Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI) and Local Initiatives Support Corporation are seeking a full-time AmeriCorps member to serve as an Entrepreneurship Community Assessment Coordinator. The candidate will ideally begin service on October 1, 2018 and serve a minimum of 1700 hours though the end of his/her term on July 31, 2019. The exact start and end date is confirmed by the Member Agreement of Participation. The individual selected to serve is not considered to be an employee of ECDI or LISC.
ORGANZIATION BACKGROUNDS
The Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit economic development organization with a mission is to invest in people to create measurable and enduring social and economic change, and is dedicated to delivering responsible, affordable lending and wraparound small business development services to help low-income, low-wealth, and other disadvantaged people and communities join the economic mainstream. ECDI fulfills its mission by addressing the needs of and supporting entrepreneurs to create and expand their own small businesses.
ECDI is the third largest US Small Business Administration (SBA) intermediary micro lender in the nation, serving all of Ohio; and a U.S. Treasury designated Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). With a service footprint in all 88 counties of Ohio, ECDI is headquartered in Columbus, with offices in Cleveland, Akron, and Cincinnati, and a field office in Toledo.
ECDI is committed to assisting disenfranchised and underserved communities throughout the state. ECDI’s target market includes unbanked and underbanked populations, including low-to-moderate income individuals, minority and immigrant populations, women, those with little or no credit, and those unable to receive a loan from a traditional financial institution.
Since inception in 2004, ECDI has assisted over 13,000 individuals, and the organization has provided small business owners with over $44 million in startup or expansion capital through over 2,000 loans, and has created or retained over 7,800 jobs in the state of Ohio. ECDI has provided over $20 million in loans to low-to-moderate income clients, over $22 million to minority-owned businesses, and nearly $18 million to women-owned businesses. Each business and job created benefits the individual as well as the local economy, and provides long-term economic and social benefits for Ohio.
With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America – great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. Over the last 38 years, LISC and its affiliates have invested approximately $20 billion in businesses, affordable housing, health, educational mobility, community and recreational facilities, public safety, employment and other projects that help to revitalize and stabilize underinvested communities. These investments have leveraged more than $50 billion in development activity and helped families and communities raise their standards of living. LISC investments impact the lives of nearly 7 million Americans. Headquartered in New York City, LISC’s reach spans the country from East coast to West coast in 31 markets with offices extending from Buffalo to San Francisco. Our rural programs make an impact in 44 states, and are supported by LISC’s talented and dedicated workforce. Visit us at www.lisc.org
AMERICORPS MEMBER ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Entrepreneurship Community Assessment Coordinator will focus on understanding the needs of underbanked, underserved and disadvantaged individuals seeking to become entrepreneurs at the community level. They will coordinate a community assessment to understand what the community is lacking as it relates to entrepreneurial training, coaching and services. The member will connect potential entrepreneurs to resources. To accurately understand the needs they will research the history of the community, identify current assets and resources and help to identify goals. Finally, they will help to write a community assessment document that highlights the needs of individuals seeking to become entrepreneurs. They will also provide education and coaching in a workshop setting around financial literacy to assist members of the LMI community to prepare for entrepreneurship.
PERFORMANCE, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND SERVICE REQUIREMENTS
This is an AmeriCorps position. LISC and ECDI will not allow the member to engage in activities that are considered prohibited under the terms of the grant while serving as a LISC AmeriCorps member.
Members will be provided with goal(s) at the onset of the service assignment based on the activities and responsibilities noted above. Members will track goal attainment monthly through an on-line system (training provided). Members will also discuss professional performance in the form of a mid-term and final appraisal. Members are required to track time and submit on-line (training provided) timesheets twice per month.
Members will perform day to day service at ECDI located within the Toledo Port Authority and serve a minimum of 40-42 hours per week. Normal service hours are Monday – Friday from 8:30 am – 5:30 pm with 30 minutes for lunch per day. There will be opportunities to serve evenings and weekends.
Members will have an immediate supervisor and a local LISC supervisor throughout the term of service as identified by LISC and ECDI.
Members are expected to attend and participate in all LISC AmeriCorps sponsored activities including but not limited to:
DESIRED SKILLS
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible to participate as a LISC AmeriCorps member the candidate must meet all eligibility requirements to serve as a National Service participant including but not limited to:
NATIONAL SERVICE CRIMINAL HISTORY SEARCH REQUIREMENT
If a candidate has a criminal record, it does not necessarily make a candidate ineligible for service. Only candidates who are subject to registry on the National Sex Offender Public Website or have been convicted of murder may not participate as an AmeriCorps member. Only candidates being offered and then accepting the position must consent to a search of the National Sex Offender Public Website, a State Level Criminal History Search and an FBI search. Consent is provided via the LISC AmeriCorps application. Candidates must be cleared by CNCS prior to the first day of service.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Upon successful completion of the term of service, the member will be eligible for a $5,920 education award to pay off existing, eligible student loans or return to school. Members are eligible to place existing student loans (loans must qualify and not in a state of default) into AmeriCorps forbearance. The position pays a total stipend of $17,000. The stipend is taxable and paid in 20 equal checks twice a month from LISC. Direct deposit is required. A health care benefit is available for the participant only (dependents are not eligible). For members with children under the age of 13, there is a child care subsidy benefit available which is dependent on the participant meeting all eligibility requirements (This benefit is administered by a contracted provider via the Corporation for National and Community Service).
Additional benefits for alums can be found here: https://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/employers-national-service/alumni and information on Public Service Loan Forgiveness can be found here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please submit cover letter and resume to Danielle Sydnor at dsydnor@ecdi.org.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion in the selection process.
This program is available to all, and we treat all persons without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.