Voices Blog – News & views for the community development field
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![[Watch] Bank On and Reaching the Unbanked in Our Communities](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/May-7-2026-CC-event-banner-image-1920x1280-1.jpg?w=1024)
[Watch] Bank On and Reaching the Unbanked in Our Communities
This Connecting Communities webinar explored strategies to expand access to safe, affordable banking through the Bank On program. Panelists discussed lessons learned, partnership strategies, and insights from the Bank On National Data (BOND) Hub to help advance financial access in communities. Watch or listen on demand.
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Economic Well-Being of US Households in 2025
The annual SHED survey offers insight into the financial well-being of US adults and their families and provides important information about how people are faring in the economy. The latest report finds overall financial conditions similar to the past two years, with concerns over prices and labor market conditions remained solid despite some softening.
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Opportunity Zones 2.0 will offer place-based investment in low-income communities
Changes in 2025 to the Opportunity Zones (OZ) tax-incentive initiative present an opportunity for local leaders, community-based organizations, investors, and state and local agencies to shape a new decade of place-based investments in low-income communities. Communities are preparing now for what many call “OZ 2.0.”
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![[Watch] Unlocking the Voice of Small Businesses: New Insights from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1920-x-1280-Nov-6-CC.jpg?w=1024)
[Watch] Unlocking the Voice of Small Businesses: New Insights from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey
In this Connecting Communities webinar, we take a closer look at the 2026 Report on Employer Firms and key findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey. Watch or listen anytime.
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, April 2026
Inflation is driving increases in the utilization of support services, spending on credit, and restructuring debt. As one contact noted, lower- and middle-income households “can’t out-budget low wages, tariffs, and inflation.”
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Innovation and collaboration help drive access to capital in rural communities
Accessing funding and capital can be difficult in rural and urban communities. But the barriers for rural communities can be heightened due to capacity and resource constraints. Organizations are using creativity to turn challenges into opportunities.
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The Quarterly Catch-up, Q1 2026
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 January 1 and March 31, 2026, on topics affecting communities.
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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.
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Key insights from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey
The 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (SBCS) shares insights from more than 6,500 small employer firms across the US about their business performance, challenges, and credit experiences.
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Byways tourism builds on the unique appeal of small towns
Route-based tourism transforms often-overlooked small towns into vacation destinations. Residents rediscover their community’s unique appeal and visitors bring economic opportunity along America’s byways.
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Why don’t more out-of-work people receive unemployment insurance?
Unemployment insurance can help people transition in their careers and quickly re-enter the workforce. Yet many people who lose their jobs don’t receive this benefit. Recent Federal Reserve research sheds light on the barriers limiting UI access and recipiency.
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The financial frontier: Small business resilience in banking deserts
For small businesses in banking deserts, navigating capital access can feel like charting unfamiliar territory.