Boston Fed
-
Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, February 2026
Community contacts report that rising costs for food, housing, and energy have strained low- and moderate-income communities and nonprofits, while rural hospitals face financial risks. Stable employment for some helped ease economic anxiety, contacts noted. But vulnerable groups and small businesses remained stressed under increasing costs, according to observations for the February 2026 Beige Book.
-
Small business strategies for supporting employee child care needs
Small businesses employ nearly half of private-sector workers but often have limited resources to offer benefits like child care. This article examines the prevalence of employer-supported child care and the practical strategies small businesses employ to support working parents.
-
The Quarterly Catch-up, Q4 2025
Check out the latest community development-related research, analyses, and articles from all 12 Federal Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors. This post captures content published between October 1 and December 31, 2025, on topics affecting communities.
-
The Quarterly Catch-up, Q3 2025
Check out the latest community development-related research, analyses, and articles from all 12 Federal Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors. This post captures content published between July 1 and September 30, 2025, on topics affecting communities.
-
2025 Community Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field—Health of entities serving low- and moderate-income communities
The second report from the 2025 Community Perspectives Survey highlights how LMI-serving organizations are managing demand, funding, and staffing. While many can meet community needs, challenges like resource strain and adapting to uncertainity are impacting their overall organizational health.
-
2025 Community Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field—Economic conditions in low- and moderate-income communities
The 2025 Community Perspectives Survey, conducted nationally by the Federal Reserve, provides an overview of economic conditions in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. The first report examines key findings in the areas of housing, employment, financial stability, health, education, small business and access to technology.
-
More than books: East Hartford library connects residents to workforce development
East Hartford Works!, a place-based initiative in Connecticut, models how collaboration, a shared vision, and common goals can create effective workforce development programs and strategies for residents.
-
Place matters: Driving change through shared vision, goals, and data
Place-based initiatives unite local stakeholders around a shared vision to address community challenges. Through coordinated strategies and data-driven action, these efforts focus resources in specific areas to create lasting impact, achieving more together than any organization could alone.
-
Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, July 2025
Here’s what nonprofit and community leaders, and workforce professionals serving lower-income people shared with the Federal Reserve for the July 2025 Beige Book.
-
The Quarterly Catch-up, Q2 2025
Check out the latest community development-related research, analyses, and articles from all 12 Federal Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors. This post captures content published between April 1 and June 30, 2025, on topics affecting communities.