Voices Blog – News & views for the community development field

Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, this photograph depicts a typical classroom scene, where an audience of school children were seated on the floor before a teacher at the front of the room, who was reading an illustrated storybook, during one of the scheduled classroom sessions. Assisting the instructor were two female students to her left, and a male student on her right, who was holding up the book, while the seated classmates were raising their hands to answer questions related to the story just read.
By Fed Communities Staff
Child care is vital to supporting the financial wellbeing of workers, households, and communities. But despite their essential role in the economy, child care workers long have faced barriers to being valued at work and fairly compensated for their work.
Group of diverse multi-ethnic people communicating
By Jon Ford, Julie Siwicki, Jennifer Wilding
Communities benefit when research is conducted collaboratively with community members rather than to them. Here are five ways this approach, called participatory research, is different from a typical research process and how it benefits communities.
Group of coworkers meeting together in meeting space
By Fed Communities Staff
Can centering racial equity help fuel a more inclusive small business recovery? Lead to new solutions to addressing housing or workforce equity challenges in underserved communities? In this webinar, experts discuss three years of learnings from the Reinventing Our Communities (ROC) Cohort Program. Watch or listen on demand.
Three employees working in small business shipping room
By Emily Corcoran
Small business owners with employees share their views on hiring, funding challenges, and more. Get takeaways from the latest Small Business Credit Survey report.
March 2023 Community Perspectives, Conditions
By Federal Reserve Community Development Staff
Here’s what nonprofit and community leaders, and workforce professionals serving lower-income people, shared with the Federal Reserve for the Beige Book.
Connecting Communities: February 9, 2023
By Fed Communities Staff
How can organizations use the Fed's 2022 National COVID-19 Community Impact Survey data to advocate for themselves and those they serve? In this webinar, experts share their tips. Watch or listen on demand.
Come In: Small Business sign
By Emily Ryder Perlmeter
How important are Community Financial Institutions to getting capital to underserved small businesses? Here's what we learned from the Paycheck Protection Program.
January 2023 Community Perspectives and Conditions
By Federal Reserve Community Development Staff
Here’s what nonprofit and community leaders, and workforce professionals serving lower-income people, shared with the Federal Reserve for the Beige Book.
Family getting tax preparation assistance
By Nathan Anderson
Many Americans with no or low income can benefit from expert tax-filing assistance, and in some cases, get thousands of dollars in tax refunds. 
Senior Black business owner wearing apron
By Maria Hasenstab
From housing support to mental health interventions, nonprofit organizations are playing a major role in mitigating economic uncertainty brought on by the pandemic.