Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative
Living Cities Inc The National Community is a Form 990 (a public charity) based in Washington, DC. Living Cities describes itself as a collaborative of philanthropic foundations and financial institutions working with local governments and communities to close income and wealth gaps in U.S. cities. Its work focuses on advancing inclusive capital and economic opportunity through pathways such as business and homeownership, impact investments, and narrative change.
Key facts about Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative
In short: Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative gave $10.5M across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $586K), mostly in California. 83% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 26-0003950
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $10,545,209
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- Average grant
- $585,845
- Median grant
- $100,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 83% first-time grantees (15 of 18, 2025)
- Total assets
- $21,379,033
- Primary geography
- California (76% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$21.4M
-47.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.5M
+474.5% YoY
Grant Count
18
+157.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$586K
+123.4% YoY
Is Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative open to new grantees?
83%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 18 grantees (83%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $630K; repeat grants $367K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $100K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
Living Cities states its mission is “to close the racial wealth gap using the collective power of philanthropy, financial institutions and local governments.” Its focus areas include business ownership, homeownership and city engagement, impact investments, and narrative change. Its website describes work to shift capital flows, address barriers to financial inclusion, and change policies and practices affecting access to capital.
The 2025 grants illustrate support for a range of activities and recipients. For example, the Homeownership Council of America, which received $52,500, says its mission is to build equitable access to homeownership for underserved communities. The National Housing Conference, which received $10,000, says it works for equal opportunity to live in quality, affordable homes and advances policy, research, and communications. Independent Sector, also awarded $10,000, says it unites nonprofits and philanthropy to strengthen the charitable sector. Social Impact Fund, awarded $2 million, says it works with culture-makers and others to accelerate social impact.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Living Cities reported 18 grants totaling $10,545,209. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $6 million, with a median of $100,000. The largest grants included $6 million to FUSE Corp for the Capital for Wellbeing Campaign, $2 million to Social Impact Fund for the Racial Narrative Change Campaign, $950,000 to Activest LLC for fiscal sponsorship pass-through grants, and $625,000 to Brookings for the Capital for Wellbeing Campaign.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Living Cities describes its work as focused on U.S. cities. In its 2025 grantmaking, 76% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 16% to recipients in Washington, DC; the reported shares also included Tennessee (2%), Texas (2%), and Georgia (1%). The listed grants also include recipients in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2020) to $10.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $10.5M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fuse Corp ($6.0M). Together the top 10 received $10.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
49 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 13 grants of 49 (27%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fuse Corp San Francisco, CA | Capital for Wellbeing Campaign | $6,000,000 |
| Social Impact Fund Los Angeles, CA | Racial Narrative Change Campaign | $2,000,000 |
| Activest LLC Washington, DC | Fiscal Sponsorship Pass-Thru Grants | $950,000 |
| Brookings Washington, DC | Capital for Wellbeing Campaign | $625,000 |
| Montopolis Austin, TX | Homeownership Program Award | $200,000 |
| City of Atlanta Atlanta, GA | Grant to Implement Business Development Workplan | $100,000 |
| City of Charlotte Economic Development Department Charlotte, NC | Grant to Implement Business Development Workplan | $100,000 |
| City of Memphis Memphis, TN | Grant to Implement Business Development Workplan | $100,000 |
| City of Miami Department of Human Services Miami, FL | Grant to Implement Business Development Workplan | $100,000 |
| Nashville Office of DEI Nashville, TN | Grant to Implement Business Development Workplan | $100,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $21,379,033 | $4,268,425 | $22,573,794 | $10,545,209 | 18 |
| 2024 | $40,975,731 | $4,793,031 | $13,800,867 | $1,835,451 | 7 |
| 2023 | $53,225,172 | $19,367,633 | $16,297,908 | $4,117,682 | 8 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $21,379,033 | $40,975,731 | $53,225,172 |
| Revenue | $4,268,425 | $4,793,031 | $19,367,633 |
| Expenses | $22,573,794 | $13,800,867 | $16,297,908 |
| Net Investment Income | $79,886 | $285,738 | $853,764 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lisa Hamilton as board member and chair; Shane Harris and Don Chen as co-chairs; and Tia Hodges as an executive committee member-at-large. It also lists Rhea Williams-Bishop, Chantel Rush, Tawa Mitchell, and Susan Thomas as board members. The filing lists Philip Gaskin and June Davis with roles ending December 31, 2024.
Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative is led by Joseph Scantlebury, President & CEO on every filing since 2022; 4 of 24 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joseph Scantlebury
President & CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$151K (2022) → $390K (2025)
Lisa Hamilton
Board Member & Chair
Board Member → Board Memer & Chair, 2023
Board Memer & Chair → Board Member & Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julie Bosland
Chief Impact Officer
Associate Director & Public Sector Innovation → Associate Director, 2021
Associate Director → Chief Impact Officer, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$166K (2020) → $219K (2025)
Jamilah Davis
Associate Director, Finance & Administration
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$184K (2025)
Myung J. Lee
Chief Strategy Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$216K (2025)
Don Chen
Co-Chair
Board Member & Treasurer → Board Member & Secretary, 2023
Board Member & Secretary → Co-Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Florencia Spagaro
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tawa Mitchell
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Celine Suarez
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynette Bell
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shane Harris
Co-Chair
Board Member → Board Member & Co-Chair, 2023
Board Member & Co-Chair → Co-Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Betsy Krebs
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chantel Rush
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Talma
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rhea Williams-Bishop
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Thomas
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tia Hodges
Executive Committee -At-Large
Board Member & Treasurer → Executive Committee -At-Large, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Allison Bajracharya
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dominique Goss
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Smith
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marjorie Paloma
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Opokua Oduro
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tonya Allen
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Lawson
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (33)
- Former: Philip Gaskin (2021–2025) — Board Member & Executive Committee · Filing note: Until 123124
- Former: June Davis (2023–2025) — Board Member · Filing note: Until 123124
- Former: Brandee McHale (2020–2024) — Board Member · Filing note: Until 63024
- Former: Demetric Duckett (2020–2024) — Former, Managing Director & Capital
- Former: Elizabeth Reynoso (2020–2024) — Former & Associate Director
- Former: Richard Besser (2020–2024) — Board Member · Filing note: Until 123123
- Former: Chipo Sachirarwe (2021–2024) — Former & Chief Operating Officer
- Former: David Nicholson (2023–2024) — Board Member · Filing note: Until 4124
- Former: Anne-Christin Grimme (2024) — Senior Associate
- Former: Julian Carrillo-Sanchez (2024) — Assistant Director
- Former: Lakeeshia Fox (2024) — Associate Director
- Former: Sarah Bainton (2024) — Managing Director of Programs
- Former: Siyada Kirita (2024) — Accounting Manager
- Former: Esther Mensah-Sullivan (2020–2023) — Controller
- Former: Andrew Plepler (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Barbara Picower (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Ben Hecht (2020–2022) — President & CEO Untill
- Former: Dennis White (2020–2022) — Board Member Untill
- Former: Jim Baek (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Kara Carlisle (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Lata Reddy (2020–2022) — Board Member & Vice President
- Former: Nadia Owusu (2020–2022) — Associate Director Untill
- Former: Otis Rolley III (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Rip Rapson (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Ryan Rippel (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Maria Torres-Singer (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Janay Queen Nazaire (2020–2021) — Chief Strategy Officer
- Former: Joe Scantlebury (2020–2021) — Managing Director & Secretary
- Former: Brinda Ganguly (2020) — Managing Director of the Catalyst Loan Funds
- Former: Ellen Ward (2020) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Elodie Baquerot (2020) — Chief Operating Officer
- Former: Joan Tally (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Maria Torres-Springer (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $390K, to Joseph Scantlebury (President & CEO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 805 15Th Street Nw 500, Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (646) 442-2200
Website: https://livingcities.org
Frequently asked questions about Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative
How much does Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative give each year?
Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative gave $10.5M across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 7 grants.
What is Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative's typical grant size?
Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $585,845, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative that year got $630K on average.
Where does Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative give grants?
Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative gives mostly in California: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (6 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grant to Implement Business Development Workplan" (5 grants).
Who are Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative's largest grantees?
Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative's largest 2025 grantees include Fuse Corp ($6,000,000), Social Impact Fund ($2,000,000) and Activest LLC ($950,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative?
Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative reported $21.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.3M.
What does Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative fund?
Living Cities states its mission is “to close the racial wealth gap using the collective power of philanthropy, financial institutions and local governments.” Its focus areas include business ownership, homeownership and city engagement, impact investments, and narrative change. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative?
Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check livingcities.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative's EIN?
Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0003950. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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