Latino Equitable Development Collective (LEDC)

Eastern North Philadelphia has been a focus area for LISC Philadelphia for 40 years. In that time, LISC and its affiliates have invested more than $115 million in equity, loans, and grants in these neighborhoods and LISC has developed lasting partnerships with community-based organizations and CDCs in the area. As a trusted convener and systems innovator, LISC is currently supporting the Latino Equitable Development Collective (LEDC) to strengthen its strategy for reducing poverty and promoting equitable recovery from the pandemic.

LEDC History: Led by Ceiba, the Latino Equitable Development Collective (LEDC) is comprised of 13 Latinx-serving and led organizations committed to a place-based, collective service delivery model for combatting poverty and increasing family stability. Leveraging years of organic collaboration throughout Philadelphia’s predominantly Latinx communities, the LEDC began formally organizing in January 2018 and created a mutual Governance Document in June 2019. During its first year, executives from the 13 strongest Latinx nonprofits in Philadelphia forged a Common Agenda, which unified the organizations to act together on equitable development issues including affordable housing, workforce development, food security and the rights of New Americans or limited English-speaking individuals.

LEDC Goals: Utilizing a comprehensive place-based approach, the Collective aims to reduce ongoing systemic inequities and ensure the safety, health, housing and financial stability of Eastern North Philadelphia residents. This is accomplished through: access to public benefits, emergency housing and other financial assistance, workforce development, and increased opportunities for economic mobility. The LEDC is committed to providing clients with comprehensive services across the following areas:

  • Tax preparation and securing Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers.
  • Job training, financial and credit education provided by financial coaches.
  • Benefits connections (food assistance, health insurance, childcare, education and more).
  • Housing stability, utilities, mortgage and rental assistance provided by housing counselors.

LEDC/LISC Partnership

Since 2021, six of the LEDC's key member organizations have been working with LISC Philadelphia: Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha (APM), Ceiba, Congreso de Latinos Unidos,HACE CDC, Norris Square Community Alliance, and Esperanza.

Strategy: LISC convenes our partners and provides technical assistance and training to help scale the collaborative's strategic approach and better meet the needs of clients and their families. In early 2022, LISC developed a web-based data platform using Airtable software to enhance interagency referrals, providing warm handoffs using a client referral interface. Over 30 service providers are now using the pilot tool to refer clients to additional supports provided within the Collective, effectively increasing the number of benefits and services received by clients who walk through any of the six LEDC doors.

Impact: With more than $3 Million invested over the past 3 years by The Promise's Poverty Action Fund, the LEDC is supporting economic growth and integrating its collective service delivery model to combat ongoing disinvestment in Eastern North Philadelphia. Annually, the LEDC has connected more than 10,000 low-income families to over 15,000+ benefits and services, helping to secure $2M+ in tax credits and $3M+ in housing, income, nutrition, healthcare, and childcare benefits.

LEDC Area Served

LEDC Area Served
LEDC Area Served