Ariel Cisneros is a lead community development advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City at the Denver Branch. Cisneros focuses on the community and economic development informational needs of bankers, community organization leaders, government officials and policy makers in the Tenth District and throughout the Federal Reserve System.
He has completed research, developed products and organized conferences that provide information on community development investments, the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), asset-building strategies, Native communities and disaster financial preparedness. He also speaks on these subjects.
Prior to joining the Kansas City Fed in 2010, Cisneros worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. He has also worked overseas, as a business extension officer in Botswana, Africa.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with a focus on international development from the University of Texas at Austin and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado.
Highlights of his work include:
- Investment Connection, a resource to inform and educate the funding community, including financial institutions, of the challenges and opportunities affecting low- and moderate-income people and communities, which has connected more than $60 million in funding.
- CRA OneSource, a one-stop resource to assist bankers and community leaders for tools, guides, webinars and other resources to assist with their CRA needs.
- Plan. Prepare. Prevail. a suite of products to assist households and small businesses with disaster financial preparedness before a public health or natural disaster strikes.
- District Interagency CRA Officer Roundtables, which inform bankers on current information and training on the CRA regulation, exam preparation and developing bank CRA compliance strategies for lending, investments and CD services. CRA 101: Interagency CRA Training Workshops
- System work groups including CRA Modernization and External LinkMain Street Lending Program.
- The in-depth study of the Texas Colonias: A Thumbnail Sketch of the Conditions, Issues, Challenges and Opportunities, External LinkTEXAS COLONIAS - Dallas Fed recognized at the time as the Bible on Colonias and used by several state and federal agencies and the funding community, with additional work External LinkTexas Colonias, Housing and Infrastructure Issues - The Border Economy, June, 2001 - Dallas Fed
- External LinkBuilding Wealth program which continues to develop and is still used today.
- Breaking Ground: A Beginner’s Guide for Non-Profit Developers
- Various CRA tools including A Banker’s Quick Reference Guide to CRA External LinkA Banker's Quick Reference Guide to CRA - 2006 - Dallas Fed and the CRA Loan Data Collection Grid External LinkCRA Loan Data Collection Grid - Dallasfed.org that are both being updated and used by bankers across the country.
About the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks that, along with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up our nation's central bank. We work in the public’s interest by supporting economic and financial stability. The Kansas City Fed’s territory includes Colorado, Kansas, western Missouri, Nebraska, northern New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wyoming. Our headquarters is in Kansas City, with branch offices in Denver, Omaha and Oklahoma City.
The Kansas City Fed Community Development Department promotes economic development and public understanding that leads to progress for lower-income individuals and communities. Our focus areas include community development investments, digital inclusion, small business / entrepreneurism, and workforce development.