Bethany Greene describes the flow of federal funds into Fifth District communities as transfer payments, from health care and Social Security benefits to unemployment insurance payments. In particular, she discusses regional variances in communities' reliance on this funding, especially in rural areas. Greene is a regional economist at the Charlotte branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Doug Borland and Stephanie Mehlhouse share insights from the 2024 Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, which was compiled by the Federal Reserve to provide a comprehensive picture of payment preferences and behavior in the United States. Borland is assistant vice president of cash services and Mehlhouse is a senior cash manager, both based at the Charlotte office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

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, whose core curriculum is provided by Invest Appalachia, helped move the projects forward. Donnan is executive director of the Alleghany Foundation and Farmer is director of the Boone Memorial Health Community Foundation.