The Midwest Asset Building Conversations (MABC) are part of a rich tradition of regional gatherings that began with the Midwest Asset Building Conference in 2017. Since then, practitioners have come together in Indianapolis (2017), Detroit (2019), and St. Paul (2022) to share strategies, learn from one another, and build a vibrant Midwest community focused on advancing economic opportunity and asset building.

In 2025, we brought MABC to a virtual format to expand accessibility and deepen cross-state connections. This year’s theme, Now & Next: The State of Asset Building in the Midwest, focused on today’s economic realities, innovative nonprofit strategies, and practical takeaways through interactive breakout sessions. Whether you’re joining for the first time or are part of this growing community, MABC is a space for connection, collaboration, and action. From our session on Friday, September 26th explore recordings and resources below:

• Scene-setting conversation with Thomas Walstrum (Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago) and Megan Thibos (United Way for Southeastern Michigan) on Midwest economic realities. Access the recording HERE and Thomas’ slides HERE and Megan’s slides HERE.

• Featured panel: Resilience & Innovation: How the Nonprofit Sector is Navigating the Now. This conversation highlighted creative strategies and collaborations, with insights from our panelists Megan Thibos (United Way for Southeastern Michigan) and Amy Kaufman (Community Partners for Affordable Housing). Access the recording HERE.

• Breakout: Bright Spots: Asset Building Programs That Are Working. Access the recording HERE.

Provided by Thomas Walstrum - links to the various surveys the regional Fed banks do:

• Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin (Chicago Fed): https://www.chicagofed.org/research/data/cfsec/current-data

• Minnesota, Dakotas, Montana (Minneapolis Fed): https://www.minneapolisfed.org/region-and-community/regional-economic-surveys

• Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri (Kansas City Fed): https://www.kansascityfed.org/surveys/

• Ohio (Cleveland Fed): https://www.clevelandfed.org/indicators-and-data/survey-of-regional-conditions-and-expectations

Book recommendations from the chat:

• Family Properties by Beryl Satter

• The South Side by Natalie Y. Moore

• The Folded Map Project by Tonika Johnson

• Un-design the Redline (website & resources)

• Referenced program article: Bikes 4 Employees – Detroit

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