Biography
William G. (Bill) Taft has served with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) since 2005, initially as the Indianapolis Executive Director, and now as its Senior Vice President for Economic Development. Bill is leading the expansion of LISC’s inclusive economic development efforts in its 33 local programs to include business district redevelopment, investments in businesses offering living-wage careers to low-income residents, and equipping under-skilled people to meet employment requirements of middle-skills jobs.
Under Bill’s leadership, LISC Indianapolis invested over $240 million to leverage $1 billion of investment in the core urban neighborhoods of Indianapolis. These investments in comprehensive community development include affordable housing, small businesses, community facilities, charter schools, commercial corridor revitalization, and green spaces. These occurred through LISC leadership in the Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative, Fostering Commercial Urban Strategies, Centers for Working Families, and Great Places 2020. Bill also served as a LISC Program Vice President from 2014-2018, overseeing programs in Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Duluth, Minnesota.
Bill served as the president of Southeast Neighborhood Development, Inc. (SEND) fromv1991-2005. Under Bill’s leadership SEND invested over $35 million in the early phases of revitalizing the Fountain Square Area of Indianapolis, created its cultural district, founded the SENSE Charter School, and formed partnerships with the University 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.
Bill serves on the IUPUI Board of Advisors and the boards of Heart Change, Matchbook Learning, Indianapolis Public Schools Facility Advisory Committee, Full Circle Development, and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. He holds an undergraduate degree from Cedarville University and a master’s degree from Ball State University.
Bill has been recognized with the Indianapolis Business Journal Michael Carroll Award for Civic Leadership, the IBJ Forty under 40, IHCDA/IACED Community Development Leadership Award, the ICND Carl Lile Partnerships Award, Ball State University Mid-Career Preservation Award, ICND Carl Lile Award, and the IACED Staff of the Year Award.