Sustainable Communities Intern, Local Initiatives Support Coalition

Posted by on April 22, 2013

[emailed 4/11/13]

Sustainable Communities Intern (Paid)

Local Initiatives Support Corporation is seeking an intern to assist with administrative duties related to the implementation of its comprehensive community development programs.

Background

Established in 1980, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is the largest community development intermediary in the United States, channeling loans, grants, and technical assistance to more than 2,200 community development corporations, or CDCs, nationwide. By supporting and strengthening these non-profit, resident-led local organizations, LISC helps renew the communities where lower income people live, work, and raise families.

In Philadelphia, LISC has worked with resident-led, nonprofit community development corporations (CDCs) over the past 29 years to help reverse the effects of decades of disinvestment in distressed communities citywide.  Philadelphia LISC’s services to CDCs include loan-financing, grants, technical assistance, and support on policy issues. Since its inception, Philadelphia LISC has raised $9.6 million in local funding. By combining these resources with national funds, LISC has been able to make over $44 million in community development loans and grants to CDCs in Philadelphia.  The result has been 6,538 new housing units for lower income families and 1.37 million square feet of new commercial space and community facilities. Philadelphia LISC’s investments have leveraged $670 million in total development costs.

Sustainable Communities

For decades, Philadelphia LISC has helped build quality affordable housing, exciting new commercial enterprises, attractive community centers, and innovative charter schools. LISC has also helped dozens of CDCs sharpen their skills and deliver better results for the residents they serve. In 2007, however, Philadelphia LISC introduced a new perspective on enhancing communities: the Sustainable Communities Initiative. SCI emphasizes improving whole communities by making them healthier, more competitive, and better connected with the economic mainstream. It builds on previous successful work, but takes it further.

SCI puts a premium on thinking comprehensively: not simply building affordable housing, but also improving transit to get to work from that housing; providing financial training so people can keep their homes; connecting them with jobs and job skills so they can improve their economic circumstances; and improving public safety so can people feel protected in their homes. SCI is built on the collective implementation by a variety of partners, of comprehensive community plans that are heavily informed by the voices of residents and neighborhood leadership.

Philadelphia LISC is currently implementing this strategy in communities in Eastern North Philadelphia and West Philadelphia.

Job Description

The Intern will report to Philadelphia LISC’s two Program Officers responsible for the implementation of Sustainable Communities Initiatives in West and Eastern North Philadelphia. The intern will assist with a variety of administrative duties related to the program, including crafting and distributing email communications, scheduling meetings, and assembling language for proposals, reports and other relevant written materials The intern may also be called upon to perform other administrative duties as required. The Sustainable Communities Intern will have an opportunity to make substantive contributions to Philadelphia LISC’s operations while learning about the administration of this innovative, nationally-recognized community development program.  We are seeking an intern for 20-40 hours per week during standard workday hours.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate would be a graduate student, recent college graduate, or college senior with relevant academic experience looking for an internship in a dynamic program. The following skills are critical to the position:

• Exceptional writing and verbal communication skills.
• Strong computer skills including competency in full Microsoft Office suite.
• Capacity to simultaneously work on multiple tasks and projects and to set priorities necessary to managing a multifaceted workload.
• Experience in preparing communication materials a plus.
• Ability to work independently.
• Positivity and a solution-oriented mindset.

Given the key role that writing and communication will play in the Intern’s work, we request that candidates submit two writing samples. Samples may include academic writing, grant proposals, newsletters, press releases, or other similar materials.

Compensation

$11/hr

Learning Experience. The Intern will have the opportunity for a meaningful learning experience at one of the nation’s largest non-profit organizations.

Permanent Job Opportunities. National LISC, the 37 LISC field offices, and its network of community based development organizations offer exposure to a vast pool of job opportunities nationwide that include communications, public policy, real estate development, accounting, IT, community organizing, and administrative positions. The Sustainable Communities Intern will have occasion to develop contacts in each of these areas that will complement an academic education and make him/her a strong candidate for employment.

Please send cover letter, resume, and 1 writing sample via mail or email to:

Sarah Sturtevant
[email protected]

Local Initiatives Support Corporation
718 Arch Street, Suite 500 South
Philadelphia, PA 19106

LISC IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER