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LISC BREAKFAST
Speaking to LISC staffers from around
the country, this panel outlined the NCP
method and the delicate but decisive
touch that helps guide the work of
neighborhood agencies. The discussion
was led by LISC’s NCP director
Susana Vasquez, program officer
Sandra Womack, and Jim Capraro,
a LISC advisory board member and
executive director of the Greater
Southwest Development Corp.
Capraro related that NCP was developed
because the old ways — centered on
housing development — were no longer
working. But moving to a more
comprehensive approach doesn’t mean
any one CDC needs to do it all.
“ You’ll never be good at everything.
If you are screwing up day care
because you’re not very good at
it, that’s a dangerous place to be.
“ Being a lead agency doesn’t mean
you are leading the race and
everyone else is losing. It’s like
being an orchestra conductor, and
to do that you have to have willing
musicians to play the music.”
“ Once you have shown you can
get something done, the funders
and others come to you.”
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing,
Vasquez admitted. Four of NCP’s
original 14 lead agencies had to be
reorganized or replaced outright.
“ We don’t give up on a
neighborhood, but if the CDC
lead agency isn’t working, you
have to find another one.”
SUSANA VASQUEZ
Womack, a 13-year LISC veteran, said
the program officer’s role has changed
dramatically.
“ We used to spend the day in
the office … now we spend the
majority of our time out in the
neighborhoods.”
SANDRA WOMACK
JIM CAPRARO
Vasquez said a major shift in thinking at
LISC was from viewing the CDC as
client (in the past) to today’s thinking
that the neighborhood is the client.
“ The lead agency job is not for
everyone. They aren’t getting all
the money, but (they) have to do
all the work (not directly, but by
recruiting partners and getting
it done.)
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