Unequal access to capital has existed historically and continues to persist between places, groups of people, types of businesses, and type of products or purposes. Whether it is due to intentional discrimination, or a downstream result of the presence of financial institutions, regulation, credit profiles, or geography, this lack of access to financing causes substantial detriment for individuals and communities. By removing the ability to access debt, you in turn, remove the ability to generate economic growth and wealth. To address these vital disparities in any community or region, the crucial first step is to develop an understanding of where and how capital flows and gaps exist.
How do we know where capital is flowing, for what uses, and where the private market is currently failing to provide adequate financing for investable projects?
Baltimore
- Neighborhood Investment Flows in Baltimore With a Case Study on the East Baltimore Development Initiative
- “The Black Butterfly”: Racial Segregation and Investment Patterns in Baltimore
Cleveland
Chicago
- Exploring Capital Flows in Chicago
- Neighborhood Disparities in Investment Flows in Chicago
- In Chicago, Access to Capital Depends on Your Neighborhood
Detroit
- Commercial Investment in Detroit: Summary Findings
- Coming Back from the Brink: Capital Flows and Neighborhood Patterns in Commercial, Industrial, and Multifamily Investment in Detroit
- Mission Finance in the Motor City
- How Detroit leaders can build on the city’s investment momentum
- The Tipping Point
Fresno
Memphis
Milwaukee
Minneapolis/St. Paul
New Orleans
Washington, DC region
National studies
- Gauging Investment Patterns across the US
- Tracking the Unequal Distribution of Community Development Funding in the US
- Measuring Community Needs, Capital Flows, and Capital Gaps
- Community Development Financial Flows: How US Counties Compare
- Expanding Community Development Financial Institutions
- Neighborhood Investment Flows
Commentary
- Preventing Unequal Investment in U.S. Cities
- What the Bay Area and Cleveland reveal about trends in federal community development funding
- How does your county fare in accessing federal community development funding?
Events
- Investment, Growth, and Equity in the DC Region: Where Are We, and Where Are We Heading?
- Developing Local Community and Economic Development Ecosystems
- Tracking Capital Flows and Gaps in Communities
Or view our additional community economic development work on Opportunity Zones and CDFIs.
Photo by Matthew Johnson