Lending & Capitalization – Oweesta Corporation

Does Your Native Financial Institution Need Loan Capital?

Oweesta offers a variety of loan products 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 Lenderfit. Please contact Jamie Olson at jamie@oweesta.org to begin the application process or get more information.

Organizations in operation for less than three years or who have yet to begin lending are encouraged to apply.

About Our Lending Products

Capital Loans

This is Oweesta’s capitalization 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 $1,000,000 loan size
Interest Rate – Cost of capital + 1.5 – 2.5%
Term – Up to 5 years
Unsecured
Structured to match expected loan volume
Quarterly payments, first year interest only payments

Agriculture Loans

This loan product provides lending capital for loans to support lending to agricultural producers, agricultural marketers, agricultural processors and agricultural distributors. This includes food, fiber, forest products, livestock, equipment, horticultural crops, agricultural land purchases, and agricultural start-ups.

Up to $1,000,000 loan
Interest rate – Cost of capital plus 1.5-2.5%
Term – up to 7 years
Unsecured
Quarterly or Annual payments, first year interest only payments

First In Loans

Working Capital

This is a temporary, short-term loan to be used for lending and operations in keeping with your mission. This loan is designed for anyone loan funds facing delays in grant disbursements or contractual payments.

Up to $250,000 loan size
Interest Rate – Cost of capital plus 3.5%
Term – Up to 2 years
Annual Fee – $150
Unsecured
Structured to match expected committed grant/contractual receivables.
Quarterly interest-only payments

Line of Credit

Map of Current Native CDFIs

83

current loans out
(as of March 31, 2025)

$61.2M

current loan portfolio
(as of Dec. 31, 2025)

0%

loans past due

Past and Present Loan Clients

Current Borrowers

Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation

Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement

First American Capital Corporation

First Ponca Financial

Four Bands Community Fund

Four Directions Development Corporation

Hopi Credit Association

Indian Land Capital

Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial

Native American Community Development Corporation

Native American Development Corporation

Wind River Development Fund

Wisconsin Native Loan Fund

“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”

Native American Community Development CorporationBrowning, Montana

“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”

Four Directions Development CorporationOrono, Maine

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

Lakota FundsKyle, South Dakota

“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”

Wisconsin Native Loan FundLac du Flambeau, Wisconsin

CONTACT US

Oweesta Corporation
2432 Main Street, 1st Floor
Longmont, CO 80501
303.774.8838
info@oweesta.org

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Oweesta is an equal opportunity employer and provider. We do not discriminate, learn more here: Title VI, Section 504.

ABOUT OWEESTA

Oweesta is the longest standing Native CDFI intermediary offering financial products and development services exclusively to Native CDFIs and Native communities. Specifically, Oweesta provides training, technical assistance, investments, research, and policy advocacy to help Native communities develop an integrated range of asset-building products and services, including financial education and financial products.

Asset-building tools stimulate reservation economies by providing tribal members the opportunity to acquire financial management skills and build and accumulate assets through small business creation, homeownership, education, and much more.

Filing Civil Rights Complaints

If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or reprisal for prior civil rights activity, you have the right to file a complaint. Complaints may be filed directly with the Director, Office of Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity, at the following address:

Director, Office of Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity
Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W.
Washington, DC 20220

Alternatively, complaints may be submitted via email to crcomplaints@treasury.gov.

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