Since its founding in 2004, the New Markets Support Company has managed LISC's federal New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation—currently the largest in the country at $1.2 billion. Over the years, the affiliate has expanded and diversified its offerings to mission-driven investors, and now has a new name to reflect that growth and impact.

With its affiliate, New Markets Support Company (NMSC), LISC taps critical federal program to fuel businesses in underserved urban and rural communities.

A new loan fund, managed by LISC affiliate New Market Support Company, will provide long-term funds to CDFIs to in turn expand their lending to small businesses in underserved communities—with the goal of narrowing the racial wealth gap that plagues Black entrepreneurs.

By Lisa L. Glover, Interim LISC President & CEO

Three important new federal funding awards will help LISC build the capacity of community-based organizations, while also attracting tens of millions of dollars in private capital to small businesses and economic development projects. Taken as a whole, they illustrate the importance of connecting policy and program expertise to maximize community development resources and create more opportunities for families to thrive.

If you wanted good news in 2016, you didn’t have to go any further than LISC’s new stories page. From January, when we announced $1.3 Billion of investments in our nation’s most vulnerable communities, to November’s #LISCLeads conference in Houston, we found stories of resilience and growth from throughout the country. As you sit back with a cup of cocoa (or something stronger) this holiday season, enjoy our most popular stories from this year.