LIFT Selected by Citi Foundation’s Community Progress Makers Fund Grant Program to Accelerate Economic Opportunity
Washington, D.C.-based Community Progress Maker Joins Leading Nonprofit Organizations Across the United States to Address Urban Challenges Ranging from Affordable Housing to Environmental Sustainability and Infrastructure
Washington, DC – MAY 20, 2016 – LIFT announced today that it has been selected as a recipient of the Community Progress Makers Fund, a $20 million grant initiative to support 40 visionary nonprofit organizations in their efforts to establish new approaches to long-standing urban economic challenges in the United States – including economic development, environment sustainability, urban infrastructure, and affordable housing.
As part of the program, LIFT will receive a core operating support grant of $500,000 over the course of two years to continue its work in the community to help low-income families break the cycle of poverty. This new injection of funds will help bolster existing programming while also supporting the design, implementation and evaluation of a series of program pilots. The aim of these pilots is to help parents of young children achieve near-term economic security while building towards longer-term economic mobility. In addition to the grant, LIFT will also have access to technical assistance from leading national researchers and experts and will be provided opportunities to connect with other grantees to share and learn best practices.
“We are grateful to the Citi Foundation for selecting us as one of their Community Progress Makers,” said LIFT President Maria Peña. “This investment will be transformational to the organization – and more importantly – to the families we serve, providing us with the ability to test cutting-edge programming to truly make a more measurable difference in the lives of our parents, caregivers and their children.”
“The Citi Foundation feels privileged to support organizations that have demonstrated such strong commitments to their local communities and a willingness to share their experiences with others for the betterment of their neighborhoods,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation. “These organizations have a track record of implementing solutions that work for their communities because they know the people there, understand what resources to tap and, most importantly, feel deeply invested in the places where they live and work. We believe that’s the key to leading urban transformation efforts in LIFT’s four regions – Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, DC – as well as elsewhere across the country.”
The Community Progress Makers Fund builds upon the Citi Foundation’s commitment to identify and support innovative solutions and organizations that are helping build stronger, more resilient cities that are engines of economic opportunity for all. The flexibility of core operating support will allow organizations and their visionary leaders to deploy solutions that address a range of issues.
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About LIFT
LIFT is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping families break the cycle of poverty. By fostering relationships between low-income parents (members) and dedicated volunteers (advocates), we help families build the strong personal, social and financial foundations to secure immediate, critical needs and to achieve long-term goals and aspirations. LIFT connects with families through four sites located in communities with some of the highest rates of concentrated poverty: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC. Because this work cannot be done alone, LIFT focuses on building strong community collaborations with a wide range of local, regional and national partners to help ensure families receive the resources and support they need. To learn more, visit www.liftcommunities.org.
About the Citi Foundation
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.