Data and Research
-
Using Qualitative Research to Understand the Economy: A Toolkit
The toolkit offers insights on using community-engaged qualitative research practices gleaned from the Federal Reserve’s Worker Voices Project and shows how others can use these methods in their own work. This toolkit is for researchers, policymakers, employers, and workforce organizations interested in partnering with the populations they serve and elevating community perspectives.
-
Community Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field—Health of entities serving low- and moderate-income communities
The second report from the 2024 Community Perspectives Survey focuses on the health of organizations serving low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities and discusses the challenges they face. These organizations provide vital services to lower-income communities and infrastructure that promotes economic resilience and mobility.
-
Community Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field—Economic conditions in low- and moderate-income communities
The 2024 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.
-
Worker Voices Special Brief: Self-Employment, Dreams Versus Reality
Worker Voices participants described weighing the tradeoffs of self-employment from the independence it gave to its income generation potential. This research found that participants were pushed or pulled into self-employment for a variety of factors and their experiences did not align with their expectations of this work.
-
CDFI Survey findings on output and outcome tracking
The 2023 CDFI Survey offers insights on impact measurement and management for community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Learn about output and outcome metrics, challenges, and implications for capacity building among CDFIs.
-
Banking Deserts Dashboard
Discover banking deserts and potential ones using the Banking Deserts dashboard. This interactive dashboard provides census tract-level data of states and counties from 2019-2023.
-
Worker Voices Special Brief: Pursuing Advancement through Personal Investment
Worker Voices participants described their persistence in taking steps to improve their employment outcomes. They pursued skill-building opportunities and were more willing to leave lower-quality jobs, sometimes to pursue self-employment instead. However, their efforts were met with mixed results.
-
Worker Voices Special Brief: Barriers to Employment
Worker Voices participants described the challenges facing individuals without a four-year degree as they navigated the job market during a global pandemic. Common barriers to work included an evolving labor market, individual attributes, work-family conflicts, and concerns regarding individual well-being.
-
Worker Voices Special Brief: Perspectives on Job Quality
For Worker Voices participants, a quality job checks five boxes. Workers with a quality job are adequately compensated, treated well, secure in their position, given flexibility around hours and location, and engaged with the work.