The Atlanta Fed's Community and Economic Development function supports the Central Bank's mandate of stable prices and maximum employment by helping improve the economic opportunity of low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals and underserved places for a stronger economy for all Americans. Community development is one of the Federal Reserve’s core functions and this responsibility is rooted in its mandates from Congress.
We accomplish this mission and work to understand the economic experiences of LMI households and communities by:
- Holding interviews and roundtables with a variety of stakeholders, including consumers and workers, to better understand how economic conditions are impacting urban, suburban, and rural communities and households across the Southeast.
- Conducting research and sharing information to inform community efforts to promote economic opportunity.
- Connecting stakeholders, including financial institutions, local nonprofits, and funders, to identify emerging issues and opportunities to collaborate.
Responding to regional needs
The Atlanta Fed Community and Economic Development function is focused on three areas selected to best meet needs in the Southeast:
Inclusive Pathways to Careers
Identify and support actionable ways to eliminate or mitigate barriers for career pathways by gathering evidence to foster systems, policies, investments, and programs that improve employment outcomes for job seekers and employers alike.
Identify and support actionable ways to eliminate or mitigate barriers for career pathways by gathering evidence to foster systems, policies, investments, and programs that improve employment outcomes for job seekers and employers alike.
Strategic Capital Deployment
Study and convene stakeholders (such as government, financial institutions, and nonprofits) on community development investment in the Southeast, including those engaged in the work of the Community Reinvestment Act, to improve economic opportunity and foster a stronger economy.
Study and convene stakeholders (such as government, financial institutions, and nonprofits) on community development investment in the Southeast, including those engaged in the work of the Community Reinvestment Act, to improve economic opportunity and foster a stronger economy.
Effective Southeast Models
Understand and share approaches throughout the Southeast (particularly the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee) that work to advance economic opportunity for people and places through housing, workforce development, entrepreneurship and small business, disaster resilience, and other community-based solutions.
Understand and share approaches throughout the Southeast (particularly the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee) that work to advance economic opportunity for people and places through housing, workforce development, entrepreneurship and small business, disaster resilience, and other community-based solutions.
Supporting the Federal Reserve’s supervisory and monetary policy roles
The community development function arose from the Federal Reserve's responsibilities as a bank supervisor and regulator. As part of regulating and supervising banks, the Fed helps ensure they comply with fair lending laws and the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).
Under the CRA, banks are required to meet the credit needs of residents and businesses in the communities where they operate, including LMI and underserved rural areas. To support these efforts, community development staff conduct research and outreach to understand economic, financial, and community conditions and foster relationships between the financial institutions and the community stakeholders.
The insights we gain about the economic and financial conditions of LMI people and places also help to inform Fed leaders on monetary policy decisions that support a vibrant economy. To meet these policy goals, we must understand how people from all walks of life experience the economy and how policy decisions affect their experiences.