Entrepreneurs from Five Tribal Nations Meet in Sioux City

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Native360 Loan Fund hosted a two-day Native American Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshop in association with RedWind Group on Dec. 5-6 in Sioux City, IA.

Native360 Executive Director Pete Upton provided a team of Native360 consultants to assist Native American entrepreneurs during the two-day event. Attendees from four states and five tribal nations — Ponca, Meskwaki, Seminole, Yankton Sioux and Cherokee — came with a variety of business and entrepreneurial backgrounds.

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Native financial institutions hold policy summit in Washington D.C. November 19-21

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Pictured: NCN Chairman Pete Upton, Congresswoman Deb Haaland, and Executive Director Jackson Brossy at meeting to discuss modernizing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) on August 27, 2019.(Photo: Native CDFI Network)

Native American-serving community development financial institutions to set policy priorities and then meet directly with Congress

News Release

Native CDFI Network

The Native CDFI Network (NCN) will hold the first annual Policy Summit this week in Washington, D.C., on November 19-21. At the Summit, Native American-serving community development financial institutions (NCDFIs) will set policy priorities and then meet directly with Congress to advocate for strategies that will help grow Native economies.

Native CDFI Network is the only national nonprofit membership organization dedicated to Native Community Development Financial Institutions (NCDFIs), as defined by the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund. The network was founded in 2009 by Native American-serving community development financial institutions serving American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians in rural, urban, and trust land communities. Nationally, there are 65 Treasury-Certified and 15 Emerging Native American-serving community development financial institutions in 23 states across the country. Native CDFI Network members are powerful vehicles delivering investment, economic, and housing capital across Indian Country.

Native American-serving community development financial institutions work primarily in tribal areas of the country to increase access to capital for small business, housing, consumer, and tribal or Native-owned economic development projects through the delivery of community-based loan fund programs, financial literacy, business training and the facilitation of investment instruments to underserved Native communities. These Native or Tribally controlled nonprofits are at the front line of growing assets, creating jobs, and building economies across Indian Country.

Native CDFI Network Chairperson Pete Upton of Native 360 Loan Fund stated, “we are looking forward to a lively and comprehensive discussion about our shared policy challenges. We will turn these challenges into action items so that together, we help build access to capital in our communities, create jobs, and grow our economies”

Upton added, “we have a packed agenda — discussion items include how to increase access to capital for Native American-serving community development financial institutions, modernizing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) so that banks are incentivized to invest in Indian Country, and how Native communities can have fair access to New Market Tax Credit allocations. Native American-serving community development financial institutions must be at the policy-making table, and we are here to make our voices heard.”

Native CDFI Network Policy Chairperson Robin Danner of the Homestead Loan Fund of Hawaii added, “the Policy Summit is where leaders in the Native American-serving community development financial institutions movement will meet to set the advocacy agenda for 2020 and beyond. Native American-serving community development financial institutions are creating jobs and growing assets all across the country, and Congress can help accelerate this growth. We invite anyone interested in advancing the Native American-serving community development financial institutions movement to attend.”

The meeting will feature a variety of speakers from Members of Congress, to executives of national community development organizations, to experts in Native American policy. Speakers include Native American Congresswomen Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids, Maurice Jones of LISC, Marietta Rodriguez of NeighborWorks America, Marion McFadden of Enterprise, Kevin Allis of the National Congress of American Indians, and Dante Desiderio of the Native American Finance Officers Association.

Native CDFI Network is partnering to hold the meeting at the National Indian Gaming Association’s Stanley Crooks Conference Center at 224 Second Street, SE, Washington, DC. On-site registration will be available on November 19 and 20.

More information on the Native CDFI Network can be found at:

facebook.com/nativecdfinetwork/

www.nativecdfi.net

Native CDFI Network logo

Free 2-Day Native American Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshop

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Aspiring Entrepreneur or Small Business Owner?

Attend a free 2-Day Native American Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshop

December 5 -6 | 9 am – 4 pm

  • Hilton Garden Inn Riverfront, 1132 Larsen Park Rd., Sioux City Iowa.
  • Class materials & refreshments provided
  • Training by RedWind in Partnership with the Native360 Loan Fund – certified Native CDFI

FIRST TEN TO REGISTER WILL RECEIVE ONE FREE NIGHT HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

TO REGISTER CONTACT:

Brent Johnson

Native360 Loan Fund
308-850-1985
brent@native360.org

Pete Upton

Native360 Loan Fund
308-850-0303
pete@native360.org

REGISTER ONLINE AT:
https://www.nativesmallbusiness.org/native360_2019_2

Native American Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshops are provided to native communities across the country through support from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA). ONAA contracted with RedWind to provide workshops through contract number: SBAHQ-17-F-0050.

