Voices Blog – News & views for the community development field
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Key insights from the 2023 Small Business Credit Survey
The 2023 Small Business Credit Survey (SBCS) indicates that although small businesses are improving, they still face rising costs and high-interest rates. However, they remain optimistic about future revenue and employment expansion.
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, March 2024
Here’s what nonprofit and community leaders, and workforce professionals serving lower-income people shared with the Federal Reserve for the March 2024 Beige Book.
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![[Watch] Building Capacity of Community-Based Organizations](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/connecting-communities-building-capacity-community-based-organizations.png?w=1024)
[Watch] Building Capacity of Community-Based Organizations
Explore the innovative strategies employed by community-based organizations (CBOs) nationwide. Gain valuable insights into guiding principles for effectively dispersing funds to underserved communities and strategies for building capacity of CBOs. Watch or listen on demand.
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Recipes for rural prosperity as populations change
Some rural areas are shrinking as young people move away, while others are absorbing an influx of newer US residents. What should rural communities consider as their populations shift?
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Supporting women and work-life balance in today’s economy
Explore the real stories of four women striving for work-life balance, as revealed through the Aspen Institute’s Women in the Economy survey. They share their ideas about how the economy might work better for women.
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CDFI innovations supporting housing access and stability
CDFIs shared innovative practices for supporting homebuyers, homeowners, and residential real estate developers in their responses to the Federal Reserve’s 2023 CDFI Survey.
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Music teacher plants roots in rural Nebraska town
Discover how a dedicated music teacher, Doug Erb, rooted himself in rural Nebraska, navigating the challenges of finding affordable housing and contributing to community growth.
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Is the racial wealth gap closing as more people of color buy homes?
Homeownership is still a major way average families build wealth, and recent data show racial and ethnic homeownership gaps began to lessen slightly during the pandemic. Does this mean the racial wealth divide will shrink?
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A conversation on economic inequality and labor market disparities
This podcast explores the challenges of labor market disparities and economic inequality. Dr. Niki vonLockette shares insights into systemic discrimination and policies for equal employment opportunities.
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Blossom Johnston does good by strengthening nonprofits in rural Idaho
Blossom Johnston’s strong connection to nature in rural communities, and her passion for children, led her to Idaho almost 40 years ago.
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How can research better support digital inclusion?
With digital access becoming increasingly necessary, researchers and practitioners consider the role research plays in informing digital inclusion efforts.
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When ‘mobile’ means buses or a horse and buggy: Innovative solutions to banking deserts
Two community banks, Bank of Bird-in-Hand and BankOnBuffalo, combat banking deserts in a unique way by bringing access to financial services to the communities that they serve.