Lending & Capitalization

Building the economic capacity of Native communities.

Does Your Native Financial Institution Need Loan Capital?

Oweesta offers loans to provide financing capital for Native CDFIs and other tribal or nonprofit loan funds. Borrowers must be Native-controlled and have a primary mission of serving Native communities. We do not offer loans directly to individuals or businesses.

Loan applications are accepted year-round and can be completed through the Oweesta Portal. Please contact Florence Ludka at florence@oweesta.org to begin the application process or get more information. In order to complete your application, you will need the following:

  • Business plan and/or strategic plan, if available
  • Most recent three years audited financial statements including the auditor’s letter to management
  • Organizations with less than $1 million in assets may submit internal financial statements
  • Most recent interim financial statements
  • Three years of financial and lending projections, if available
  • Loan portfolio aging report(s) showing all delinquencies broken down by loan type and lending sector
  • Lending policies and procedures (required)
  • Financial management policies (required)
  • Resumes or brief professional biographies of management and senior staff
  • Resumes or brief professional biographies of board members

Loan pipeline estimates may be submitted in lieu of formal financial and lending projections. Organizations in operation for less than three years or who have yet to begin lending are encouraged to apply. To view our current loan products and term sheet, please visit here.

About Our Lending Products

This is Oweesta’s “classic” loan product, used by most of our Native CDFI borrowers. Funds can be used to make any kind of loans in the borrower’s self-identified target market.

  • Up to $500,000 loan size
  • 3-4% interest rate
  • Term 3 months to 2 years
  • Usually unsecured
  • Structured to match expected receivables. May include interest only period.

Map of Current Native CDFIs

62

current loan out
(as of March 2022)

$37.6M

current loan portfolio
(as of March 2022)

0%

loans past due

“NACDC Financial Services was able to help a customer pay off all of their negative debt to start improving their credit score so someday they can build a bigger home for their family”

“FDDC was able to provide 3 different affordable housing loans to a single tribal family on the reservation, in their family community, over the past 10 years: 1. home purchase loan, 2. refinance loan, 3. home improvement loan. Recently the family experienced medical concerns and FDDC was able to provide 3 month deferred loan payments to allow the family to focus on the medical concern and full recovery. The family was extremely happy that FDDC was able to help them by providing them the 3 loans so they could live in their community and also to help them during their time of difficulty”

“Lakota Funds provided loan funds to a nationally known Native American music group to purchase equipment for their business”

“Wisconsin Native Loan Fund has refinanced 2 loans this quarter for families that requested a longer repayment term to help lower monthly loan payments and continue to successfully budget monthly bills. Refinances are usually much needed relief for borrowers who incur more debt after a WINLF loan. By offering this feature if needed, it increases the borrower’s capacity to become financial self sufficient”