2023 Training Schedule
Several of the trainings listed are part of the Native CDFI Practitioner Certification Program. Learn more about the program here.
Consumer & Business Underwriting ~ Sept. 26-28, 2023 ~ Virtual
Title: Consumer & Business Underwriting
Dates: September 26-28, 2023
Time: 8am-4:30pm MT
Location: Virtual
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 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.
Register HERE!
The second session of this Loan Officer Certification Training will take place virtually Nov. 7-9, 2023. Learn more about the Certification program here.
BNC: Financial Skills for Families Training ~ Oct. 3-5, 2023 ~ Bangor, ME
Title: Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families
Dates: Oct 3-5, 2023
Location: Bangor, ME
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.
Register HERE!
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)
Click HERE to register.
BNC: Financial Coaching Training ~ Oct. 23-27, 2023 ~ Virtual
Title: Building Native Communities: Financial Coaching Training
Dates: October 23-27, 2023
Time: 11:00am-3:00pm MT
Location: Virtual
Description:
The BNC: Financial Coaching for Families curriculum deepens financial educators’ ability to engage in one-on-one coaching relationships with their clients. This training is hands-on, interactive program that builds upon the skills and knowledge of the flagship Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families program. Developed in partnership with Seven Sisters Community Development Group, this training is geared towards practitioners with pre-existing financial education experience and a solid grasp of personal financial concepts.
The event is made free thanks to generous support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
Register HERE!
The Curriculum
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.
Click HERE to register.
Contact: Senior Programs Officer, Stephanie Cote (stephanie@oweesta.org)
SBA Navigator Spoke Convening ~ Nov. 2-3, 2023 ~ Portland, OR
Title: SBA Navigator Spoke Convening
Dates: November 2-3, 2023
Time: 8:00am-4:00pm
Location: Portland, OR (Jupiter NEXT)
Description: This event is limited to members of the SBA Network.
Register HERE.
Join Oweesta and fellow SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program spokes from across the country for a training and networking event! Oweesta, SBA representatives, and 26 Native CDFIs spokes will come together to discuss: small business/entrepreneurial topics, opportunities for collaboration and coordination, financial and program management (including program spending/budgeting), and marketing/outreach to small businesses/entrepreneurs.
Loan Portfolio Management ~ Nov. 7-9, 2023 ~ Virtual
Title: Loan Portfolio Management
Dates: November 7-9, 2023
Time: 8am-4:30pm MT
Location: Virtual
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 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.
Register HERE!
This is the second session of the Loan Officer Certification Training. Learn more about the Certification program here.
BNC: Financial Empowerment for Teens & Young Adults ~ Dec. 5-7, 2023 ~ Hollywood, FL
BNC: Financial Empowerment for Teens & Young Adults offers expert training from certified instructors with firsthand experience in Native communities, who are committed to empowering Native communities throughout the country. Financial literacy is an essential skill on the path to a healthy financial well-being and vital to building an empowered financial foundation for all Native communities and strong Tribal economies. Our youth need these skill sets to help bridge the gap between being a novice or an expert in financial literacy knowledge, which is the difference between simply understanding how money works and how to spend it, to important life skills like budgeting, developing a spending plan, savings, paying bills, building a nest egg, paying for an education, buying a home, investing, etc. Join us for a two and a half-day, 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.
Register HERE!
Credit as an Asset ~ Jan. 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.