2023 Training Schedule
Several of the trainings listed are part of the Native CDFI Practitioner Certification Program. Learn more about the program here.
BNC: Financial Coaching for Families Training ~ March 28-30, 2023 ~ Sacramento, California
Title: Building Native Communities: Financial Coaching for Families
Dates: March 28-30, 2023
Time: 8:30am-5:00pm PT
Location: Sacramento, California
Description:
Oweesta’s coaching training will draw on fundamental Native values, returning us to the grounded belief that our clients must be the agents of change in their own lives. Participants will learn how to do the following:
- Support your clients to focus on strengthening their financial mindset and behavior so that they are better able to reach their financial goals
- Improve clients’ ability to absorb financial shock
- Expand clients’ ability to find and evaluate the information needed to make financial decisions.
This hands-on, interactive training (developed in partnership with Seven Sisters Community Development Group) will provide tools, resources, and an approach that will empower financial educators to engage in one-on-one coaching relationships with their clients. The training is designed to build on the skills and knowledge of the Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families curriculum and assumes practitioners have an understanding of personal financial concepts. This in-person training is held over three days, and participants will receive a certificate of completion upon full attendance in training. We have limited spots available, and priority will be given to those who register first.
From March 28-30, 2023, join the Oweesta team in Sacramento, California. The event is made free thanks to generous support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
Contact: Senior Programs Officer, Stephanie Cote (stephanie@oweesta.org)
Native Financial Education Practitioners Summit ~ April 24-27, 2023 ~ Virtual
Title: Native Financial Education Practitioners Summit
Dates: April 24-27, 2023
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm MT
Location: Virtual
Description: Join the Oweesta team for the annual Summit. We will be joined by leaders in the Native financial education field sharing information on meeting your community’s financial education needs. Last year, the Summit delivered timely and relevant topics around credit action planning, Indigenous energizers for Native training, and best practices for building and maintaining a thriving VITA site.
The event is made free thanks to generous support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
Contact: Senior Programs Officer, Stephanie Cote (stephanie@oweesta.org)
Registration pending.
Financial Management II – Asset/Liability Management, Financial Statement Analysis & Reporting, Budgeting ~ April 25-27, 2023
Title: Financial Management II – Asset/Liability Management, Financial Statement Analysis & Reporting, Budgeting
Dates: April 25-27, 2023
Time: 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Location: Missoula, MT
Description:This course is the second of a two-part financial management certification training. Financial Management II builds on Financial Management I and gives in depth training on fund accounting, budgeting, revenue recognition, asset and liability matching, and expected loss provision (CECL). Both Fundamentals Week and Financial Management II are prerequisites for this class.
This training is part of the Executive Specialization Track and/or the Financial Management Specialization Track of the Practitioner Certification Program.
Credit as an Asset ~ May 2-4, 2023 ~ Virtual
Title: Credit As An Asset
Dates: May 2-4, 2023
Time: 11am-3pm MT
Location: Virtual
Description: Join Oweesta for this FREE virtual training. Credit is an essential building block for asset building. Without a solid credit score and credit history, it is extremely difficult for individuals to qualify for loans necessary to buy a home, a car, start a business or even rent an apartment. The prevalence of predatory and payday lenders creates easy opportunities for individuals to fall into debt and damage their credit, thus hindering their ability to build other assets and financial security.
This interactive training, created by Credit Builders Alliance, provides an overview of today’s credit reporting industry as well as tools, strategies and information to help practitioners and their organizations integrate credit building activities and products into their work and outcomes.
Leadership & Management ~ May 9-11, 2023 ~ In-Person ~ Lake Tahoe, NV
Title: Leadership & Management
Dates: May 9-11, 2023
Time: 8am-4:30pm PT
Location: Lake Tahoe, NV
Description: The Native CDFI Leadership & Management training will cover key topics and facilitate peer conversations to support Native CDFI leaders in their executive roles and management of their organization and team.
Course Objectives
- Role of ED/CEO (day-to-day and big picture) and Organizational Development
- Policy, HR, Staff Management & Retention
- Organizational Culture and Communication
- Leadership Styles, Board Management, and Community Engagement
This training is part of the Executive Specialization Track of the Practitioner Certification Program. The Native CDFI Practitioner Certification Program is uniquely adapted to the cultural context of Native CDFIs. The training provides an overview of all areas of Native CDFI operations, including basic financial management, lending, development services, impact tracking, marketing, capitalization, and more.
Duration: 3 days + 2-3 Executive Coaching Hours + 3 Follow Up Group Calls
Price: Free to Attend, Sponsored by Wells Fargo
This training is part of the Executive Specialization Track of the Practitioner Certification Program.
Capital Access Convening ~ June 27-29, 2023 ~ Juneau, Alaska
Title: Capital Access Convening
Dates: June 27-29, 2023
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Description:We’re excited to gather the industry in Juneau, Alaska for the 8th Annual Native CDFI Capital Access Convening from June 27-29, 2023. This year’s theme “Turning the Tide” reflects this unique moment in time and the role Native CDFIs play in helping local economies recover and realize their self-determination.
BNC: Financial Empowerment for Teens & Young Adults Training ~ July 18-20, 2023 ~ Missoula, Montana
Title: Building Native Communities: Financial Empowerment for Teens & Young Adults
Dates: July 18-20, 2023
Time: 8:30am-5:00pm PT
Location:Missoula, MT
Description:
Oweesta Corporation is pleased to announce our financial education curriculum Building Native Communities: Financial Empowerment for Teens & Young Adults, in collaboration with Wells Fargo Foundation. View the agenda.
Financial education is an essential skill on the path to a healthy financial well-being and vital to building an empowered financial foundation for Native communities and strengthening Tribal economies. Our youth need these skill sets to help them understand the difference between spending money versus managing money. This curriculum focuses on building important life skills like budgeting, developing a spending plan, saving, paying bills, building a nest egg, paying for an education, buying a home, investing, etc. Join us for a state-of-the-art, interactive instructor training to help Native CDFIs, Tribal communities, and other Native organizations establish and sustain financial education programs tailored for youth in our communities.
This multi-day training will cover:
- Effective financial education training techniques, activities, and resources tailored for youth
- An in-depth look at the Building Native Communities: Financial Empowerment for Teens & Young Adults curriculum
From July 18-20, 2023, join the Oweesta team in Missoula, MT. The event is made free thanks to generous support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
Contact: Senior Programs Officer, Stephanie Cote (stephanie@oweesta.org)
SBA Network Summit ~ August 1-2, 2023 ~ In-Person ~ TBD
Title: SBA Network Annual Summit/Training
Dates: August 1-2, 2023
Time: TBD
Location: TBD
Description: This event is limited to members of the SBA Network.
Registration Pending.
Effective Fundraising and Capitalization ~ August 15-17, 2023 ~ In-Person TBD
Title: Effective Fundraising and Capitalization
Dates: August 15-17, 2023
Time: 8:30-5pm
Location: TBD
Description:Development and Capitalization remains one of the largest challenges for most Native CDFIs. This course is designed to help Native CDFIs revisit or develop their own multi-faceted, long-term capitalization plan. Join in this warm, interactive peer-to-peer learning environment where we will share strategies, partnerships, and tools to prepare Native CDFI practitioners to access a diversified funding base. Share in a broader dialogue not only about the individual capitalization needs of your Native CDFI, but also engage in brainstorming with your Native CDFI peers around how we might creatively leverage our partnerships to access additional funding. At the end of this course, you will have your own draft capitalization plan and individualized strategies for enhancing your development goals.
Registration to Open May 2023.
This training is part of the Executive Specialization Track of the Practitioner Certification Program.
BNC: Financial Skills for Families Training ~ August 21-25, 2023 ~ Virtual
Title: Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families
Dates: August 21-25, 2023
Time: 11:00am-3:00pm MT
Location: Virtual
Description:
Building Native Communities (BNC) is the premier financial education curriculum for teaching financial life skills in Indian Country. This training on the 5th Edition BNC: Financial Skills for Families is an immersive “train-the-trainer” program that will leave participants with the tools, confidence, and credentials to lead financial education programs on the BNC in their communities.
From August 21-25, 2023, join the Oweesta team virtually. The event is made free thanks to generous support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
The Curriculum
The BNC is unlike other financial education curriculum in that it was developed by Natives for Natives. Built upon Native cultural values and traditional resource management skills, this curriculum seeks to connect ancestral skills and knowledge with mainstream financial practices.
Takeaways from the Financial Skills for Families training include:
- An in-depth look at the workbooks for Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families (instructor guide and the participant workbook)
- Comprehension of financial basics such as budgeting, credit management, and consumer awareness
- Proven techniques and effective resources for leading trainings
- Examples on how to connect fundamental Native values with mainstream financial culture
Certification
Join the 2000+ Native educators leading culturally relevant financial education programming by registering. Early and quality applications will be prioritized, so please register early and fully complete the following registration application.
Participants must attend and complete all days of training, participate in an oral presentation, and pass the exam to be certified as an instructor held on the final day of the training. Upon completion of the training, participants will be prepared to take the financial education curriculum and teachings back to their Tribal communities.
Contact: Senior Programs Officer, Stephanie Cote (stephanie@oweesta.org)
Registration Open in May 2023.
Native CDFI Practitioners Fundamentals Week ~ Sept 12-15, 2023
Title: Native CDFI Practitioners Fundamentals Week
Dates: Sept 12-15, 2023
Time: 8am-4:30pm
Location: TBD
Description: This five-day virtual Fundamentals Week training will orient participants’ understanding of all foundational components that support the running of a healthy Native CDFI and the different aspects of Native CDFI operations. This training will help participants become certified Native CDFI practitioners and strengthen your work in your organizations and Native communities.
This multi-day training will cover:
- Orient new participants of existing and emerging CDFIs to the Native CDFI field
- Increase knowledge and provide resources and tools for impact measures and evaluation, development services, and marketing
- Increase knowledge and provide resources on evaluation of CDFIs, financial management, capitalization, and policy
- Increase knowledge and provide resources on lending, loan policies, procedures, and guidelines
This training is part of the Practitioner Certification Program.
BNC: Financial Skills for Families Training ~ Sept 26-28, 2023 ~ Norman, OR
Title: Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families
Dates: Sept 26-28, 2023
Location: Norman, OR
Description:
Building Native Communities (BNC) is the premier financial education curriculum for teaching financial life skills in Indian Country. This training on the 5th Edition BNC: Financial Skills for Families is an immersive “train-the-trainer” program that will leave participants with the fundamentals to lead financial education programs on the BNC in their communities.
The Curriculum
The BNC is unlike other financial education curriculum in that it was developed by Natives for Natives. Built upon Native cultural values and traditional resource management skills, this curriculum seeks to connect ancestral skills and knowledge with mainstream financial practices.
Takeaways from the Financial Skills for Families training include:
- An in-depth look at the workbooks for Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families (instructor guide and the participant workbook)
- Comprehension of financial basics such as budgeting, credit management, and consumer awareness
- Proven techniques and effective resources for leading trainings
- Examples on how to connect fundamental Native values with mainstream financial culture
Certification
Join the 2000+ Native educators leading culturally relevant financial education programming by registering. Early and quality applications will be prioritized, so please register early and fully complete the following registration application.
Participants must attend and complete all days of training, participate in an oral presentation, and pass the exam to be certified as an instructor held on the final day of the training. Upon completion of the training, participants will be prepared to take the financial education curriculum and teachings back to their Tribal communities.
The event is made free thanks to generous support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
Contact: Senior Programs Officer, Stephanie Cote (stephanie@oweesta.org)
Registration Pending.
Underwriting ~ September 27-29, 2023 ~ In-Person TBD
Title: Underwriting
Dates: September 27-29, 2023
Time: 8am-4:30pm MT
Location: TBD
Description: Native CDFIs operate as revolving loan funds providing loan products to their communities to support the financial wellness, resilience and viability for consumers and small business owners in a culturally responsive way. This course is designed as a Loan Officer certification training and is the first session of a two-session training.
Loan Officer practitioners will learn in an interactive and creative peer-to-peer learning environment the fundamentals of loan underwriting for three of the primary loan types that Native CDFIs offer to community members. In this first session, practitioners will learn the role and responsibilities of the loan officer in developing client relationships through loan closing. Practitioners will work through loan case studies to practice loan underwriting techniques and work through credit challenges unique to the target markets that Native CDFIs serve.
The second session of this Loan Officer Certification Training. Learn more about the Certification program here.
Registration Pending.
Loan Portfolio Management ~ Oct 31-Nov 2, 2023 ~ In-Person TBD
Title: Loan Portfolio Management
Dates: October 31-November 2, 2023
Time: 8am-4:30pm MT
Location: TBD
Description:Native CDFI’s operate as revolving loan funds providing loan products to their communities to support the financial wellness, resilience and viability for consumers and small business owners in a culturally responsive way. This course is designed as a Loan Officer certification training and is the second session of a two-session training.
Loan Officer practitioners will learn in an interactive and creative peer-to-peer learning environment the fundamentals of loan portfolio management to successfully monitor and manage their revolving loan fund. Practitioners will work through loan portfolio management activities to learn the fundamentals of managing the inherent risk of the loan portfolio to protect the safety and soundness of the Native CDFI.
The second session of this Loan Officer Certification Training. Learn more about the Certification program here.
Registration Pending.
Credit as an Asset ~ January 23-25, 2024 ~ In-Person TBD
Title: Credit As An Asset
Dates: January 23-25, 2024
Time: 11am-3pm MT
Location: TBD
Description: Join Oweesta for this FREE in-person training. Credit is an essential building block for asset building. Without a solid credit score and credit history, it is extremely difficult for individuals to qualify for loans necessary to buy a home, a car, start a business or even rent an apartment. The prevalence of predatory and payday lenders creates easy opportunities for individuals to fall into debt and damage their credit, thus hindering their ability to build other assets and financial security.
This interactive training, created by Credit Builders Alliance, provides an overview of today’s credit reporting industry as well as tools, strategies and information to help practitioners and their organizations integrate credit building activities and products into their work and outcomes.
Registration to Open September 2023.
Oweesta 2023 Webinar Schedule
There are no webinars currently scheduled.
