Capitol Gains

Capitol Gains features people moving the ball forward with one-on-one discussion in Off the Cuff. Today we look at data science, GIS and economic development with Calandra Cruickshank. Her company, Statebook, is moving the ball forward on these fronts. We discuss the evolution of the internet, the value of company relocation stats and learning to fly. You can read specific reports from her firm here.

In this episode of Capitol Gains, hosts Matt Posner and James McIntyre sit down with University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Joel Rogers, a leading advocate for high road development. They explore how local governments can foster equitable growth through sustainable infrastructure, workforce development, and democratic participation. Joel shares insights on the challenges cities face when financing resilience projects and how to break down silos between finance, resilience, and other departments to create long-term solutions. You can learn about the EPIC Network here. Listeners will learn about the critical role of local governments in building resilience and tackling issues like state preemption laws that limit municipal action. Whether you're interested in urban governance, climate resilience, or community finance, this episode offers a hopeful vision for the future of local economies and governance. This episode was edited by Adam Linder of Bespoken Podcasting.

This is Off the Cuff, a periodic interview with doers, thinkers and conveners when it comes to the world of community finance. Here, we keep it short and lively to get to know the people behind the big ideas shaping our shared future. Shayne Kavanagh is head of research and development at the Government Finance Officers Association - a very large membership organization of government finance officers in the Americas. This group helps institute any number of best practices and policies that serve as the backbone to community finance. Shayne has quietly reshaped local government as it pertains to financial matters for over two decades. We hope you enjoy getting to know him as much as we did.

In this episode of Capitol Gains, hosts Matt Posner and James McIntyre explore the pivotal role Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are playing in driving the clean energy transition. As CDFIs shift from their traditional focus on affordable housing and small business lending, they are stepping up to help deploy billions of dollars from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) under the Inflation Reduction Act. Joining the discussion is Oswaldo Acosta, CEO of City First Enterprises, who shares insights on how CDFIs are uniquely positioned to democratize access to the green economy. Acosta explains how CDFIs, with their deep community ties, are bridging the equity gap in clean energy finance, ensuring that historically underserved communities can benefit from the clean energy revolution. Throughout the episode, listeners will hear about the challenges and opportunities CDFIs face in scaling up for this new role, including developing innovative financial products, navigating federal regulations, and building partnerships with commercial banks and private investors. The views expressed are solely those of the hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or other associated parties. Adam Linder of Bespoken Podcasts edited this episode.