LISBON — New Lisbon Empowerment and Achievement Program’s first class on financial literacy is planned for Nov. 21 and as of Wednesday, there are three people signed up, according to Ross Cunningham, economic and community development director.

LEAP aims to bring “upward mobility” to residents over the next year, helping individuals “move up through the economic ladder over time,” according to a July news release, “a concept often explained colloquially as ‘doing better than your parents.’”

“It’s about taking our residents and giving them the tools they need to advance in any number of their life areas,” Cunningham said.

“Professionally, financially, personally, it’s basically growing the community. I like to sort of see it as a rising tide lifts all boats approach. It’s helping everybody move up a little bit on whatever ladder they’re on.”

With a $20,000 International City/County Management Association grant, LEAP will offer several classes over the next 12 months around economic issues residents might have an interest in, such as retirement plans, taxes, budgets and much more, according to a Wednesday news release.

Classes will be taught by local experts in the topics to be covered at each meeting, with some coming directly from the community and others coming from towns around the community, according to Cunningham.

Though those who are economically disadvantaged will benefit from the courses, the classes are geared toward anyone in the community, he said. Having professionals local to the area teach the classes helps facilitate connections between those who need a better understanding of something and those who have the knowledge.

“The goal in my mind, is to move anybody up to the next step, whatever it may be,” Assistant Town Manager Sarah Bennett said. “It could be a homeowner who’s looking to … start a business, it could be somebody who’s renting and wants to buy a house, it could be somebody who doesn’t know how to get into the education system just to take a course to see if they like something. So anything to continue that.”

Bennett and Cunningham went to Washington, D.C. in June to participate in the association’s 2024 Economic Mobility and Opportunity Peer Learning Cohort, where they and representatives from 14 other cities, towns and counties met to learn about what other places are doing to support their residents with economic mobility, according to the July release.

The idea of the program was developed fairly early on at that event, Bennett said. Though there are only about 12 classes planned so far over the course of the next year, if town officials see a lot of interest in the program they will add classes, expand the class size or seek more funding to continue the program.

“If we see a trend, a need and a want, we’re going to pivot,” she said.

Cunningham added, “there’s bigger classroom size available, should we find out that we’re turning people away every class or offering additional classes or something. We’ll find a way to make sure that we can get the information to everybody that’s interested.”

Of the roughly 9,700 people who live in Lisbon, roughly 6% are considered impoverished, according to data on the United States Census website. The median household income is $70,000.

The town has seen a population increase since the 2010 census count, transitioning from a mill town to a municipality with a more diverse economy, Cunningham said. The funding gives the town the opportunity to give people information that could help improve their lives.

“We’ve really become a place where you can start a business, you can work from home, you can work blue collar, white collar,” he said. “All of the options are here in town, and we love the opportunity to be able to support everybody moving up again.”

Classes are limited to 30 people and will be held monthly at the Marion T. Morse Community Center, 18 School St. There will be a raffle at each session to win a gift card. For more information visit the town website.