Connecting Communities®

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Sep 2026

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Federal Reserve community development experts are uniquely positioned to discuss emerging and important community and economic development topics. Connecting Communities webinars are an easy way for you to connect with what the Fed is learning through our research and outreach.

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32 recent

October 15, 202658 min

Building Community Capacity to Harness Opportunity Zones 2.0 Investments

Opportunity Zones (OZs) open the door to billions of dollars in potential investment for community‑driven projects — but dollars don't automatically find their way into neighborhoods. Communities need trusted, well-prepared local partners who can leverage, facilitate, and channel capital into projects that truly benefit existing residents. With Opportunity Zones 2.0 on the horizon, many communities have been asking: What's new this time? How has the program evolved? What will it take to ensure that the next wave of incentives leads to real, equitable impact on the ground? In this Connecting Communities session, participants explored the fundamentals of Opportunity Zones, including what they are, what's changing, and why those shifts matter. Attendees also heard from practitioners across the country who are already doing this work in communities, ranging from small towns to major metropolitan areas. Speakers shared considerations for preparing project pipelines, forming partnerships, and building the local capacity needed to make the most of OZ 2.0. The discussion also examined practical questions, including: When does it make sense to launch your own Qualified Opportunity Fund, work with established social‑impact investors, or simply act as a matchmaker connecting investors with ready projects? What capabilities, relationships, and resources needed to effectively channel OZ capital into communities? How can new collaborative efforts determine the right role for different potential partners based on your community context? Whether representing a community development corporation, local government, nonprofit organization, or community foundation, participants gained concrete examples and actionable guidance for building the infrastructure needed to turn Opportunity Zone potential into tangible, equitable community impact. Additional resources: The Opportunity for Alignment: OZ Investments and the Community Reinvestment Act: https://www.frbsf.org/research-and-insights/publications/community-development-articles/2026/09/opportunity-for-alignment-oz-cra/ Opportunity Zones 2.0 will offer place-based investment in low-income communities: https://fedcommunities.org/opportunity-zones-2-0-will-offer-place-based-investment-low-income-communities/

September 10, 202659 min

When Every Dollar Counts: Worker Perspectives on the Economy

In this recent Connection Communities webinar, discover how low- to moderate-income workers adapt to rising costs and limited opportunities . Hear firsthand stories, research highlights, and Federal Reserve leaders' insights on how financial pressures shape choices, resilience, and the future of our economy. Watch or listen on demand. What does it mean to 'tighten your belt' when you've already run out of notches? Through a compelling combination of on-the-ground research and policy expertise, this session examined how workers who earn low to moderate incomes (LMI) are navigating rising costs, limited opportunities, and a challenging job market. Attendees gained insights on the effects financial distress of LMI communities have on labor market dynamics and economic mobility and resilience. Featuring highlights from the Worker Perspectives research, this session revealed the daily realities of individuals struggling to make ends meet and illuminated how financial pressure shapes their consumption patterns, employment choices, and long-term planning. Attendees also heard perspectives from the Presidents of the Federal Reserve Banks of Cleveland and Chicago, and the Executive Vice President over Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta on how insights from various economic stakeholders, including workers and job seekers, provides a unique window in economic conditions and helps to shape monetary policy considerations. Through this session, policymakers deepened their understanding of how LMI populations experience the economy and the effect of their behavior on macroeconomic trends. Employers gained perspectives on evolving workforce needs and the financial pressures shaping their labor supply and worker decisions. Organizations serving workers and job seekers discovered actionable insights to better support economic mobility and build household resilience. More on the Worker Perspectives research: https://fedcommunities.org/research/worker-perspectives/

August 20, 20261 hr 27 min

Place-Based Strategies: Strengthening Local Economies Through Labor Market Policies

Place plays an important role in shaping the economic outcomes of residents. Place-based stratgies have long been used to address employment and mobility barriers in lower-income communities. However, evidence on the effectiveness of such intiatives has been mixed. During this seminar, presented by the Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta and Philadelphia on August 12, 2026, researchers examined the impact of workforce development programs, shared ideas to strengthen their effectiveness, and offered insights to help inform future place-based strategies.

August 13, 20261 hr 0 min

Understanding Benefits Cliffs Evidence Insights

Benefits cliffs are increasingly recognized as a critical barrier to economic mobility in communities across the country. When a raise, promotion, or new job pushes an individual or family above eligibility thresholds for public benefits, the result can be a net financial loss. This creates difficult choices for workers, employers, and policymakers. As awareness of benefits cliffs grows, so does momentum around research, policy innovation, and community-driven solutions. This Connecting Communities webinar brought together researchers and practitioners to explore the latest evidence on how benefits cliffs affect workforce participation and economic opportunity, highlight promising strategies emerging from innovative pilots, and identify priorities for future research. During this event, participants learned more about: key research findings on how benefits cliffs affect employment and advancement decisions for workers and job seekers, learnings from innovative pilot programs designed to reduce the impact of benefits cliffs, and a research agenda that can inform more effective, equitable solutions for policymakers, community-based organizations, and employers. Related Resources: What Are Benefits Cliffs?: https://www.atlantafed.org/what-we-study/workforce-development/advancing-careers-for-low-income-families/what-are-benefits-cliffs The Research Landscape for Benefits Cliffs: Reviewing the Benefits Cliffs Research: https://www.atlantafed.org/-/media/Project/Atlanta/FRBA/Documents/news/events/2026/02/12/2026-benefits-cliffs-research-convening/conference-recap.pdf Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) tool: https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/data/cliff-tool Benefits Cliff Story Series: https://fedcommunities.org/benefits-cliffs/

