Lift to Rise

What Lift to Rise does

Lift to Rise is a 501(c)(3) housing affordability coalition founded in 2018 and headquartered in Palm Desert, California. The organization serves the nine-city Coachella Valley region, coordinating a cross-sector network of more than 70 public, private, and nonprofit partners and engaging more than 1,700 residents through the Resident Leadership Table, Committees by Cities, and the Housing Collaborative Action Network (Housing CAN). Its primary mission is to reduce regional rent burden by 30% through the production of 10,000 new affordable housing units by 2028, in a market where 56% of renter households pay more than 30% of income on rent and rents grew 45-55% over three years.

The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs. The Affordable Housing Pipeline Portal is an interactive mapping tool that tracks more than 9,300 units from planning through completion and identifies parcels suitable for new development. We Lift: The Coachella Valley Housing Catalyst Fund is a regional investment vehicle with more than $44M available and $26M in loan commitments offering flexible, below-market financing to address Low-Income Housing Tax Credit scarcity. The United Lift Rental Assistance Program distributed more than $300M to 35,000+ households (representing 120,000 residents) between June 2020 and November 2022. Community engagement is delivered through the Housing CAN, the Resident Leadership Table, and Committees by Cities active in five municipalities.

Lift to Rise is funded primarily through philanthropic grants, government allocations, and donations rather than commercial revenue. Documented funding sources include a $15M allocation from California's 2022-2023 state budget, a $5M award from the Southern California Association of Governments in November 2023, federal funds leveraged through Riverside County ($33.7M in FY 2023-2024 supporting an additional $100M in housing and community services), and ongoing philanthropic support. The 2024-26 Action Plan, released in May 2024, targets 7,500 new units by July 1, 2026 and growth of the We Lift Catalyst Fund lending pool to more than $80M. The organization does not sell commercial products or services; pricing is not applicable.

Name

Lift to Rise

Legal name

Lift to Rise

Website

https://lifttorise.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lift to Rise is a nonprofit housing affordability coalition in California's Coachella Valley that coordinates 70+ cross-sector partners and 1,700+ residents to produce affordable housing, reduce rent burden, and improve economic mobility through flexible lending, policy advocacy, and community organizing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Coalition Services

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Affordable housing coalition
• Housing catalyst fund
• Community development finance
• Affordable home financing
• Collective impact housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Desert

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants and Donations: Lift to Rise operates as a nonprofit coalition funded through charitable donations and grants from institutional and individual donors. The organization runs a donation portal on its website and engages in fundraising campaigns.
2. Government Funding (Federal and State): Lift to Rise receives federal and state government funding to support affordable housing development, including allocations from Riverside County (fiscal year 2023-2024: $33.7 million in federal funds leveraged into an additional $100 million), California state budget allocations (e.g., $15 million Housing Catalyst Fund from Governor Newsom's 2022-2023 budget), and SCAG funding ($5 million awarded in November 2023).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Lift to Rise is a nonprofit housing affordability coalition that coordinates a cross-sector network of 70+ partners in the Coachella Valley to drive production of affordable housing. It operates the We Lift Housing Catalyst Fund providing flexible, below-market-rate loans, the Affordable Housing Pipeline Portal for tracking development, the Resident Leadership Table, and Committees by Cities for grassroots advocacy. Its mission is to reduce rent burden through the production of 10,000 new affordable housing units by 2028.

Product overview

Lift to Rise is a housing affordability coalition operating a platform of interconnected programs focused on increasing affordable housing production and reducing rent burden in the Coachella Valley. The core offerings include: the Affordable Housing Pipeline Portal, an interactive mapping tool for tracking development; We Lift: The Coachella Valley Housing Catalyst Fund, a financing vehicle providing flexible loans; and United Lift Rental Assistance Program, a rental and utility relief initiative. These are supported by community engagement programs including the Resident Leadership Table, Committees by Cities, and the Housing Collaborative Action Network (Housing CAN) of 70+ partners. The organization operates through two-year Action Plans that guide its strategic approach to housing stability and economic mobility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• We Lift: We Lift is the regional investment vehicle and Housing Catalyst Fund that drives the goal of increasing affordable housing supply in the Coachella Valley through flexible lending and resource mobilization.
• Housing Collaborative Action Network (Housing CAN)
• Resident Leadership Table (RLT)
• Committees By Cities
• Affordable Housing Pipeline Portal

