Mary Donnan and Victor Farmer discuss two projects in the Fifth District that illustrate the challenges of economic development in rural communities and the importance of philanthropic organizations in addressing those challenges. They also reflect on how the Richmond Fed's Community Investment Training program helped move the projects forward. Donnan is executive director of the Alleghany Foundation and Farmer is director of the Boone Memorial Health Community Foundation.

Claudia Macaluso shares what she has learned about young people who are not employed, in school, or undergoing training, and what potential interventions could bring these disconnected youth into the workforce. Macaluso is a senior research economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Zach Edwards and Felipe Schwartzman share what they have learned about how much businesses have been passing along higher prices for their inputs — especially due to higher tariffs in 2025 — to the prices they charge their customers. They also discuss how this cost pass-through could affect overall inflation. Edwards is a research analyst and Schwartzman is a senior economist, both at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.