The Minneapolis Fed engages with communities in our six-state District and, through our Community Development team, works closely with policymakers and grass-roots leaders on topics such as housing and early childhood development.
Community Development
The Community Development and Engagement team at the Minneapolis Fed advances the economic well-being of Indian Country and low- to moderate-income individuals, households, and communities. Through applied research, data analysis, and policy development, we intend to make a substantial contribution to public policy. We are proud to be the home of the Center for Indian Country Development, which supports the prosperity of Native nations and Indigenous communities through actionable data and research.
Our work began in 1981, when Congress established a network of Community Affairs offices throughout the Federal Reserve System to provide a source of information and guidance about the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). In addition to serving as a resource on community reinvestment, we work closely with policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders on topics that affect low- and moderate-income families, such as housing affordability and labor market policies.
Community Outreach
We engage with our Ninth District communities through economic education, public events, and open town hall forums covering a variety of financial and monetary policy topics.
Our Helena Branch sponsors the Native American Mentoring Program, which focuses on career development with the goal of creating a pipeline of successful high school and college interns. In Minneapolis, we also promote a popular paid summer internship program.
To educate and engage with the public, we connect through our booth at the Minnesota State Fair and at other events, such as Doors Open. Our experts are available to speak to clubs and organizations. We host a Conversation with the Fed series, an ongoing regional economic webinar series, and Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari annually conducts town hall sessions in each of the district’s states, meeting with diverse audiences to bring their views and guidance to Washington, D.C., when he meets with colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee.