Resilience. Abundance. Kōkua.
10th Annual Native CDFI Capital Access Convening
The 10th Annual Native CDFI Capital Access Convening, held in Waikoloa, Hawaii, brought our vibrant communities together to chart a powerful journey from resilience to abundance. Guided by a shared purpose and grounded in the spirit of kōkua—mutual support—we uplifted one another through deep connection, collective wisdom, and a unified vision. Together, we sparked bold, transformative strategies to expand access to capital and resources, driving the growth of Native CDFIs and the prosperity of our Native economies.
Each year, the CAC offers practitioner-focused training designed to expand access to investment, enhance housing sector lending opportunities, support green lending initiatives, and more.
Photos: View and download photos from this year’s event and upload your photos to share HERE!
Presentations: Review presentations from this year’s event below.
Session Recaps
Revisit the Convening by reviewing presentations shared by session.
Day 1 ~ May 13
Convening Welcome and Opening Plenary with Chrystel Cornelius (Oweesta), Nick Tilsen (NDN Collective), and Robin Danner (TiLeaf Group)
From Crisis to Resilience: How Indigenous-Led Organizations Lead Recovery & Rebuild Stronger
Breakout Session 1
- Housing Ecosystem – A Foundation of Tribal Economies
- Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Enhancing Loan Servicing During Financial Strain
- Uplifting Tribal Energy Sovereignty Through “Just Transition” Investments in Indian Country
- Unveiling Invisible Financial Wounds Within Tribal Communities
- Aligning Workforce Development with Curriculum Design
- Funder/Investor Roundtable: Finding Ease in Moving Integrated Capital to Native-Led CDFIs
- Resources and Financing Strategies for Funding Food Projects:
– Healthy Food Financing Initiative
– Feed the Hunger Fund
Breakout Session 2
- Bridging the Gap: Accelerating Tribal Energy & Community Empowerment Projects with Innovative Loan Products
- Co-Creating Culturally Relevant Lending Products to Address Lack of Capitalization for Indigenous Entrepreneurs
- Solar For All & Clean Communities Investment Accelerator Programs: What to Know
– Solar For All (SFA) and Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) Programs
– Beyond Boundaries - Bridging Culture: Integrating Hawaiian Values Into Financial Literacy Education for Native Communities
- Developing and Strengthening Strategic Partnerships with Financial Institutions: Part I
- Scaling Impact: Native CDFIs Leveraging Salesforce
- PARUS: Permanently Affordable Rental Unit Strategy
Day 2 ~ May 14
Keynote Address from Nick Tilsen of NDN Collective, and Morning Plenary: Driving Economic Growth and Resilience in Tribal and Native Hawaiian Communities
Mapping the Native CDFI Industry: Insights from a New Survey
Breakout Session 3
- Because One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Homeownership Solutions to Suit Varying Needs
- USDA Rural Development Programs for Tribal Housing, Business, and Economic Development Opportunities
- New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) Program
- A $400 Emergency
– A $400 Emergency Case Studies - CDFIs in Advancing Food Sovereignty: A Blackfeet Case Study
- Developing and Strengthening Strategic Partnerships with Financial Institutions: Part II
- Pieces of the Clean Energy Capital Stack and the Opportunity for Philanthropy
Manatee Tank
Day 3 ~ May 15
Panel Discussion - Building an Ecosystem: Access to Capital and Collective Growth
Breakout Session 4
- Leading with Purpose: Native CDFI Governance Lessons from the Field
- NDN Fund’s Braided Capital Investments in Indigenous Economies
- Earn While You Learn: How Native CDFIs of Any Size Can Participate in Complex Energy Sovereignty Deals and Keep Getting Stronger
- Beyond the Basics: Effective Financial Literacy Programming for Native CDFIs
- Coalition Building in the Midwest: A Tale of Synergy
- Mastering Data: Strategies for Every Organization, Big or Small
- Encumbering Trust Assets: It’s Easier Than You Think
– Mortgage Materials
Breakout Session 5
- Utilizing Partnerships to Scale Capital & Homeownership in Native Communities
- Creative Financing in Indian Country
- Looking for Liquidity in All the Right Places
- Creative Affordable Housing Solutions: Today’s Manufactured Homes
- Evaluating Organization Financial Sustainability in an Uncertain Federal Funding Climate
- Supporting Indigenous Entrepreneurs Through Resilience Circles: Culturally-Centered Approaches to Business Development
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) for Native Communities
Breakout Session 6
- Models for Residential Lending: Strategies and Success Stories for Native CDFIs
- Unlocking Potential: Leveraging SBA Microloans and Technical Assistance for Native Business Growth
- Natural Hazards and Risk Mitigation in Tribal Communities
- Examining the Relationship Between Trauma and Financial Well-being Among Native CDFI Clients
- Using A.I. to Increase Productivity in Your Native CDFI
- Hawai’i ‘Ulu Producers Cooperative: A Case Study of Aloha ‘Āina & Laulima in Action
- Financing Tribal Community-Owned Solar Assets Through Federal Tax Credits
– Ravi Malhotra
