Mayor and City Leader Signature Co-Learning Series on Racial Equity, Infrastructure & Municipal Bonds

Join NLC and the Public Finance Initiative for a series of facilitated discussions to allow city leaders to share their viewpoints, learn from one another, and hear more about the new Municipal Bond Markets & Racial Equity framework, available in the resources below, and how cities can use it to integrate a racial equity lens to infrastructure and municipal bond funded projects. Cities, towns, public authorities, states and other public entities across the country issue bonds every year to finance vital public infrastructure such as sidewalks, parks, affordable housing, sewer, housing and more.

Historically, the allocation of resources to infrastructure has at times reflected inequities in many communities. In recent years, a growing number of issuances in the $4 trillion municipal bond market have emphasized equity, equality and other social outcomes as important factors in the context of a bond issuance, particularly among stakeholders who participate in sustainable and impact investment. Despite the sharp rise in the issuance of bonds that are meant to achieve racial equity, equity or other positive social outcomes, many issuers are newly attentive to addressing systemic inequities via fiscal policies within their jurisdiction and some are starting to adopt promising practices to center racial equity and other social considerations in a bond issuance. This series will enhance the capacity of city leaders who want to integrate a racial equity lens to infrastructure investments, particularly those funded with municipal bonds, and create a space for confidential dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of decision-making in this area.

To facilitate an open discussion, these sessions will not be recorded. If you would like to attend, join us live for any of the three dates in this series.

Upcoming Events

Measuring Changes on Racial Equity in your City

October 11, 2023 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada)
Registration

Join NLC for a virtual dialogue led, organized and co-facilitated by the executive director of the Public Finance Initiative in partnership with the NLC REAL Council and co-facilitated by Andrea Barefield, Councilmember from Waco, Texas, and Co-Chair of the REAL Council.

We will engage in open discussions that elicit and invite participants to share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that exist to center racial equity into bond market investments, fiscal decision making and capital investment.

Past Events

Centering Racial Equity in Municipal Bond Transactions

Original event date: September 6, 2023 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST (US and Canada)

We will engage in open discussions that elicit and invite participants to share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that exist to center racial equity in infrastructure proJects funded by municipal bonds, and other sources.

Centering Racial Equity in Decision Making in Your City’s
Finances

Original event date: June 21, 2023 from 3:00 PM – 4 PM ET (US and Canada)

Join NLC for a virtual dialogue led, organized and co-facilitated by the executive director of the Public Finance Initiative in partnership with the NLC REAL Council and co-facilitated by Steve Patterson, Mayor from Athens, Ohio and REAL Council Co-Chair.

Interested in Learning More?

Join us at the NLC Summer Board and Leadership Meeting for a live training with NLC University.

Join us!

Resources for this Program

Support for this program was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. However, the views expressed in the Municipal Bond Markets & Racial Equity framework and this learning series are those of the authors and program teams.