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LISC in Nonprofit Quarterly: 40 Years of Innovation and Impact

In a wide-ranging conversation with Nonprofit Quarterly, LISC COO Annie Donovan delves into LISC’s 40 years of connecting capital to disinvested places, and people to opportunity. From spearheading a “comprehensive” approach in community development, to elevating health and racial equity in its investments, to forging a $500M affordable housing fund for the Bay Area, LISC continually refines and augments its work. 

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And yet, despite production success, affordable housing, absent other forms of community economic development, has failed to keep pace with accelerating demand. . . Donovan observes that you can’t simply rely on “market-based solutions when markets are part of the problem.” 

The commitment to truly upend inequalities demands intentional action, says Donovan, which has led LISC to take on “more capacity building, more support for advocacy. That is how you create systems change.”

The excerpt below was originally published:
LISC at 40: Coming to Terms with the Limits of Markets
Steve Dubb, Nonprofit Quarterly

3.04.2020 - In the News

Within the field of community development, LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) is a very large intermediary. With offices in 35 urban centers and a rural operation that spans 45 states and 2,200 communities, “LISC is in more places than any other community development organization,” touts its website.

Founded by the Ford Foundation in 1979, LISC estimates that it has invested $20 billion in four decades, including $1.5 billion in 2018. LISC once focused nearly exclusively on affordable housing; it estimates it helped finance 400,500 units of housing in its first 40 years. Today, its focus is much broader, but it is still a major affordable housing supporter, financing an estimated 20,085 units in 2018.

As Mike Kingsella, who directs the nonprofit Up for Growth, explains, LISC forms part of a network of organizations that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including Enterprise Community Partners, the National Housing Trust, NeighborWorks America, and the Housing Partnership Network, that “led the effort to direct capital markets toward community-oriented investments, including affordable housing.”

Kingsella observes that these groups were responsible for “an increased flow of private capital and public funding into disinvested communities, the creation of public-private partnerships to build housing (rather than direct public investment into public housing), and efforts to combat the long-standing impacts of redlining and racial segregation.” 

U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 2020

BEA News: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 2020 The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has issued the following news release today: The U.S. monthly international trade deficit decreased in January 2020 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit decreased from $48.6 billion in December (revised) to $45.3 billion in January, as imports decreased more than exports. The previously published December deficit was $48.9 billion. The goods deficit decreased $2.6 billion in January to $67.0 billion. The services surplus increased $0.6 billion in January to $21.7 billion. The full text of the release on BEA's website can be found at: www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services  EMBARGOED UNTIL RELEASE AT 8:30 A.M. EST, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2020 CB 20-34  BEA 20—09 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 2020 The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $45.3 billion in January, down $3.3 billion from $48.6 billion in December, revised. U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit Deficit: $45.3 Billion -6.7%° Exports: $208.6 Billion -0.4%° Imports: $253.9 Billion -1.6%° Next release: April 2, 2020 (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, March 6, 2020 Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1) January exports were $208.6 billion, $0.9 billion less than December exports. January imports were $253.9 billion, $4.2 billion less than December imports. The January decrease in the goods and services deficit reflected a decrease in the goods deficit of $2.6 billion to $67.0 billion and an increase in the services surplus of $0.6 billion to $21.7 billion. Year-over-year, the goods and services deficit decreased $8.5 billion, or 15.8 percent, from January 2019. Exports increased $2.3 billion or 1.1 percent. Imports decreased $6.2 billion or 2.4 percent. Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2) The average goods and services deficit decreased $0.7 billion to $45.9 billion for the three months ending in January. Average exports increased $0.7 billion to $208.6 billion in January. Average imports decreased less than $0.1 billion to $254.5 billion in January. Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit decreased $10.2 billion from the three months ending in January 2019. Average exports increased $1.9 billion from January 2019. Average imports decreased $8.2 billion from January 2019. Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7) Exports of goods decreased $1.4 billion to $136.4 billion in January.   Exports of goods on a Census basis decreased $1.4 billion. Capital goods decreased $1.0 billion. Civilian aircraft decreased $1.7 billion. Industrial supplies and materials decreased $1.0 billion.. Crude oil decreased $0.8 billion. Fuel oil decreased $0.6 billion. Other goods decreased $0.9 billion. Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $0.9 billion.   Net balance of payments adjustments decreased less than $0.1 billion. Exports of services increased $0.5 billion to $72.2 billion in January. Other business services increased $0.1 billion. Financial services increased $0.1 billion. Maintenance and repair services increased $0.1 billion. Transport increased $0.1 billion. Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8) Imports of goods decreased $4.1 billion to $203.4 billion in January.   Imports of goods on a Census basis decreased $4.0 billion. Industrial supplies and materials decreased $2.4 billion. Nonmonetary gold decreased $1.3 billion. Other petroleum products decreased $0.6 billion. Other goods decreased $1.4 billion.   Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.1 billion. Imports of services decreased $0.1 billion to $50.5 billion in January. Transport decreased $0.2 billion. Real Goods in 2012 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11) The real goods deficit decreased $2.3 billion to $77.7 billion in January. Real exports of goods decreased $2.7 billion to $146.9 billion. Real imports of goods decreased $5.1 billion to $224.6 billion. Revisions Exports and imports of goods and services were revised for July through December 2019 to incorporate more comprehensive and updated quarterly and monthly data. In addition to these revisions, seasonally adjusted data for all months in 2019 were revised so that the totals of the seasonally adjusted months equal the annual totals. Revisions to December exports Exports of goods were revised up less than $0.1 billion. Exports of services were revised down $0.2 billion. Revisions to December imports Imports of goods were revised down less than $0.1 billion. Imports of services were revised down $0.4 billion. Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19) The January figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with South and Central America ($5.8), Hong Kong ($1.8), Brazil ($1.7), United Kingdom ($1.6), and OPEC ($1.3). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($23.7), European Union ($13.5), Mexico ($9.2), Germany ($5.6), Japan ($5.3), Italy ($2.6), Taiwan ($1.8), India ($1.7), Canada ($0.7), France ($0.7), South Korea ($0.6), Singapore ($0.1), and Saudi Arabia (less than $0.1). The deficit with Canada decreased $3.7 billion to $0.7 billion in January. Exports increased $0.7 billion to $24.6 billion and imports decreased $2.9 billion to $25.3 billion. The deficit with China decreased $2.1 billion to $23.7 billion in January. Exports increased $0.2 billion to $7.7 billion and imports decreased $1.8 billion to $31.4 billion. The deficit with Japan increased $0.9 billion to $5.3 billion in January. Exports decreased $1.1 billion to $5.7 billion and imports decreased $0.2 billion to $10.9 billion. Goods and Services by Selected Countries and Areas: Quarterly – Balance of Payments Basis (exhibit 20) Statistics on trade in goods and services by country and area are only available quarterly, with a one-month lag. With this release, fourth-quarter figures are now available. The fourth-quarter figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with South and Central America ($20.5), Brazil ($8.7), OPEC ($7.8), Hong Kong ($6.4), United Kingdom ($5.5), Singapore ($4.8), and Saudi Arabia ($3.6). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($69.4), European Union ($26.9), Mexico ($25.5), Germany ($14.8), Japan ($11.3), Italy ($9.0), India ($6.7), Taiwan ($5.0), Canada ($3.9), France ($2.9), and South Korea ($1.6). The deficit with the European Union decreased $8.1 billion to $26.9 billion in the fourth quarter. Exports increased $1.9 billion to $152.7 billion and imports decreased $6.2 billion to $179.6 billion. The deficit with China decreased $7.9 billion to $69.4 billion in the fourth quarter. Exports decreased $4.1 billion to $38.0 billion and imports decreased $12.0 billion to $107.5 billion. The deficit with Canada increased $1.9 billion to $3.9 billion in the fourth quarter. Exports decreased $1.6 billion to $88.2 billion and imports increased $0.3 billion to $92.1 billion.

