Open Source Solutions
The Open Source Solutions series highlights innovative community development ideas offered by experts from across the field.
2019
Community Development Leadership: Early Visionaries Inspire Tomorrow’s Success
Posted November 12, 2019
This paper draws on interviews with 12 diverse long-time leaders in community development and identifies a number of common themes for what inspired and drove them. It provides a framework to describe four phases of leadership and makes recommendations for current and future community development leaders.
Why Credit Scores and Payday Lending Matter for Health
Posted October 3, 2019
Greater inclusion in affordable credit markets and other policies that protect consumers from high cost debt could improve both the financial well-being and physical health of millions of adults. New epidemiologic evidence has shown strong connections between exposure to high cost short-term debt and poor health. This paper summarizes what is known on this topic and potential solutions.
The Arts and the Power of the Passionate Banker
Posted March 27, 2019
This paper explores the role that banks can play in supporting arts and cultural investments in low-income communities. Based on a series of interviews with CRA bankers, it provides examples of how banks are involved in the arts and explores the ways in which banks may receive CRA consideration for investments in community arts organizations. The paper also provides helpful conversation starters to support emerging partnerships between banks and arts organizations.
Evaluating Empowerment Economics: A Preliminary Framework for Assessing Innovations in Financial Capability
Posted February 20, 2019
“Empowerment economics” is a multigenerational and culturally responsive approach to financial capability developed by and for low-income Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and other communities of color. This report offers a preliminary evaluation framework that is intended to make visible the innovative approaches and potential outcomes associated with empowerment economics.
