How resilient is your community’s workforce?

A strong, adaptive workforce is a key driver of community stability. During this Connecting Communities webinar, Bill Rodgers, vice president of Community Development Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, presented on current trends in the labor market. A panel of workforce experts and practitioners delved into actionable strategies that you can implement to proactively build and maintain a more resilient workforce in your community.

June 5, 2025- During this Connecting Communities webinar, researchers from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors presented the key findings from the annual Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED). This survey was fielded in October 2024 and released on May 28, 2025. The SHED is a key tool of the Federal Reserve Board, as it helps to understand the financial circumstances of low-income families and understanding potential risks to their financial health. The researchers discussed trends in family finances, employment, and the financial risks faced by U.S. adults.

In addition to monitoring major aspects of household financial circumstances on an ongoing basis. Each year the survey also covers other topics that can directly affect financial well-being. In 2024, the survey included new questions on financial fraud, reintroduced questions on gig work, and expanded the modules on caregiving and homeowners’ insurance—answers to which were covered in this session. Additionally, the survey continues to ask questions on the use of credit products, savings, and housing.

Additional Resources:

Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED): https://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerscommunities/shed.htm

February 13, 2025. From the northeast corner of Maine to west central Texas, leaders are partnering with regional Reserve Banks—and each other—in unique ways to help ensure that local economies work better for everyone. What does it take to work across sectors and collaborate effectively to help change a local economy?

Local leaders who participated in three Fed-supported place-based initiatives, Working Places (Boston), Advance Together (Dallas), and Southern Cities Economic Inclusion (Atlanta), discussed during a panel what economic challenges each initiative took on and how they partnered with Federal Reserve Banks’ community development departments to address them. They also shared results of this work.

During this Connecting Communities webinar gain perspectives on what’s needed to build sustainable and impactful collaborations. Learn more about how different sectors can contribute to and benefit from engaging in place-based initiatives, and strategies for navigating common roadblocks to achieve long-term results.