NEVER FORGET

7. Tweet du jour

Yesterday was the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Ala.. In 1965, state troopers attacked civil-rights marchers who were crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in support of voting rights for African Americans. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who turned 80 last month, tweets:

'Super Newsy" or Not???? See a Clip if U want [Nah. I'll pass on that. Thx anyway LOL]

3.  Tonight: "Axios on HBO" in Oshkosh

Photo: Axios on HBO Tonight on "Axios on HBO" (6 p.m. ET/PT) ... Super newsy episode: Jim VandeHei returns to a bar of his youth to mix it up with Don Jr. before a hopped-up audience of Trump supporters in Oshkosh, Wisc. — a swing town in 2020's marquee battleground. Jim grills Don about Russia, the GOP and elite media. The son reveals that his dad told him to cool it on Twitter. Don replied: "I learned it by watching you!" See a clip.

The Economy of Mexico

BLOGGER NOTE:
Some of this is OK, but there's a certain slant that really bugs me. . .

9,208 views

•Mar 8, 2020

But the thing is it still has critics, and some of that criticism isn’t entirely unfair things like crime are an issue, and as strong as Mexico’s legitimate economy and export market is we still all know deep down the other export market that Mexico is home to.

Despite its many many critics though the nation has some surprisingly strong economic characteristics. A great export market, a thriving manufacturing industry, natural resources, a young and productive workforce and even things like geography are on their side.

Banana Pi M2 Zero: Low-Cost, Quad Core SBC

$20.99 

15,350 views

•Mar 8, 2020

Banana Pi M2 Zero review, including comparisons with the Raspberry Pi Zero W and Raspberry Pi 3A+, demos in Armbian and Raspbian, and Sysbench test of all three boards. You can learn more about the Banana Pi M2 Zero on its wiki here: http://wiki.banana-pi.org/Banana_Pi_B... I found the cheapest places to purchase the board were AliExpress -- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32862... -- from where I bought my own M2 Zero -- and Reichelt: https://www.reichelt.com/gb/de/banana... Just because people may ask, I found my best prices for the Raspberry Pi Zero W and Raspberry PI 3A+ from Just because people may ask, I found my best prices for the Raspberry Pi Zero W and Raspberry PI 3A+ from https://www.adafruit.com/ , https://thepihut.com/ and https://shop.pimoroni.com/ I have no association with any of the aforementioned suppliers, and these are not affiliate links. More videos on SBCs, computing and related topics can be found at: More videos on SBCs, computing and related topics can be found at:http://www.youtube.com/explainingcomp... You may also like my ExplainingTheFuture channel at: http://www.youtube.com/explainingthef... #BananaPi #BananaPiM2Zero #ExplainingComputersCategorScience & Technology