The Community Development department of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis devotes time each year to raise awareness of innovations in the community development field and to search for new ways to improve life in low- and moderate-income areas.

What is ahead for our communities?  How can we continue to provide community development services during the current climate of austerity?  What are some best practices in leveraging resources?

This May 13, 2013 "Exploring Innovation" event featured: 

• Kristin Faust, director of lending and network services with Partners for the Common Good (PCG), whose mission is to advance economic justice and opportunity by partnering with organizations that provide access to capital for low-income people and communities.
• Ben Brown, principal/storyteller with PlaceMakers, an organization that addresses the full scope of placemaking, from planning and design to community engagement and implementation.
• Bill Taft, executive director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Indianapolis, a national organization committed to transforming distressed neighborhoods into healthy communities.
• Ted Howard, executive director of The Democracy Collaborative, a national leader in community development, which is pioneering innovative models of job creation, wealth building and sustainability using employee-owned, for-profit cooperatives.

See the VIDEO “2013 Exploring Innovation Week — Summary”

• Kristin Faust: Director of Lending and Network Services, Partners for the Common Good
• Ben Brown: Principal, PlaceMakers
• Bill Taft: Executive Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Indianapolis
• Ted Howard: Co-founder and Executive Director, The Democracy Collaborative at the University of Maryland
• Q&A

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More about the Speakers