Partner Spotlight: Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

In April Peloton announced the first pilot portfolio of global community partnerships as part of our four-year, $100M investment to fight against racial injustice and inequity, and the promotion of health and well-being for all. We also specifically committed $20M to community investments and nonprofit partnerships fighting racial injustice. In the U.S., we launched partnerships with GirlTrek, The Steve Fund, The Center for Antiracist Research and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). We are also working with Sporting Equals in the United Kingdom, TAIBU Community Health Centre in Canada, and International Psychosocial Organisation (Ipso) in Germany.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be asking our partners to tell us a little bit more about themselves. Today, we are taking a deep dive into the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, or LISC. We sat down with Lisa Glover, President and CEO to learn more about the organization's mission.

We're really excited to partner with you! For our community who may not be familiar with your mission, would you share a little bit about your work?

(Lisa Glover) LISC’s mission is to work with residents and partners to help create resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity – great places to live, work, do business and raise families. We have been at this for more than 40 years, investing in urban communities and rural areas and everything in between, all across America.

That's a big ask. How would you describe your role in helping bring that mission to life?

(LG) I guide an organization that has experienced tremendous growth and expansion in recent years—last year, we were able to invest more than $2 billion in the communities we work with. Every investment LISC makes addresses the social determinants of health – whether we’re financing affordable housing, helping a small business grow, supporting a financial coaching or food access program, or working with communities on safety and justice reform. The pandemic showed the world how all of those things together have a profound impact on wellness. A big part of my role is supporting our team to forge partnerships with government, corporate, and community leaders to bring resources to communities to get the work done.

What are some of your most recent programs or partnerships that you’re particularly proud of?

(LG) At the end of last year, LISC launched its most ambitious effort to close racial gaps in health, wealth and opportunity. We call it Project 10X, in recognition of the fact that the average White family’s net worth was at least 10 times that of the average Black family, and that there are gaps of 10 years or more in life expectancy between Black and White people in many American cities. That is unacceptable. We need “10X thinking” – vision, determination and resources – to achieve health and prosperity for everyone. We’re grateful that so many partners share our sense of urgency and have joined us to advance this work – including Peloton.

Looking at your work, what drew you to partnering with Peloton?

(LG) We’re teaming up with Peloton to create new opportunities for fitness and overall wellness in communities of color LISC works with. Our first project together is with a long-time LISC partner, Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco) in New York City. WHEDco is outfitting a new fitness center in its Bronx Commons development for people living in the 305 affordable apartments on site. But that’s just the start – WHEDco is also planning to serve the broader community by looking at how physical activity and mental wellness programming and supports can be integrated at the site’s rooftop farm, the Bronx Music Hall and other nearby community spaces. It’s an exciting project with an extraordinary community development organization.

What is the role of community in your work?

(LG) It takes residents and local partners on the ground to make any real, lasting change in a community. Everything LISC does involves working alongside community groups to help them get the kinds of resources they need – capital, technical assistance, supportive policies – to be as effective as they can be. We do this to help close the health, wealth and opportunity gaps that have arisen from our country’s history of structural inequity. That is imperative for nurturing the kinds of communities everyone deserves. And as we all know well, fitness and physical and mental health are integral parts of community wellbeing—which makes this partnership so exciting for us!