PolicyMap Participates in the Federal Reserve Community Leaders Forum

The Federal Reserve Board, along with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, recently invited PolicyMap to participate in a new initiative called the Community Leaders Forum. The Forum’s purpose is to test ways for the Fed to support rising community leaders and to help the Fed to understand the implications of emerging trends on underserved communities.  The idea is to improve the community development field through peer-to-peer learning and to improve the Fed’s Community Development function’s understanding of and response to emerging trends, and their impact on underserved consumers and communities.

Each of the three participating banks brought four rising leaders to Washington, DC, last week to discuss the issues that we’re finding in our communities and among our clients.  We discussed issues ranging from the many challenges of homeownership in post-recession underserved communities to managing the costs and benefits of college education, considering the current cost of education.

We were introduced to numerous fascinating Fed employees and appointees, including Governor Sarah Bloom Raskin, and Sandra Braunstein, to name only a few of those who generously shared their time and insights with us.  We also received a tour of the beautiful Board building, and we were given the chance to network with many Federal Reserve Board and Bank dignitaries on various occasions.

Using Knowledge Central, the Fed’s online collaboration tool, our hosts and the members of the Community Leaders Forum have already continued the conversation from last week’s meeting.  We look forward to future stimulating and insightful thoughts from our colleagues and our friends at the Fed!