The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States, with responsibility for overseeing the nation's monetary system. The Federal Reserve System includes 12 independent regional Reserve Banks, located across the United States, as well as the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, DC. Each Reserve Bank brings distinct data and perspectives from their regions to the Board of Governors, so the economic experiences of all Americans are represented in the formation of monetary policy.
Established by Congress in 1913, the Fed promotes a healthy economy and financial stability by
- setting the nation's monetary policy;
- promoting financial system stability;
- supervising and regulating financial institutions;
- fostering a safe, efficient, and accessible payments system; and
- promoting consumer protection and community development.
By design, the Fed is nonpartisan and decentralized in order to conduct monetary policy that is in the long-run, best interest of the economy. The Fed is open and transparent about its operations and accountable to the American people through comprehensive audits and reviews, as well as regular reports to Congress.
Just the (Fed) Facts
100 Years of Central Banking
Federal Reserve System: Structure and Functions
The Federal Reserve System: Purposes and Functions
Federal Open Market Committee
Other Federal Reserve Websites
The Federal Reserve System Online
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Lines of Business Websites
Community Affairs in the Federal Reserve System
FederalReserveEducation.org
Federal Reserve Financial Services
Federal Reserve System Discount Window
You can go to a district-based map of all Fed District Websites, courtesy of the Federal Reserve System Online.