William Taft

Senior Vice-President for Economic Development

William G. (Bill) Taft is LISC’s Sr. Vice-President for Economic Development, leading LISC’s efforts to grow enterprises and create jobs in places that need them most.  Bill is leading the expansion of LISC’s inclusive economic development efforts in its 37 local programs through business district redevelopment, investments in underinvested small businesses, and connecting disadvantaged people to employment skills and opportunities.  Before assuming this role in 2018, Bill served as a Program Vice-President for the Midwest and the executive director of the Indianapolis LISC program, where he directed over $240 Million in comprehensive community development investments.   

Bill leads LISC’s inclusive economic development efforts focused on job pathways for individuals, enhancing local small business ecosystems, and reviving disinvested commercial and industrial districts.  During the Pandemic LISC invested over $250 Million in small business relief grants to over 16,000 small businesses, 87% them owned by people of color, and located in every State of the Union.  LISC has also built a network of over 160 grass-roots Business Development Organizations that invest in the success of local businesses through growing local support ecosystems, as well as 130 Financial Opportunity Centers located in 30 cities and serving over 24,000 people per year.  LISC’s investments in business districts improved 4.2 Million square feet of commercial/industrial space last year. 

Bill served as the president of Southeast Neighborhood Development, Inc. (SEND) from 1991-2005, investing over $35 Million into the early phases of revitalizing the Fountain Square Area of Indianapolis. 

Before SEND, Bill was the Executive Director of Main Street Richmond, and he also served with the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, Senator Richard Lugar, and the National Park Service.