Overview

We are the nation's central bank, committed to fostering a sound financial system and a healthy economy. Our public service mission is to strengthen the economy and our communities by fostering the stability, integrity, and efficiency of our nation's monetary, financial, and payments systems.

The Federal Reserve System includes 12 independent regional Reserve Banks, located across the United States, as well as the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, DC.

The Atlanta Fed is the home of the Federal Reserve's Sixth District, serving Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, and portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and with branch offices in Birmingham, Jacksonville, Miami, Nashville, and New Orleans.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's values—integrity, excellence, and respect—are a clear statement supporting the notion that every employee is an important part of the Bank's story and success. We advocate a simple truth: only by drawing on the talent, expertise, and perspectives of our entire staff and our external stakeholders will our Bank achieve its greatest potential in fulfilling our mission.

What we do

Established by Congress in 1913, the Federal Reserve promotes a healthy economy and financial stability by:

  • Setting the nation's monetary policy to promote our economic goals of maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.
  • Promoting financial system stability by monitoring financial system risks and engaging at home and abroad to support a healthy economy for US households, communities, and businesses.
  • Supervising and regulating financial institutions to help ensure the safety and soundness of individual institutions and monitoring their effect on the financial system as a whole. The Federal Reserve also provides financial services to depository institutions, the US government, and foreign official institutions.
  • Fostering a safe, efficient, and accessible payments system for US dollar transactions and electronic fund transfers.
  • Promoting consumer protection and community development by engaging with individuals, as well as community and business leaders, to better understand local economic conditions, issues, and the effects of financial services policies and practices on consumers and communities. We also provide economic and financial education resources to support teachers, students, and consumers.

How we do it

We are nonpartisan and decentralized by design to conduct monetary policy that is in the long-run, best interest of the economy. The Federal Reserve is accountable to the American people through comprehensive audits and reviews, as well as regular reports to Congress. We are open and transparent about our operations—publishing our balance sheets each week, releasing Federal Open Market Committee minutes after each meeting, and speaking frequently to the public and media.

To learn more about the Federal Reserve System, visit The Fed Explained.