Social Innovation Fund

LISC Social Innovation Fund Award

LISC is pleased to announce the launch of its Financial Opportunity Center Social Innovation Fund. The fund will be used to support an integrated service model that focuses on improving the financial situation for low-to-moderate income families by helping people boost earnings, reduce expenses, and make appropriate financial decisions that lead to asset building. The centers provide individuals and families with services across three critical and interconnected areas:

1. employment placement, job retention and skill improvement;
2. financial coaching and counseling; and
3. accessing income supports/public benefits

To learn more about the Social Innovation Fund award that LISC received, read LISC's news release; visit the Corporation for National and Community Service's Social Innovation Fund page for more information about the Fund and the other grantees.

Request for Proposals

Under the SIF, LISC is awarding competitive subgrants to local organizations to either expand their existing Financial Opportunity Center/Center for Working Families services, or to launch new Centers. LISC is seeking proposals from community-based organizations, community colleges and other 501(c)3 or educational institutions located in the following cities: Chicago, IL; Greater Cincinnati, OH (including Northern Kentucky); Metropolitan Detroit, MI; Duluth, MN; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; Providence/Woonsocket, RI; San Diego, CA; and the San Francisco Bay Area, CA (including Oakland, Richmond, San Francisco, and San Jose).

DOWNLOAD RFP:

• 2010 LISC SIF Sub-grantee RFP
• LISC SIF Appendix 3: Cover Page
• LISC SIF Appendix 4: Client Flow Chart

Webinars

For organizations interested in responding to the RFP, LISC will hold two pre-application webinars:

• The webinar for potential new Centers will be held on September 23, 2010, 2:00pm Eastern.
  [Details and Registration Information to Follow]

• The webinar for existing Centers that are seeking a subgrant to scale up or enhance their programming will be held on September 24, 2010, 2:00pm Eastern.
  [Details and Registration Information to Follow]

Webinars will be recorded and archived on this page; local LISC offices may offer additional pre-application technical assistance events in their cities, the details of which will also be posted here. LISC will also compile and periodically update a Frequently Asked Questions document.

Resources

LISC will use this web page to post background information on the Financial Opportunity Center model, and resources that may assist organizations in developing their response to the RFP.

Technical Assistance

• Local LISC Financial Opportunity Center staff and contact information
• LISC Sustainable Communities and corresponding zip codes

Publications and Web Pages

• Abt Associates Center for Working Families Quantitative Evaluation
• An Integrated Approach to Fostering Family Success: How Three Model Sites are Implementing the Center for Working Families Approach, Annie E. Casey Foundation, January 2010
• Using a Financial Coaching Approach to Help Low-Income Families Achieve Success: Challenges and Opportunities for the Field, July 2010
• LISC Family Income and Wealth Building and Financial Opportunity Center web pages