This post captures select new content published by the Federal Reserve between January 1 and March 31, 2026, on the topics of economic development, workforce development, Native communities, housing, artificial intelligence, small business, and credit access.
Each quarter, Fed Communities will retrospectively share new community development-related research, analyses, and articles from all 12 Federal Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors in one convenient place.
Economic development strengthens economies by creating resilient, and vibrant communities. From closing gaps and increasing access, to sharing and deploying resources after a natural disaster, economic development is an essential tool for every lower-income community. Explore the latest economic development articles and research from Fed experts.
Financial Health in Louisiana: Atlanta Fed Event Yields New Insights
By Julie Siwicki
Geographic Inequality in Food Inflation
By Seula Kim and Michael Navarrete
Developing Communities through Public-private Partnerships
By Governor Michael S. Barr
New report shows how small towns benefit from route-based tourism as economic development
By Jennifer Wilding
Finding strength in relationships during uncertain times
By Ariel Cisneros and Marisa Martinez
Nebraska community development assessment: Uncovering needs, highlighting strengths
By Rachael Surmick
Field Insights: What works in community development
By Marisa Martinez
Kansas City Fed Launches Interactive Data Tools for Monitoring Community Economic Conditions
By Kansas City Fed Staff
Sizing the Community Development Financial Institution Industry: 2011—2025
By Jacob Scott, Maria Carmelita Recto, and Jonathan Kivell
An Economy That Works for All: Financial Inclusion
By Chaeri Doh and Edison Reyes
The Effects of Wildfire and Distant Air Pollution on Household Financial Well-Being
By Xudong (Sean) An, Stuart A. Gabriel, and Nitzan Tzur-Ilan
Economic Trends and Opportunities for Philadelphia
By Anna Paulson
From Incentive to Impact: What Extended Tax Credits Mean for Community Development Finance
By Surekha Carpenter and James Melton
2025 CDFI Survey: Does Older Mean Wiser for Mission-Driven Lenders?
By Taylor Pessin
Access to credit can help grow businesses, create financial stability, and build wealth, but it remains a challenge in many LMI communities. Check out the latest articles and research on credit access from Fed experts.
Making Missing Markets: Connecting Communities and Capital
By Julian Macrone
What Happens When Consumers Buy Now and Pay Later?
Featuring Zhu Wang
Why do some people pay loans on time? Parents and hometowns could make the difference
By Jeff Horwich
Buy Now, Pay Later: A Credit Alternative
By Jeannette Bennett
Tracking Banking Access Using the Bank On National Data Hub
By Michael Eggleston
Discover how education and workforce development sectors are crucial in preparing individuals for fulfilling careers. Stay informed about the nation’s economic health through the monthly jobs reports. Explore the latest articles and research on workforce development from Fed experts.
Fragile Job Market, Rising Prices Increase Financial Stress Across the Southeast
By John Rees
The Evolution of U.S. Educational Mobility over the 20th Century and the Role of Public Education
By Paul Mohnen, A.R. Shariq Mohammed, and Martha J. Bailey
Employment implications of child-care access in New England, pre- and post-COVID-19
By Sarah Ann Savage
Dollars and Cents: Real Hourly Wage Growth across the Lower Half of the Wage Distribution
By Kyle Fee
OSU Center for Automotive Research training students on next generation of EV battery manufacturing
By Cleveland Fed Staff
Salary not sole concern for young adults weighing career decisions, focus groups find
By Anna Crockett
Large-Scale Public Hiring and Labor Market Outcomes
By Adam Bee and Ayushi Narayan
Varied unemployment insurance criteria make for uneven worker experiences
By Juliet Cramer, Ayushi Narayan, and Ryan Nunn
Large-Scale Public Hiring, Wages, and Community Outcomes: Evidence from the Works Progress Administration
By Ayushi Narayan
Understanding Eligibility and Take-Up in State Unemployment Insurance Programs
By Juliet Cramer, and Ryan Nunn
The Landscape of Parental Leave-Taking in the United States
By Brenden Timpe, Daniel Tannenbaum, and Rebecca Jack
Quits, Layoffs, and Labor Supply
By Kathrin Ellieroth and Amanda Michaud
Why Do Households Save and Work?
By Margherita Borella, Johanna Torres Chain, Mariacristina De Nardi, and Fang Yang
Do Research Universities Recession-Proof Their Regions? Evidence from State Flagship College Towns
By Robert Calvert Jump and Adam Scavette
Charting Career and Education Pathways
By Charles Gerena
Measuring Success: Results from the 2025 Survey of Community College Outcomes
By Stephanie Norris, Davy Sell, and Anthony Tringali
Beyond Young Adults: How Are Other Groups of U.S. Workers Faring?
