With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, the U.S. infrastructure sectors are predicting a stable and productive year ahead. Sizeable federal infrastructure investments forecast positive growth. Despite pandemic-related challenges, the municipal bond market is expected to remain resilient in 2022. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we will explore economic insights for 2022, including the impacts of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, the state of the bond market, and an outlook on economic recovery strategies.

• Seth Crone, Vice President, Relationship Management, The Bank of New York Mellon

• Kurt Krummenacker, Associate Managing Director, Moody's Investors Service
• Beth Mullen, Partner, National Director - Affordable Housing Industry, CohnReznick LLP

Throughout the past two years, small businesses have experienced significant economic impacts due to the ongoing pandemic. The deployment of dollars from the CARES Act has helped support many small businesses across the country. Microloans and emergency loan fund programs emerged to fill the gap of lost income during these challenging times. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we take a look at some takeaways from the deployment of CARES Act funds and other emergency pandemic response programs, including how communities designed emergency loan funds and what impacts the funds had on small and micro businesses.

• Oreste Casciaro, Vice President, The Bank of New York Mellon

• Lisa Dargis, Manager, State Small Business Credit Initiative Unit, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
• Darla Garrett, Director, Maryland Department of Commerce
• Jennifer Wilhelm, Director of Commercial Lending, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 created an unprecedented amount of capital to support investment in healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and more. Deploying ARPA dollars, especially from the State & Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, to the right projects and programs can provide investment and financing opportunities that will revolve in the community for decades. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we will discuss capitalization strategies that communities can use to leverage federal funding to drive long-term private investment.

• Stuart Weiss, Vice President, Sales, The Bank of New York Mellon

• Caitlin A Langfitt, Associate, Bricker & Eckler LLP
• Shannon Martin, Partner, Bricker & Eckler LLP
• Mark Ritacco, Chief Government Affairs Officer, National Association of Counties

With an increased threat of climate change to our living environment, more and more people are taking direct action to combat its effects. As with many countries, the green and blue bond market in the U.S. has blossomed over the last few years. Green bonds are investments that are linked to environmental sustainability, and blue bonds are investments used to enhance coastal resilience. To support local communities and our environment, innovative financing solutions have been created to allow corporate or personal investors to invest in these bonds. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, experts will discuss the market for green and blue bonds, public engagement, and ways to invest in resilient infrastructure projects.

• Jonathan Glover, Vice President, The Bank of New York Mellon

• Elizabeth Bellis Wolfe, Senior Advisor, Loan Programs Office (LPO), U.S. Department of Energy
• Eric Shrago, Vice President of Operations, Connecticut Green Bank
• Gwen Yamamoto Lau, Executive Director, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority

Crypto, meta, blockchain, DeFi. Are you following the latest buzzwords and technology developments in the evolution of financial markets? Development finance has an important role to play in this conversation, especially as local governments and technologists team up to reach underbanked neighborhoods and businesses through these advancements. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we will catch you up on the landscape of Web3 and discuss how development finance fits into the next wave of digital currency.

• Oreste Casciaro, Vice President, The Bank of New York Mellon

• Sean Stein Smith, Professor, City University of New York – Lehman College

Ratings on municipal bonds are designed to provide insight on the fiscal health of a local government trying to raise capital, but those ratings do not capture a comprehensive view of the health of that community. This is especially true when it comes to a community’s commitment to racial equity and how they spend their money. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we continue a conversation sparked during last year’s series with a look at new initiatives being implemented to encourage more transparency around racial equity in municipal bond offerings.

• Stuart Weiss, Vice President, Sales, The Bank of New York Mellon

• Laura Brunner, President & Chief Executive Officer, The Port - Cincinnati, Ohio
• Lourdes Germán, Executive Director, Public Finance Initiative
• Chelsea McDaniel, Senior Fellow, Activest

Across the country, 18 states have legalized recreational marijuana, and this list is expected to continue growing in the years to come. As the cannabis industry expands, there is significant opportunity for the development finance sector to play a role in financing the production and processing infrastructure, dispensary facilities, and overall business development. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we will explore the creative financing approaches that are providing capital to the emerging cannabis industry, and the economic benefits to states that have legalized the sale of recreational and medical marijuana.

• Tammy Davis, Vice President, The Bank of New York Mellon

• Karen Ard, Senior Managing Director, Boustead & Company Limited
• Christopher P Parrington, Of Counsel, Kutak Rock LLP
• Ira Weinstein, Principal, CohnReznick LLP

Tax Increment Finance (TIF) is an essential tool for financing redevelopment and transformation in communities of all sizes. Every local government that uses this tool must develop a proactive community engagement strategy that is transparent and gives all stakeholders and taxing districts a voice. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we will explore new strategies that local governments are employing to give tax payers, schools, and businesses a path to participating in TIF deal structuring and negotiation.

• Stuart Weiss, Vice President, Sales, The Bank of New York Mellon