Freddie Mac’s Post

In a recent CommonWealth Beacon, Chris Smith (Boston After School & Beyond) and Matthew Brunell (Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership) write, "Every young person deserves to have access to after-school and summer programs because school alone is no longer sufficient for closing opportunity and achievement gaps.” They argue that Massachusetts should amplify financial support for programs like EVkids and that the investment is well worth it: studies show that every dollar invested in quality after-school programs yields a $3 increase in earning potential. Read more: bit.ly/3wAlz3t Learn more about how EVkids is breaking down barriers to education equity: evkids.org

Kudos to Cornell University: Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and Dean Barry for putting together such an outstanding panel of speakers on "Addressing Housing Inequality through Business and Policy Innovation" 👏 Thank you to former HUD Secretary and Latino Community Foundation CEO, Julián Castro, Professor Laura Tach of Cornell, developer and visionary Ernst Valery of the Aequo Fund, and former Midwest Multifamily Director (HUD) and Loyola law professor, Dan Burke, for your insights and prescriptions!   Main takeaways: 🏘 The Low Income Tax Credit (LITC) is the engine block of affordable housing but entails complex public and private funding layers ("lasagna") that make financing take a long time 🏘 Particular barriers facing rural communities and multifamily construction - economic, political, cultural 🏘 "Where the capital goes matters" - the power and role developers and investors have in solving the housing crisis 🏘 Ultimately the need for Planning, Policy, and Business to bring their respective disciplines and viewpoints to bear on the problem. Build smarter! Go Big Red 🐻

Our quarterly publication, Baird Digest, always provides great information for today’s circumstances. In our most recent issue, Tim Steffen, Director of Advanced Planning, shares ways to take advantage of one of your most valuable assets – your home. Read more to learn about five housing decisions you might make over the course of your lifetime. #Baird #FinancialPlanning #WeAreBaird #AdvancedPlanning

We are only as strong as the community that surrounds us, and it’s businesses like HT Wills that make the biggest impact. In a recent conversation with Val from HT Wills Real Estate, I had the privilege of discussing how partnerships like theirs are the backbone of our work placement programs. For 15 years, Val and her team have opened their doors to Business Services students, giving them firsthand experience of what it’s like to work in a thriving real estate environment.   It’s a reminder that when businesses step up to provide these opportunities, they are doing more than just hosting—they are shaping the next generation of professionals. It’s this commitment to giving back that makes all the difference.      If you’ve ever considered how your business can contribute to the future workforce, now is the time. By offering students a window into your industry, you’re not just teaching skills—you’re changing lives. https://lnkd.in/dZj8gW-G The Youth Partnership Youth Futures Network HT Wills Real Estate - St. George #CommunityImpact #YouthDevelopment #RealWorldExperience #BusinessLeaders #GivingBack #FutureWorkforce #HTWills

The Philadelphia Fed aims to promote a healthy, inclusive economy and a stable financial system by creating a strong foundation for all individuals, families, communities, and businesses to fully participate in the economy and thrive. Driving change means that we must think, plan, and act on a local level and support our communities. That is why we are excited to launch the 2024 Reinventing Our Communities (ROC) Cohort Program, which is bringing together 11 communities across nine states for a 14-month training program focused on building an ecosystem that supports collaboration and community-led solutions for addressing barriers to economic mobility and strengthening the region’s economy. Please join us in welcoming the participating communities from our region: • Camden, New Jersey • Easton, Pennsylvania • Lancaster County, Pennsylvania • Lebanon County, Pennsylvania Each cohort of cross-sector community leaders is developing a locally tailored, multiyear plan to expand economic opportunities and strengthen their regional economy. Learn more about the ROC program and participating communities. https://bit.ly/4bntT68 Read the press release here: https://bit.ly/42lsA3M

No one likes to get yelled at. It's not fun, but today, I volunteered to be yelled at, all in good fun. The Stock Market Challenge put on by Junior Achievement of South Florida is always an intense couple of hours helping high school students buy low and sell high. Financial literacy for kids is so important, especially for those about to go into the real world. Hands-on lessons that will stay with them for a lifetime. What experiences do you remember from high school? #marketing #marketingconsulting #marketingandadvertising #business #financialliteracy #community

If you missed Campden Wealth Education's inaugural Module 1: Becoming Responsible Stewards of Family Wealth, have no fear. The next session is starting Feb. 19, with the live case study taking place at 8am ET on March 12. I hope you can join me! #familywealth #familyenterprise #familyoffice #familybusiness #stewardship #generationalwealth https://lnkd.in/egJeCTB4

Over the last five years, local efforts, state programs, and federal resources have combined to create catalytic opportunity in Colorado for rural education and economic development. This work has evolved from single school district bright spots to powerful regional and economic endeavors that are poised for breakthrough success.   In a new report, Colorado Education Initiative, Colorado Succeeds, Empower Schools, and Lyra Colorado share knowledge about the work and impacts that have occurred and are emerging in rural Colorado education and economic development, and to place these efforts in context amid growing state momentum.   Coalesced around desires to create pathways of opportunity for students and families that lead to living wages, connect learning to in-demand jobs, and spur community-driven change, these collective efforts represent a turning point in rural Colorado’s history that could lay the foundation for lasting shared prosperity. The report highlights important insights about the roles of policy and funding in creating current conditions for success — as well as ongoing barriers — to inform Colorado’s next phase.   Read more and download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gbcPtMCs

Ground Hog Day and Economic Development: In the 1993 Movie, Ground Hog Day, Bill Murry's character, Phil Connors was given the "blessing" or maybe it was a "Curse" to relive the same day over and over again. Throughout the movie we see Phil experience a full range of actions, experiences, and emotions all in the effort to move past this point in time and move onto the future. The problem was not that the future was not ready for him, the problem was Phil, Rita and the Town of Punxsutawney, PA (in the movie not in real life) were not ready for the future. Anyone who works in Economic Development can see the future for their city or county. They can see the future of a Downtown in the slow process of revitalization, suburban legacy shopping center, greenfield site, or a blighted inn. We as economic developers actually lose sleep at night thinking about the possibilities, the obstacles and challenges to move that next project forward. Many times we think it is just money so we work to secure grant funding for studies, plans, renderings only to be met by some additional obstacles. My office is full of studies, master plans, reports for different properties, buildings, sites. Some of those plans have come to pass but far to many of them collect dust on the shelf or fall out site and out of mind in the bottom of a filing cabinet. But the life lessons Phill Conners learned in Ground Hog Day are the same life lessons we need to learn as Economic Developers. Here are a few of my observations: 1. Not all problems are solved with money. 2. Don't limit your investments to property, buildings and businesses..... invest in people. 3. Individual talent will always fall short of organized team effort. 4. Learn how to pivot. Not every project, plan or dream will be successful. 5. You can never have too much insurance. 6. Timing is everything. 7. Lets live here! Work to make space to live and your future will be full of life. I believe that when we learn these life lessons and apply them to our daily efforts of economic development, like Phil Conner we will wake up to a new day and look out side to see the future is here. Happy Ground Hog Day 2024!

As someone passionate about financial literacy for people of all ages, I believe starting young with an allowance can help instill valuable money management skills early on. I'm excited to share that I've been featured again in RAISING ARIZONA KIDS Magazine! Check out page 18 of the Summer 2024 issue to read my article "Save Money This Summer With An Allowance." I discuss practical tips on how to make summer fun and financially savvy for your family. https://lnkd.in/gxW_YpGC Let me know your thoughts! #FinanceTips #SummerSavings #TwoSenseConsulting #FinancialLiteracy