
The Federal Reserve Banks are the regional banks of the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States. There are 12 Federal Reserve Banks in total, one for each of the 12 Federal Reserve Districts created by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. The Reserve Banks are jointly responsible for implementing the monetary policy set forth by the Federal Open Market Committee and are organised as self-financing corporations. The Reserve Banks are independent, privately owned, and locally controlled corporations, with the whole system headquartered at the Eccles Building in Washington, D.C.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Federal Reserve Banks | 12 |
| Type of institution | Regional banks of the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the US |
| Ownership | Independently and privately owned, with no outright ownership by the government |
| Functions | Implementing monetary policy, distributing currency, regulating currency value, lending to banks, purchasing obligations of non-bank entities |
| Governance | Board of Governors in Washington, DC with 7 members appointed by the US President |
| Location | 12 Federal Reserve Districts across the US, including Kansas City, St. Louis, San Francisco, New York, Richmond |
| Branches | California, Florida, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas have multiple branches |
| Research | Produce national and local research, publish the Beige Book report on regional economic conditions |
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What You'll Learn

The Federal Reserve System
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
- Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
- Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
- Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
- Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
- Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
- Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
- Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Each of these 12 Districts contains branch offices, and the Reserve Banks are headquartered at the Eccles Building in Washington, D.C., where the Board of Governors is also located. The Board of Governors consists of seven members who are appointed to 14-year terms by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The Board conducts monetary policy, issues regulations under federal consumer credit protection laws, and has oversight over the Reserve Banks and Branches and the U.S. payments system. The Board also has broad responsibilities for the activities of various banking organizations.
The Federal Reserve Banks are organised as self-financing corporations and are empowered by Congress to distribute currency and regulate its value. They offer various services to the federal government and the private sector, including lending to banks to cover short-term fund deficits and purchasing obligations of non-bank entities via emergency credit facilities. The Reserve Banks are independent, privately owned, and locally controlled corporations, though legal cases have concluded that they are "private" but can be deemed "governmental" in certain contexts.
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The Board of Governors
The Federal Reserve System is made up of 12 regional Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors, which together constitute the central bank of the United States. The Board of Governors is a federal agency located in Washington, D.C. It is the governing body of the Federal Reserve System and consists of seven members, or "governors", who are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. These governors serve staggered 14-year terms, with one term beginning every two years. The Chair and Vice Chair are nominated by the President from among the members and serve a term of four years.
The Federal Reserve System, including the Board of Governors, performs five key functions that serve all Americans and promote the well-being of the U.S. economy and financial system. These functions include conducting monetary policy, fostering stability, regulating financial institutions, ensuring payment system safety, and protecting consumers and promoting community development. The System provides the nation with a safe, flexible, and stable monetary and financial framework.
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Monetary policy
The Federal Reserve System, often shortened to the Federal Reserve or the Fed, is the central banking system of the United States. It was created in 1913 with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, which established three key objectives for monetary policy: maximising employment, stabilising prices, and moderating long-term interest rates. The first two objectives are sometimes referred to as the Federal Reserve's dual mandate.
The Federal Reserve System consists of 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks, located in cities throughout the nation. These banks, along with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up the nation's central bank. The Federal Reserve Banks are organised as self-financing corporations and are empowered by Congress to distribute currency and regulate its value under policies set by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and the Board of Governors.
The FOMC is responsible for setting monetary policy by adjusting the target for the federal funds rate, which influences market interest rates and, in turn, US economic activity. The FOMC consists of all seven members of the Board of Governors and the twelve regional Federal Reserve Bank presidents, though only five bank presidents vote at a time, with the president of the New York Fed always having a vote. The FOMC meets eight times a year to discuss the state of the national economy and economic conditions in different parts of the country, and to deliberate on the appropriate policy course to support strong labour markets and price stability.
The Federal Reserve primarily conducts monetary policy through changes in the target for the federal funds rate. Lowering the target range represents an "easing" of monetary policy, accompanied by lower short-term interest rates and a loosening of financial conditions. This may be done if the economy is sluggish or inflation is too low. Raising the target range represents a "tightening" of monetary policy, which raises interest rates and may be necessary if the economy is overheating or inflation is too high. The Federal Reserve is accountable to Congress and the American people for its actions and achieves accountability by being transparent about its policy deliberations and actions through official communications.
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$14.75

Federal Reserve Districts
The Federal Reserve System is made up of 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks, each serving one of the 12 Federal Reserve Districts created by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. These districts are adapted to changing population patterns, with branch offices added within them. The Reserve Banks are jointly responsible for implementing the monetary policy set forth by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and the Board of Governors. The FOMC meets eight times a year and comprises seven Fed Governors and five of the 12 Reserve Bank presidents, who vote on a rotating basis—except for the New York Fed president, who always votes. All 12 Reserve Bank presidents participate in FOMC policy deliberations.
The Reserve Banks are organised as self-financing corporations and empowered by Congress to distribute currency and regulate its value. They offer various services to the federal government and the private sector, including lending to banks to cover short-term fund deficits and purchasing obligations of non-bank entities via emergency credit facilities. The Reserve Banks are independent, privately owned, and locally controlled corporations. However, legal cases have concluded that they are "private" but can be deemed "governmental" depending on the specific legal context.
The Reserve Banks and their Boards of Directors work together with the Board of Governors, which consists of seven members appointed to 14-year terms by the US President and confirmed by the Senate. The Board of Governors has broad responsibilities, including conducting monetary policy, issuing regulations under federal consumer credit protection laws, and overseeing the US payments system and the activities of banking organisations.
The 12 Federal Reserve Districts are as follows:
- Boston
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Cleveland
- Richmond
- Atlanta
- Chicago
- St. Louis
- Minneapolis
- Kansas City
- Dallas
- San Francisco
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Reserve Bank presidents
The Federal Reserve System is made up of 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks, each located in a different city across the United States. Each Reserve Bank has a president, and these 12 Reserve Bank presidents, along with the seven members of the Board of Governors, make up the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The FOMC is responsible for setting monetary policy by adjusting the target for the federal funds rate, which influences market interest rates and US economic activity.
While only five bank presidents vote at a time—the president of the New York Fed, who always votes, and four others who rotate through one-year voting terms—all 12 Reserve bank presidents participate in FOMC policy deliberations. The FOMC meets eight times a year.
The Reserve Bank presidents are not appointed by the president of the United States; instead, the regional Federal Reserve Banks are "'owned'" by commercial banks, which elect members of their boards of directors. However, the members of the Board of Governors are selected by the US president and confirmed by the Senate.
The Reserve Banks are independent, privately owned, and locally controlled corporations. They are organised as self-financing corporations and empowered by Congress to distribute currency and regulate its value under policies set by the FOMC and the Board of Governors.
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