This is the first in the Capital Absorption Framework series on communities; this first brief discusses identifying shared priorities between communities to aid in investment. Communities across the country need similar things to thrive: access to good jobs, affordable homes, safe places to gather and play, healthy food options, and opportunities for residents to have a voice in decisions that affect the community. Research shows that outcomes like life expectancy and economic mobility are deeply influenced by where we live. Yet many places suffer from chronic disinvestment, resulting in communities where the most basic conditions necessary for a decent quality of life are not met.