A turning point brings CDFIs back to their community mission

Community First Fund’s model as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) helped create true credit unions that support underserved small businesses.

The organization has always been a community development leader, having transformed Lancaster neighborhoods through development investments for private, nonprofit, and public borrowers.

Now it is addressing underserved entrepreneurs while expanding across PA and into NJ. 

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Policing 2.0 needed to combat staffing shortages in small and large communities

The worker shortage extends to the government, and police departments are struggling as a result.

Big cities have trouble retaining officers and small communities cannot pay for sufficient salaries and benefits.

From residency requirements to regionalism, it is time to rethink policing. 

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Philadelphia stands to lead the pack on climate adaption

After Hurricane Ida shut down half of Philadelphia in 2021, Mayor Kenney led the development of a Climate Action Playbook.

The plan allows for greener solutions to storm water infrastructure, cleaner water, and improved public health.

Philly also joined other U.S. Cities to honor the Paris Agreement provisions. 

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Recovery programs deserve improved metrics for evaluation of success

It is sometimes difficult to identify metrics for program success, but it is ineffective to use overdose deaths to evaluate addiction treatment.

Access to and use of treatment are more appropriate measures.

The more granular the data (by race, gender, ethnicity, and geography), the greater the opportunity to implement successful programs.

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COVID-19 UBI pilot shows promise in Minneapolis

Universal Basic Income (UBI) programs are developing throughout the country, with varying areas of focus.

Many are undergoing significant evaluative processes to ensure successful replicability and scalability.

For instance, a program for 200 Minneapolis families with annual incomes at or below 50 percent of the area median income, and adversely affected by COVID-19, will receive $500 monthly for two years. 

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Organizations continue to reduce education requirements to beat the worker shortage

Many organizational leaders are reevaluating job descriptions and eliminating degree requirements for open positions.

In fact, the practice is gaining prevalence among governmental entities and is likely to fuel the growth of the “some college, no degree” population.

This population grew 8.6 percent from 2020 to 2021.

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