YEAR IN REVIEW: Pushing Aside Obstacles & Catalyzing Opportunities

As we look back at 2020 and forward at the challenges in mid-2021, we are particularly proud of what LISC and its amazing partners have accomplished. We have risen to a challenge we could not have predicted, pushed aside obstacles and catalyzed opportunities.

We have long been convinced that no single factor drives the opportunity gap, and no single program can fix it. It’s why LISC has long deployed a comprehensive strategy that connects people to safe, affordable housing; digital access; COVID relief and other resources made possible through partners who “get it.” They step up, they innovate, they go beyond—and this past year has shown us more than we thought was possible.

In this report, we highlight LISC partners and programs not only answering the urgent pandemic recovery needs, but those continuing, just as urgently, to pursue and support wealth building and racial justice.

Looking forward, we are rising to another ongoing challenge as a key partner with the City of Duluth in developing the new Duluth Housing Trust Fund. Additional partners will be needed to grow this fund, and build capacity to provide urgently-needed housing that is high-quality and affordable.

We feel a new energy following a year like no other. We hope you’ll continue your support, consider increasing your investment, or join us for the first time, as we rise to the challenges before us—together.

With great appreciation,

Pam Kramer, Executive Director & Geoff Popham, Local Advisory Board Chair

Achievements & Opportunities

The LISC/U.S. Bank Rapid Relief and Recovery Program, headed by local nonprofit Ecolibrium3, a mighty neighborhood connector, trusted ally and source of support for neighborhood small businesses. They were integral in keeping Lincoln Park businesses alive and addressing community needs in 2020-21.
Duluth’s Digital Inclusion Initiative of 22 organizations which raised over $1 million, distributed 6,800+ computers and provided over 1,000 hotspots since it began in May 2020.
LISC’s newly funded planning grant implementation effort, headed by the Wealth Entrepreneurship & Economic Sustainability (WEES) Group, which identified and will address Duluth’s workforce and entrepreneurship opportunity gap and build wealth for future generations; and
Desperately needed housing coming to fruition through partnerships and LISC pre-development financing. One Roof Community Housing’s Decker Dwellings and Center City Housing’s Birchwood Apartments will soon be opening 72 new doors of quality, affordable housing for individuals and families.

By the Numbers:

Spotlight on: 24 years working in Duluth

LISC Duluth celebrated its 24th year working in Duluth helping improve access to safe, affordable housing, quality education, job training, financial coaching, digital connectivity, healthy food and much more. During that time, we locally raised and invested $14.89 million and worked with federal and national programs for an overall investment of $106.38 million into our local community.

$14.89 MM local investment

$38.55 MM National Equity Fund

$32.64 MM New Market Tax Credits

$20.3 MM National LISC & LISC Affiliate Investments

$106.38 MM total

"We'd love to solve poverty and housing challenges and all the things not working well. If we could solve that, then we wouldn't have a job anymore, and that would be wonderful. But the reality is..."

Read Feature Story

Case Study: Seeding ‘homegrown’ revitalization through catalytic investments and nurturing local capacity

For 20 years, LISC Duluth has supported neighborhood revitalization efforts in Lincoln Park, including entrepreneurship, affordable housing, and healthy food access initiatives.

A catalytic investment in 2009 sparked a remarkable revitalization to a sleepy, disinvested part of town. Accelerated development in recent years can be seen as the results of multiple partners working together to bring economic activity and jobs and traced to a number of parallel efforts by multiple organizations and businesses in which Duluth LISC has played a catalytic role.

Read Case Study

Investing in System Changes

LISC Duluth helped form a new initiative, Wealth, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Sustainability (WEES). The group is working toward system changes and inspiring collaboration between existing and new organizations to build wealth and promote economic mobility among BIPOC community members.

Entrepreneur Janessa Lott, owner of Charmed One Jewelry

Reaching Entrepreneurs through Microgrants

Incubating businesses became even more challenging during the pandemic.

Family Rise Together is a community consultant involved in WEES and helped emerging entrepreneurs take control of their financial future and open a business.

Meet Janessa

Resolving Inequities Paramount for Digital Inclusion

The pandemic brought many new challenges to our way of life -- changing the way we work, interact with others and learn. Annually, LISC Duluth highlights partners and programs helping to address inequities and move families and neighborhoods forward.

