New Community Development Journal

The context in which many community development and social service initiatives were developed in the 1960s and 1970s has been radically changed: technology continues to alter the connection between corporations and places; local governments are pursuing more market-oriented approaches to service delivery; and low-income people are increasingly isolated from places of opportunity. Yet, many public and civic-led initiatives concerned with poverty have not adapted to these new realities. This paper argues that new kinds of civic intermediaries are needed to link market principles with regional poverty alleviation. It argues that community development financial institutions (CDFIs) may be well positioned to fill this role and draws lessons from The Reinvestment Fund in Philadelphia. The new journal, Capital Ideas, will be a collection of provocative, accessible articles that public officials, private sector investors and lenders, non profit leaders, real estate practitioners and community organizations can rely on to spark their thinking.