By William M. Rodgers III and Alice L. Kassens
How Important Is the Services Sector to the U.S. Economy?
By Nicholas Ledden
Unemployment Insurance Eligibility, Replacement and Takeup Rates across the U.S.
By Serdar Birinci, Kurt See, and Gus Gerlach
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shifting community development, economic opportunity, and lower-income communities in many ways. Dive into recent AI focused articles and research from Fed experts.
What Will Artificial Intelligence Mean for the Labor Market and the Economy?
By Governor Michael S. Barr
Artificial intelligence in Pittsburgh
By Cleveland Fed Staff
How much of your job will AI take over?
By Lisa Camner McKay
Job Transformation, Specialization, and the Labor Market Effects of AI
By Lukas Freund and Lukas Mann
Has Generative Artificial Intelligence Adoption Impacted Labor Demand at Third District Firms?
By Adam Scavette and Theresa Dunne
Firms and Artificial Intelligence: A Regional Update
By Jason Kosakow and Sonya Ravindranath Waddell
Understanding the Evolving AI Landscape and Its Implications for Community Development
By Elizabeth Kneebone and Bina Shrimali
Early Findings on Small Business Use of AI
By Natalie Holmes, Rocio Sanchez-Moyano, and Sarah Simms
Insights from Community Development Stakeholders on Early Organizational and Employment Impacts of AI Adoption
By Natalie Holmes and Elizabeth Kneebone
How Workforce and Training Organizations Are Navigating the Adoption of AI
By Natalie Holmes and Elizabeth Kneebone
The Role Technical Assistance Can Play in AI Adoption
By Natalie Holmes and Sarah Simms
Reflections on AI Implementation and Guardrails for Community-Based Organizations
By Tracy Choi and Elizabeth Kneebone
State Data on Lower-Income Workers and Exposure to AI
By San Francisco Fed Staff
Why AI Advancements May Push Some Workers Out of the Labor Force
By Oksana Leukhina
Affordable housing continues to dominate headlines and conversations as communities across the nation grapple with the challenge of providing adequate housing for people, especially those with low and moderate incomes. Check out some of the latest housing articles and research from Fed experts.
Convening on a Bus to Explore Affordable Housing Across Chicago
By Brianna Smith
Touring Iowa’s Driftless Area: Affordable Housing Development and Economic Revitalization in Action
By Elizabeth Berman, Brianna Smith, and Dustin Ingram
Where and How Are Investors Buying Single-Family Homes?
By Cleveland Fed Staff
Renter Households amid Rising Rents: 2019–2023
By Lara Loewenstein
Off the Beaten Tract: Constructing a New Neighborhood Geography Using Revealed Preference
By Evan Mast and Alaina Barca
Affordable Housing Development in Rural Virginia
Featuring Suzanne Holland and Kate Keller
When Houses Outrun Paychecks: The Lost Decades of Housing Affordability
By Manu Garcia and Carlos Garriga
Native communities have unique histories and cultures. They also face distinct, and in some cases, unique economic challenges. Check out the latest articles and research on Native communities from Fed experts.
Public or private? For tribes, access to bond markets carries cost considerations
By Andrew Huff and Vanessa Palmer
Three ways economic data will strengthen Indian Country over the next decade
By Casey Lozar
Tribes embrace Section 105(l) leasing to generate facility funding
By Phil Gover and Matthew Gregg
Small businesses are the backbone of the nation’s economy. They are also a key economic driver of strong, robust, and adaptable communities. Check out the latest articles and research on small businesses from Fed experts.
2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey
By Small Business Credit Survey Team
2026 Main Street Metrics: Trends over Time from the Small Business Credit Survey
By Small Business Credit Survey Team
How Small Businesses Are Faring in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene
By Bethany Greene, Anthony Tringali, and Riverbird Research of the Ahseville Area Chamber of Commerce
Small businesses optimistic despite facing uncertainty, tariffs, technology changes
By Ruby Martinez-Berrier
What Businesses Are Saying: Cautiously Optimistic With a Hint of Wariness
By R. Andrew Bauer, Renee Haltom, and Matthew Martin
Regional Firms Report Wage Growth Returns to Normal Levels
By Jason Kosakow
What Businesses Are Saying: Tentative Momentum as Renewed Uncertainty Looms
By R. Andrew Bauer, Renee Haltom, and Matthew Martin