Products and services

• Affordable Housing Pipeline Portal Interactive online mapping tool that tracks affordable housing development progress in the Coachella Valley and identifies parcels suitable for new projects. Used by developers, local governments, and the public to monitor the 9,300+ unit affordable housing pipeline.
• We Lift: The Coachella Valley Housing Catalyst Fund
• United Lift Rental Assistance Program Emergency COVID-19 rental assistance program that distributed over $300 million countywide to more than 35,000 households representing 120,000 Riverside County residents between June 2020 and November 2022. For low-income Riverside County renters impacted by the pandemic.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced rent burden by 30% through production of 10,000 affordable housing units by 2028
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Riverside County (Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institutional partner of the Housing Collaborative Action Network (CAN). Riverside County invested $33.7 million in federal funds in FY 2023-2024, leveraged into an additional $100 million for housing and community services. County supervisors provide governance and funding oversight.
• Inland SoCal United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the United Lift COVID-19 rental assistance program, which distributed $300 million to 35,000 households. Also partner in the ConnectIE initiative and Inland SoCal 211+.
• FIND Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the founding community organizations that came together in 2014 to discuss collective impact approaches to address growing disadvantages affecting Coachella Valley residents.
• United Way of the DesertcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding community organization (2014) in the collective impact effort that eventually led to the formation of Lift to Rise.
• Regional Access Project (RAP) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding community organization (2014) in the collective impact effort that eventually led to the formation of Lift to Rise. Also listed as a co-signer on federal advocacy letters.
• Desert Healthcare District & FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding community organization (2014) and current Housing CAN partner. Also co-chair of the Economic Mobility CAN. Involved in ConnectIE initiative with IEHP and Inland SoCal United Way.
• Coachella Valley Cities (Coachella, Cathedral City, Palm Springs, Indian Wells, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, La Quinta)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll nine Coachella Valley cities participate in the Housing CAN and collaborate on affordable housing policy, development projects, and the shared Action Plan. Multiple cities co-signed the federal funding advocacy letter (March 2025).
• Housing Developers (National CORE, Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, Abode Communities, The Pacific Companies, Community Housing Opportunities Corp. (CHOC), DAP Health, Habitat for Humanity of the Coachella Valley)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffordable housing developers participating in the Housing CAN and developing projects in the Coachella Valley. Examples include National CORE's Cathedral Palms, Coachella Valley Housing Coalition's Vista Sunrise, Abode Communities' Sonora Homes and Park Lane Homes, and DAP Health's Palm Springs affordable housing.
• Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (SCANPH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide nonprofit housing organization participating in the Housing CAN and advocating for affordable housing policy at state and local levels.
• Rural Communities Assistance Corp. (RCAC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCAC provides technical assistance and support to rural communities and participates in the Housing CAN's advocacy and development efforts.
• Kounkuey Design InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign and planning organization participating in the Housing CAN, bringing urban design expertise to affordable housing and community development.
• Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based community organization participating in the Housing CAN, contributing grassroots organizing and advocacy capacity.
• Riverside Legal AidmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides pro bono legal services to low-income Riverside County residents for eviction-related issues. Holds free legal clinics at the Lift to Rise office on the last Wednesday of each month.
• Inland Empire Latino LawyersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free legal services to income-qualified clients in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Holds a free legal clinic at the Lift to Rise office in Palm Desert on the last Wednesday of the month.
• InnercareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare and social services organization participating in the Housing CAN, addressing the intersection of health and housing.
• Neighborhood Partnership HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffordable housing nonprofit participating in the Housing CAN, contributing to the regional affordable housing development effort.
• Inland SoCal Housing CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing collective organization participating in the Housing CAN, supporting affordable housing development in the Inland Empire region.
• UC Riverside Center for Community SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution providing research and community development expertise to the Housing CAN.
• Farmworkers Institute of Education and Leadership DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting farmworker communities participating in the Housing CAN advocacy efforts.
• New HarmonyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization participating in the Housing CAN, contributing to affordable housing and community development efforts in Coachella Valley.
• U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff; U.S. Reps. Raul Ruiz and Ken CalvertminorOthersCalifornia federal legislators representing portions of the Coachella Valley. Recipients of a coalition letter (March 2025) urging protection of federal affordable housing funding.
• U.S. Representative Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-CA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted a Washington D.C. roundtable with national healthcare, housing, and philanthropic organizations in September 2023 to develop future policy action at the intersection of housing and health.
• U.S. White House (Gene Sperling, Senior Economic Advisor to President Biden)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiverside County, Lift to Rise, and partners met with President Biden's Senior Economic Advisor Gene Sperling in October 2022 to highlight their partnership and collaborative model expanding affordable housing.
• Stanford Social Innovation ReviewminorOthersWell-respected publication featured Lift to Rise and the We Lift housing catalyst fund in an article titled 'A New Blueprint for Financing Community Development' as an example of innovative community development finance.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Housing Trust Silicon Valley: Regional housing trust that provides flexible, low-cost financing for affordable housing development in Silicon Valley. Directly comparable to Lift to Rise's We Lift Catalyst Fund in mission and mechanism, though operating in a different California submarket.
• Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (SCANPH): Statewide coalition of affordable housing nonprofits advocating for policy and resources in California. Comparable to Lift to Rise's coalition model and policy advocacy function, though operating at the state rather than regional level.
• Habitat for Humanity of the Coachella Valley: Local Habitat affiliate building affordable homeownership opportunities in the same Coachella Valley region and a Housing CAN partner. Most directly comparable as a fellow regional affordable housing producer in Lift to Rise's immediate geography.
• Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC): Regional nonprofit providing financing, technical assistance, and capacity building for rural affordable housing and infrastructure. Already a Lift to Rise partner, it is a strong comparable as a regional coalition providing below-market capital and development support.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI that funds affordable housing and community development through local offices and partnerships with municipalities and nonprofits. Closely mirrors Lift to Rise's model of public-private-nonprofit coordination around housing production at the regional level.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit CDFI and affordable housing developer that combines financing, policy advocacy, and on-the-ground development. Comparable to Lift to Rise as a scaled, cross-sector housing coalition, though it operates nationally rather than in a single region.
• Housing California: Statewide advocacy coalition advancing affordable housing policy and funding in California. Comparable to Lift to Rise's policy advocacy and coalition mobilization role, though at state scale rather than regional.

Regional players

• Abode Communities: Nonprofit affordable housing developer active in Southern California, including Coachella Valley projects (Sonora Homes, Park Lane Homes) financed in part through We Lift. Directly comparable as a mission-driven affordable housing developer operating in the same region.

Emerging players

• National Community Stabilization Trust: Nonprofit focused on preserving affordable rental housing and stabilizing communities. Comparable in mission and community-coalition orientation, though focused on preservation rather than new production.
• Terner Center for Housing Innovation: UC Berkeley policy and research center focused on housing affordability and innovation. Comparable as a thought-leadership and data-driven housing organization, though academic rather than coalition-based.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lifttorise
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lifttorise
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifttorise
• Xx.com/lift_rise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lift to Rise