Wall Street Without Walls, an initiative connecting the capital markets with nonprofit community-based development organizations (CBDOs), is leveraging the expertise and network of its staff and advisors by developing orientation, training and technical assistance that will help remove the obstacles to the capital markets for these organizations. At the same time, Wall Street Without Walls serves as a complementary resource between the many trade associations within the community economic development (CED) industry and capital market firms.

Wall Street Without Walls is also charged to move forward with the findings of the Fannie Mae Foundation sponsored Financial Innovations Roundtable, convened by the Southern New Hampshire University School of Community Economic Development. The Securitization and Secondary Market roundtable focused on explaining why there appear to be few strategies that allow CBDOs to reliably and consistently access traditional capital markets, thus increasing portfolio liquidity, operations scale and program impact while decreasing reliance on philanthropic and concessionary rate funding sources. Participants of this roundtable found the reason why mainstream access by CBDOs is so limited is that there is a systemic failure by these organization to apply and custom-tailor the capital markets model to their operational processes.

In many cases, CBDO leaders do not recognize the need or the benefit of accessing the capital markets. And in those cases where the need and benefit are recognized, appropriate technical assistance, education and training on securitization, portfolio management, risk assessment, collaboration strategies, increased use of technology and the collection, analysis and dissemination of data are not available. The outreach, orientation and training programs of Wall Street Without Walls are designed to provide just such technical assistance, training and education for individual CBDOs, their leaders and the CED field in general. (Back to conference main page)

WALL STREET WITHOUT WALLS PARTNERS:

Fannie Mae Foundation:
The Fannie Mae Foundation creates affordable homeownership and housing opportunities through innovative partnerships and initiatives that build healthy, vibrant communities across the United States. The Foundation is specially committed to improving the quality of life for the people of its hometown, Washington, DC, and to enhancing the livability of the city's neighborhoods. (Back to conference main page)

The Community Affairs Unit of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston:
Each of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks maintains a Community Affairs office to work with depository institutions and the public to identify local credit needs and develop innovative ways to address those needs. The Community Affairs staff provides information about successful initiatives and programs for community reinvestment, small business lending, affordable housing finance, and rural and economic development issues. The Community Affairs Office is a resource for the Community Reinvestment Act, technical assistance and regulatory guidance to community-based organizations, government entities and others engaged in community and economic development efforts. (Back to conference main page)