Promoting Economic Resilience through Community Development

Our Community Development team worked at the local, regional and national levels to promote the economic resilience and mobility of low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. This work included researching topics fundamental to the financial well-being of these groups and fostering community partnerships.

Financial Well-Being Initiative

In 2025, the St. Louis Fed strengthened its commitment to promoting economic resilience in the Eighth District through its financial well-being initiative. This multifaceted program helped increase understanding of credit and capital access among lower-income communities.

The team launched the initiative with 12 community roundtables across the Eighth District.

St. Louis Fed Community Development strategist Neelu Panth leads a financial well-being roundtable at the St. Louis Community Foundation in March 2025.

Building on findings from these roundtables, the team hosted five Conversations on Financial Well-Being events. These forums drew more than 350 attendees—community leaders, bankers and nonprofit organizers—who discussed navigating obstacles that prevent greater financial well-being for underserved groups and communities.

The initiative culminated in October with the Crossing the Credit Barrier Conference hosted by the St. Louis Fed in partnership with the Richmond, Boston and Philadelphia Reserve banks. The conference attracted community development practitioners and researchers from across the nation and featured the newly published Access to Credit and Financial Services report.

Community Development researcher Mike Eggleston engages with panelists during the Crossing the Credit Barrier Conference in October 2025 at the St. Louis Fed.

Community Investment Explorer

Integral to the Community Development team’s financial well-being initiative in 2025 were significant updates to the St. Louis Fed’s Community Investment Explorer (CIE) tool. This interactive tool leverages national and regional data to show the distribution of community and economic development capital at state, regional and neighborhood levels.

In 2025, the CIE tool allowed users to see funding trends, rural funding flows and additional data measures. These enhancements provide a more comprehensive understanding of federal funding patterns across different geographies.