education and give families a better chance to escape poverty so their kids can thrive, both in school and in life."

The Promise Neighborhoods grant alone is expected to attract an estimated $76 million in philanthropic and investment capital to build up daycare and preschool programs and to enhance K-12 instruction in seven neighborhood schools. The effort also focuses on employment and housing opportunities, adult education programs, better access to health and dental care, healthy food and exercise, and community safety.

“Here in West Philadelphia, we can see what it means to put comprehensive community development to work,” said Frishkoff. “All of these programs, together, are a powerful tool for educational opportunity, economic empowerment and improving quality of life.”

The impact on quality of life is increasingly clear, he said. For instance, LISC and partners have helped hundreds of preschoolers to start their educational journey through Action for Early Learning. They have helped more than 120 families repair their homes through the Home Preservation Initiative, making it easier for them to stay and benefit from neighborhood improvements. The Mantua Greenway, conceived as part of the 2011-13 Choice Planning effort, is now in its final design phase and nears construction. A LISC Financial Opportunity Center helps residents develop employment skills, find jobs, manage debt, build credit and save for the future. 

Philadelphia was one of six cities awarded a Promise Neighborhoods grant in the 2016 round of funding—the first since 2012. The others are Berea, Ky; Indianola, Miss.; Camden, N.J., Corning, Calif., and Los Angeles.

For more on Promise Neighborhoods, administered by the Department of Education, visit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/awards.html.