Download a PDF flyer on the workshop.

Upton Meets with Other National Leaders in New Mexico to Discuss Capital Needs

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ALBUQUERQUE – Native American leaders, bankers and federal officials met here Aug. 27-28 to discuss capital needs of Indian Country and modernizing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to better meet the needs of tribal governments and citizens.

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Entrepreneurs from Nine Tribal Nations Gather for Empowerment Workshop

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Native360 Loan Fund hosted a Native American Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshop in association with RedWind Group on April 1-2 in Carter Lake, IA. Many of the 17 attendees had extensive business experience, while others are still on the path to their dream of owning a business.

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Native360 Executive Participates in Harvard Program

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NeighborWorks America selected Pete Upton, executive director of Native360 Loan Fund Inc., was one of 45 leaders for the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

The NeighborWorks program, sponsored in part by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, is an 18-month program that provides executives with skills to advance their organizations’ performance. Each participant identifies and clearly defines a specific challenge critical to their organization’s success then spends the program addressing that challenge.

Achieving Excellence includes three formal sessions at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, as well as one-on-one executive coaching and intensive peer learning.  The program kicked off at Harvard Sept. 11-15, and three additional meetings are planned across the country. Between academic sessions, participants worked on a goal critical to their organization’s success and worked closely with their executive coach and peer group.

“The Achieving Excellence Program gives leaders the tools to build stronger organizations—more engaged and results-oriented staff and board members working to increase their impact in the communities they serve,” said Christina Deady, senior director of leadership and workforce development at NeighborWorks America

Achieving Excellence has graduated nearly 400 executive directors, CEOs and other senior leaders since the program began in 2002. Independent evaluations have shown positive results for organizations that have participated in this program.

In an impact evaluation of a recent class of the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program, 72 percent created positive change in their communities, 77 percent raised staff performance and morale, and 100 percent improved organizational strength and results. For more information about the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program, go to www.neighborworks.org/ae.

About Native360 Loan Fund Inc.

Native360 provides affordable financial services to members of all tribes in Nebraska, Iowa and southeast South Dakota. It provides affordable credit, capital, technical assistance and related programs to help build strong and self-sufficient Native American business owners.

About NeighborWorks America

For nearly 40 years, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp. (d/b/a NeighborWorks America), a national, nonpartisan nonprofit, has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to home ownership and safe, affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $34 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.

 

Wells Fargo Works for Small Business

Native360 Chosen to Receive Lending Capital and Grants

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Native360 Loan Fund Inc., is one of 19 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)  to receive lending capital and grants from the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business Diverse Capital program.

Recipients were announced Dec. 6, 2018. Funds are used to deliver affordable financial products and technical assistance to diverse small businesses that  do not typically have access to conventional financing.

As part of its announcement, Wells Fargo said it wanted to be more inclusive of rural communities as well as their urban counterparts.

“Rural small businesses and their diverse owners have different challenges than their urban counterparts, and we want to be part of a solution that helps remove those obstacles to growth,” said Mike Rizer, director of community relations at Wells Fargo.

“The range of geographies served by these awardees demonstrates Wells Fargo’s commitment to supporting communities across the country, regardless of our retail presence’ he added. “Small business owners who would not otherwise have access to the resources needed to start or grow their businesses will now have resources through the CDFIs we are supporting.”

 

Pete Upton

Native360 Executive Director Pete Upton applauded Wells Fargo’s rural commitment. “Our service area includes Nebraska, Iowa and southeast South Dakota,” he said. “Access to affordable capital is just as vital in these areas as it is in more heavily populated areas. We very much appreciate our opportunity to participate in the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business Diverse Capital program.”

 

 

 

Upton Helps Lead Native CDFI Conference

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Native360’s Pete Upton joined Native American leaders from across the country Nov. 28-29, 2018, for the Native CDFI Network’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

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Native Artist Professional Development Training

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The training was held at the Ohiya Casino & Resort, Niobrara, NE on May 5th – 6th, 2018. Our two-day Native Artist training was in associate with First Peoples Fund.

This training was designed for emerging and seasoned artists alike. This training gave artists real-world tools and detailed resources to navigate the arts industry and become successful entrepreneurs. The curriculum provided the foundation for a Native Artist businesses.

Native American Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshop

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Our entrepreneurial workshop was held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Sioux City on September 20th & 21st. The workshop was designed for start-ups or small business look to expand. The training provided comprehensive information indispensable to entrepreneurs and covered topics such as business models, planning, access to capital, marketing, basic bookkeeping, break-even analyses, and problem solving.