Marketing Maven, the bicoastal PR and marketing firm with a track record for sharpening brand narratives, has been tapped as the agency of record for LISC LA. The assignment spans public relations, social media, and broader marketing communications—putting the agency at the heart of amplifying one of Los Angeles’ most influential community development organizations.
For those less familiar, LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) isn’t just another nonprofit. It’s one of the nation’s foremost Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)—a category of financial organization designed to expand economic opportunity where traditional banks often don’t. That means providing funding, financial services, and strategic investment in underserved communities.
The Los Angeles office alone has poured $1.6 billion over the past 36 years into affordable housing, small businesses, education, public health, and community safety. Now, Marketing Maven’s job is to ensure that work doesn’t just happen quietly in the background—it makes headlines.
What’s on Marketing Maven’s Plate
The agency’s scope of work isn’t just press releases and photo ops. It covers:
- Media relations and contact strategy to shape how LISC LA’s story gets told
- Social media management with weekly campaigns to keep the mission visible
- Quarterly event support, from planning to execution
- Annual report production, putting impact into numbers and narratives
In other words: a full-stack communications mandate for one of the city’s most critical development engines.
“Marketing Maven is honored and excited to be chosen agency of record for LISC LA,” said Lindsey Carnett, CEO and President of Marketing Maven. “We will aim highly to focus more public and media attention on the great and important work LISC LA does for local communities.”
Why This Matters: CDFIs in the Spotlight
The timing is telling. As Los Angeles faces a housing crisis, widening wealth gaps, and ongoing debates around equitable economic growth, CDFIs like LISC are increasingly viewed as essential players in shaping resilient communities. They’re the ones stepping in where private capital often hesitates—whether that’s financing affordable housing projects or funding neighborhood-based small businesses.
By bringing in Marketing Maven, LISC LA signals it doesn’t just want to do the work; it wants the visibility and media muscle to attract more funding, partnerships, and policy attention. In a crowded nonprofit landscape, cutting through the noise is just as important as delivering results.
For Marketing Maven, this also marks another notch in its 15-year history of representing not just private businesses but also purpose-driven organizations. Its deep ties with Los Angeles media could prove critical in expanding awareness of LISC LA’s mission.
Looking Ahead
Led by Nicole Williams, Executive Director, LISC LA will continue channeling funding from banks, corporations, foundations, and government agencies into projects that span affordable housing, health, recreation, and economic development. With Marketing Maven in its corner, the message is clear: the work is already impactful, but it’s time more Angelenos—and policymakers—know about it.
