New Communities Program – Project Support

WHAT IS THE NEW COMMUNITIES PROGRAM (NCP)?
www.newcommunities.org

Requests proposals for North Lawndale-based non-profit organizations to grow their organizational capacity and to strengthen their ability to successfully pursue their mission in service to residents of North Lawndale. 

 
The New Communities Program is a long-term initiative of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)/Chicago to support comprehensive community development in 16 Chicago neighborhoods. NCP neighborhoods span a cross-section of Chicago's South, Southwest, West and Northwest sides. Each effort is led by a neighborhood-based lead agency that coordinates programs among other local organizations and citywide support groups.

Lawndale Christian Development Corporation (LCDC) is North Lawndale’s lead agency. In 2004, LCDC led a structured community planning process that involved local residents and leaders in the creation of 10 strategies to improve the community leading to a quality-of-life plan titled, Faith Rewarded. As lead agency, LCDC forges partnerships with other nonprofit groups, businesses, government and residents to implement the quality-of-life plan by addressing issues such as affordable housing, prisoner re-entry, cultural programming, education reform, community marketing and open space.

PROJECT SUPPORT
The New Communities Program has flexible resources to support the local program and plan implementation. The funds, distributed by LISC on a competitive basis, serve as seed money to mount short- and long-term initiatives and to leverage other public and private resources. NCP grant dollars are meant to be flexible and responsive to the quality-of-life plans, the local partners and the specific project’s needs. There are no set guidelines, no deadline dates and no grant ranges.

Any organization serving North Lawndale that meets a need found in the quality-of-life plan is eligible to apply for NCP resources. We recommend that you first talk to the NCP Manager about the idea and how it furthers strategies in the plan.

APPLICATION PROCESS
While there is no formal proposal template, applicants must provide a project budget (sources/uses) and a summary of the project including a description of target population; plan for sustainability; partners; and organizational history. All grant decisions are coordinated with the local lead agency and a LISC program officer. The grant amount will depend on different factors including the project’s scope, resources needed and NCP budget considerations.

NCP does not provide general operating support for existing projects or programs. Seed grants are intended to launch or significantly expand new ideas and projects tied to the plan. Therefore, LISC may not be able to fund good local projects that are already in place in the community.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
From the time LISC makes a verbal commitment to fund a project it can take as little as 8-10 weeks to process the grant and receive a check, but this requires diligence on the part of the grantee to submit all information requested, return grant letters, and request the disbursement.

LEAD AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

Tracie Worthy, NCP Manager                                      773.762.8889 x12                     tworthy@lcdc.net

Kelly Smith, NCP Organizer                                         773.762.8889 x31                     ksmith@lcdc.net