"This is truly an equity and justice issue that is facing our community and many communities throughout Minnesota and the nation. What we do in response to the need for increased digital connectivity, navigation training, and ongoing access will have an impact on the future of our current students, our workforce, families, neighborhood, and the future of our City and region. Digital access is a health, wealth, and equity issue, and one that requires a strong community-driven and inclusive process to address.” Pam Kramer, LISC Duluth Executive Director in D uluth Digital Inclusion Initiative Meets Trifecta of Digital Equity Needs: Devices, Skills and Affordable, Accessible Broadband

View Video

Read Interview with Pam Kramer

Congratulations to our 2021 Partner Awards

Building Healthy Communities Award

One Roof Community Housing is being recognized for keeping their mission at the forefront during the turbulent year:

Administered COVID-19 housing assistance program, distributing $800,000 in rent, utility and mortgage payment assistance
Expanded focus on homelessness, developing a new model with 10 organizations
Launched a BIPOC credit builder program
Overseeing the development of two new affordable workforce housing apartments: Decker Dwelling (42 units) and Brewery Creek (52 units) More [+]

Pictured: Jeff Corey, Executive Director of One Roof Community Housing

Pandemic Partner Award

Eco3 rose to the challenge helping LISC by being LISC's grant recipient and key neighborhood convener helping administer the US Bank/LISC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Program. This program provided small businesses with over $50,000 in grants and technical assistance in the midst of the pandemic.

As a trusted ally for neighborhood businesses, Eco3 developed a blueprint for the Lincoln Park neighborhood's recovery--supporting businesses, residents and entrepreneurs and strengthening the neighborhood and entire community. We recognize them for their exemplary neighborhood recovery and resilience work. More [+]

Pictured: Shannon Laing, Main Street Program Director for Eco3

2020 - 2021 Funders & Donors

A&A Enterprises
Anthony Bonds
Apter Family Fund
Bell Bank
Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica
Bethany Owen
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation
Brianna Waldoch
Bush Foundation
Cammy Hansen
Carin Skoog
Carolyn Sundquist
Center City Housing
Charlie Stauduhar
City of Duluth
Daniel Maddy
Deb Otto
Debbie Freedman & Peter Woodrich
DSGW
Duluth News Tribune
Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation
Elena Foshay
Emily Nygren
Erica Danielski
Essentia Health
Frank Jewell and Kathleen Busche
Gary Eckenberg
Hanft Fride, A Professional Association
Helena Jackson
ICS Consulting
Jean Farmakes
Jessica Deegan
Joe Johnson III
John Erickson
John Nygren

Johnson-Wilson Constructors
Katherine Welch
Kenneth Talle
Kraus-Anderson Construction Company
Lars Kuehnow
Laura Thorsvik
LHB, Inc.
Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation
Lonnie & Pam Swartz
Mark Danielson
Maurices
Melanie Shepard & Alan Netland
Members Cooperative Credit Union
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
National Bank of Commerce
Neal Ronquist
North Shore Bank of Commerce
Northland Foundation
The Ordean Foundation
Otto Bremer Trust
Pamela Kramer
Partnership for a Connected MN
Rick Ball
Sandy and Geoff Popham
Shane Johnson
St. Louis County
St. Luke's
State of Minnesota
Stephanie Cummings
The McKnight Foundation
Tina & Jennifer Robbins
Tony Cuneo
U.S. Bank
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Wells Fargo Foundation
Western Bank

Local Advisory Board Members

Geoffrey Popham, Chair, U.S. Bank
Stephanie Cummings, Vice Chair, Wells Fargo
Michael Boeselager, St. Luke’s
Anthony Bonds, ISD 709/Duluth Public Schools
Erica Danielski, maurices
Jessica Deegan, Minnesota Housing
John Erickson, DSGW Architects, Inc.
Jean Farmakes, LHB, Inc.
Elena Foshay, City of Duluth
Cammy Hansen, National Bank of Commerce
Frank Jewell, St. Louis County
Joe Johnson III, North Shore Bank
Shane Johnson, Johnson Wilson Constructors
Deb Otto, Bremer Bank
Neal Ronquist, Duluth News Tribune
Laura Thorsvik, Essentia Health

LISC Duluth Staff and Support

Pam Kramer, Executive Director
Lars Kuehnow, Program Officer
Emily Nygren, Assistant Program Officer - through April 2021
Emily Mowchan Drevlow, Assistant Program Officer -beginning August 2021
Tina Robbins, Program Assistant

Linda Mathiasen, Marketing and PR Consultant
Shari Marshik, Marketing & Communications Committee volunteer
Laurie O'Neill, Marketing & Communications Committee volunteer

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