Economic Inclusion

HUD: 2022 Year in Review

This year, Secretary Marcia L. Fudge led the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to bold action in pursuit of the agency’s mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes. These actions aligned with key Biden-Harris Administration priorities, including easing the burden of housing costs, removing barriers to homeownership, expanding…

HUD: Over $9 Million Awarded to Public Housing Agencies for Jobs Plus Program

Awards will help bridge the wealth gap by connecting residents of public housing to employment and education The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded over $9 million to 4 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to help families increase their earned income and improve their economic mobility through the Jobs Plus program. Jobs…

HUD: Agency Seeking First-of-Its-Kind Input to More Equitably and Accurately Allocate Disaster Recovery Funds

Two new Requests for Information (RFIs) to mark inaugural feedback effort for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released two new Requests for Information (RFIs), marking the first time the Department has asked the public for feedback on how to simplify, modernize, and…

Census Bureau: New Data Released on Minority-Owned, Veteran-Owned, and Women-Owned Businesses

The U.S. Census Bureau today released new estimates on the characteristics of employer businesses. According to the 2021 Annual Business Survey (ABS), which covers reference year 2020, approximately 1.15 million or 19.9% of employer businesses in 2020 were minority-owned; 320,864 (5.6%) were veteran-owned; and around 1.24 million (21.4%) were owned by women. This release also includes demographic data by…

FDIC: New National Survey Finds that Despite COVID-19 Pandemic, Record 96% of U.S. Households Were Banked in 2021

Latest FDIC national survey finds record low six million households remain unbanked Despite unprecedented economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 96 percent of U.S. households were banked in 2021, according to the latest national survey released today by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC’s 2021 National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households also…

ABA: New Partnership Between ABA and National Bankers Association Announced to Serve Minority Depository Institutions

The American Bankers Association and the National Bankers Association today announced a new series of semiannual MDI partnership summits designed to connect midsize and regional banks with minority depository institutions (MDIs) across the United States. Sponsored by ABA’s Minority Depository Institutions Advisory Council (MDIAC), the summits will begin in 2023 and will be held during an ABA spring…

EDA: 51 “Build to Scale” Grants Totaling $47 Million Announced to Fuel Innovation and Tech-Based Economic Development

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding 51 “Build to Scale” grants – totaling $47 million – to organizations that support technology entrepreneurs, catalyze innovation and fuel economic growth. EDA’s “Build to Scale” program provides annual grants that aim to accelerate technology entrepreneurship by increasing inclusive access to entrepreneurial…

HUD: FHA Takes New Step to Explore Increasing Availability of Small Balance Mortgages

Request for Information published today seeks industry input as a starting point to encourage greater origination of small balance mortgages for FHA insurance.  The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is announcing today the publication of a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register seeking input on ways it can facilitate increased access to smaller balance mortgages through its Single…

SBA: $7.2 Million in PRIME Grants Awarded to Help Emerging Micro-Entrepreneurs Gain Access to Capital

Grants Will Help 38 Small Business Support Organizations Provide Technical Assistance and Training Services to Economically Disadvantaged Businesses, Rural Small Businesses, and Foreign Language Entrepreneurs   Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 33 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced a $7.2 million grant award to 38…

SBA: Groundbreaking Partnerships Announced to Connect Small and Disadvantaged Businesses to Infrastructure Programs

DOT Will Host Business Forum to Improve Access to Capital and Resources in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Today, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the USDOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) and the US Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) announced partnerships to help small and disadvantaged businesses access the resources they need…