11.437 Financing Economic Development, Spring 2006
Student projects in this class focus on economic recovery for New Orleans, shown here shortly after it was flooded during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. (Photo courtesy of the
National Geodetic Survey.)
Highlights of this Course
This course features a set of
assignments and descriptions of the student
projects, which focused on rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Course Description
This course focuses on financing tools and program models to support local economic development. It includes an overview of private capital markets and financing sources to understand capital market imperfections that constrain economic development; business accounting; financial statement analysis; federal economic development programs; and public finance tools. Program models covered include revolving loan funds, guarantee programs, venture capital funds, bank holding companies, community development loan funds and credit unions, micro enterprise funds, and the use of the Community Reinvestment Act to leverage bank financing.