July 1, 20261 hr 28 min

Place-Based Strategies: Strengthening Rural Economies through Investment

Investment is a critical part of any healthy, growing economy, and plays a key role in rural economic development. During this seminar presented by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond on June 25, 2026, experts discussed the barriers to community investment in smaller towns and rural communities. The seminar featured insights from the Richmond Fed's Rural Investment Collaborative as well as research on factors that support community investment.

June 15, 202659 min

Highlights from the 2025 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking

During this Connecting Communities webinar, researchers from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors shared key findings from the annual Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) , which was fielded in October 2025 and released on May 13, 2026. The survey is a key tool for measuring the economic well-being of U.S. households and identifying potential risks to their finances. In addition to monitoring household financial circumstances, each year the survey explores a range of related topics. In 2025, it introduced new questions about the use of generative Artificial Intelligence at work, alongside expanded modules on family finances, employment, and economic hardships. The survey also continues to track other financial topics such as access to credit, housing affordability, savings and investments, child care costs, and banking. Attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with the panelists during a live Q&A session, gaining deeper context and clarity on the findings. Related resources : Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking Interactive Charts Codebook for the 2025 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (PDF)

May 13, 202658 min

Bank On and Reaching the Unbanked in Our Communities

According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), approximately 5.6 million households are without a checking or savings account – otherwise known as "unbanked." Unbanked households lack a secure and safe place to store their money and can miss out on interest gains and credit-building opportunities. This Connecting Communities webinar featured leaders from organizations focused on advancing banking access for households through safe and affordable accounts via the Bank On program. Panelists also explored findings from the most recent Bank On National Data (BOND) Hub, hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. This interactive conversation highlighted the benefits of having a bank account, lessons learned in reaching unbanked and underbanked households, strategies for building strong partnerships between financial institutions, local governments, and nonprofit organizations, and how data can inform access to banking. Whether you're a financial institution, policymaker, nonprofit leader, researcher, or advocate, this session will provide practical insights to advancing financial access in your community. Attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with the panelists during a live Q&A session, which provided deeper context and clarity to the findings.

April 15, 202657 min

Unlocking the Voice of Small Businesses: New Insights from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey

The Small Business Credit Survey (SBCS) has been administered nationally since 2016 by the 12 Federal Reserve Banks in collaboration with a network of hundreds of community and business groups throughout the country. The SBCS gathers information from thousands of small-business owners on business conditions and characteristics, credit experiences, and owner demographics. It continues to be the largest national dataset of its kind, and its reports provide awareness of small business challenges and how owners respond to them. During this webinar, Federal Reserve experts provided an in-depth look at findings from the 2026 Report on Employer Firms . They explored key insights from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, including: Business financing needs Credit approval outcomes and challenges Customer dynamics and trade activity Adoption of artificial intelligence This session offered timely, data-driven perspectives for those working directly with small businesses, supporting economic development efforts, or seeking to better understand the current small business landscape. Attendees gained actionable insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping small businesses nationwide. Business financing needs Credit approval outcomes and challenges Customer dynamics and trade activity Adoption of artificial intelligence This session offered timely, data-driven perspectives for those working directly with small businesses, supporting economic development efforts, or seeking to better under stand the current small business landscape. Attendees gained actionalbe insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping small businesses nationwide.

April 11, 20261 hr 28 min

2026 Federal Reserve Community Development Research Seminar Series: Place-Based Strategies: Strengthening Local Economies

Where an individual lives can play a role in shiping their employment opportunities and interactions. While issues related to where a person is located have been overshadowed by issues related to an individual's personal circumstances, this is starting to shift. During this seminar, presented by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors on April 2, 2026, experts from research and policy discussed how location affects job markets and can contribute to income inequality.

February 11, 20261 hr 29 min

How Fed Data Tools Can Inform Economic Mobility

Occupational and economic mobility are crucial for a healthy economy that supports all. In this Connecting Communities webinar, learn more about the Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland's Occupational Mobility Explorer (OME) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) tools. The OME sheds light on skills-based career pathways in the US labor market for jobseekers and employers. CLIFF tools help workers understand how career advancement decisions may affect public benefits, taxes, and tax credits. Together, these two tools can help workers and employers identify potential career advancement opportunities and better understand how such trajectories might better position them for greater economic stability. The session provides a brief overview of each tool and demonstrates how they can be used together to help individuals understand their economic mobility journey. This includes a better understanding of their possible career paths and the potential financial implications of specific occupational choices . Panelists from organizations that use data resources, including these tools, shared their perspectives on skills-based hiring, helping workers navigate benefits cliffs, and ways to foster partnerships with employers. Related resources: Occupational Mobility Explorer Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster Fed Communities' Benefits Cliff story series Powerful tool helps job seekers chart a path to higher-paying roles

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