Southern New Hampshire University professor Michael Swack answers basic questions about capital markets and explains how community development lenders can raise their capacity by tapping into these markets.

Abusive lending practices have made headlines around the nation, and the issue remains hotly debated. Stephen O'Sullivan gives an overview and an update on the issue. He focuses on how various regulators and legislators are trying to curb abuses without limiting access to the subprime market.

Microloans, also known as microfinancing, peer-to-peer lending, and crowdfunding, started out as a means for individuals, such as impoverished borrowers who lack collateral and underprivileged women in third world countries, to provide for themselves. The way microloan markets operate is quite...

Public pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, and universities increasingly pursue community investments because they deliver on twin goals: high financial returns and economic growth in underserved areas. Since 2000, mission-related investments have grown at a 19.5 percent compound...

Public pension funds can play a role not only in ensuring retirees’ economic security, but also in promoting local economic-development goals. That’s why increasing numbers of elected officials and trustees are investigating “economically targeted investment.”

Increasingly, community development organizations are being asked to quantify the impact that they have on low- and moderate-income communities. Sean Zielenbach offers advice about undertaking this daunting and complicated task.

Paul Williams of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston examines the value of developing a complete understanding of the communities we serve.

When advocates for affordable housing and parks join forces, both are more likely to accomplish their goals. The authors describe successes that are inspiring replication nationwide.

Many community development challenges are intractable because it’s hard to convene all the relevant stakeholders to work on real solutions with real consequences. Now a few organizations are trying out multiplayer scenarios as a way to give serious thought to opposing views. Scenarios feel...