Voices Blog – News & views for the community development field
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![[Watch] Amplifying small business voices—new findings from the Small Business Credit Survey](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CC-April-13-SBCS.jpg?w=1024)
[Watch] Amplifying small business voices—new findings from the Small Business Credit Survey
Find out how small businesses are dealing with hiring challenges, supply chain disruptions, and rising costs, plus what credit access gaps remain now that pandemic-related funding programs have ended. Watch or listen on demand.
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Coast to coast: Nontraditional approaches to affordable housing
Creating affordable housing in low- and moderate-income communities in the United States is a major challenge. Find out how some districts are addressing the issue.
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How have CDFI demand and capacity evolved since the pandemic? Federal Reserve survey aims to find out
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are important to closing gaps in credit and capital access. The 2023 CDFI Survey aims to find out how CDFI demand and capacity have changed in the last two years.
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Care workers keep others in the workforce
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.
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5 things to know about participatory research
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.
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![[Watch] Integrating economic inclusion to strengthen local economies](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Connecting-Communities-Integrating-Economic-Inclusion-030923.jpg?w=1024)
[Watch] Integrating economic inclusion to strengthen local economies
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.
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Small business perspectives on what’s changing and what’s not
Small business owners with employees share their views on hiring, funding challenges, and more. Get takeaways from the latest Small Business Credit Survey report.
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, March 2023
Here’s what nonprofit and community leaders, and workforce professionals serving lower-income people, shared with the Federal Reserve for the Beige Book.
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![[Watch] Adapting to COVID-19: Impacts on Lower-Income Communities and Organizations Serving Them in 2022](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/20230209-connecting-communities-1920x1280-1.jpg?w=1024)
[Watch] Adapting to COVID-19: Impacts on Lower-Income Communities and Organizations Serving Them in 2022
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.
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How mission-driven financial institutions can improve credit access for underserved small businesses
How important are Community Financial Institutions to getting capital to underserved small businesses? Here’s what we learned from the Paycheck Protection Program.
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, January 2023
Here’s what nonprofit and community leaders, and workforce professionals serving lower-income people, shared with the Federal Reserve for the Beige Book.
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Trusted messengers and expert tax help are key for increasing ‘take up’ of cash assistance through tax system
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.