Many followers of this blog might only know the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) as the allocating agency for the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC). Travois has used more than $200 million in NMTC allocation to serve projects across Indian Country.The CDFI Fund operates a range of other programs, however, that serve Indian Country.
Check out the CDFI Fund’s Native Initiatives page for more information. One of the most exciting developments is the Fund’s new “Access to Credit and Capital in Native Communities” study and focus group initiative. Already underway, the initiative will identify the challenges Native individuals and businesses face when seeking capital and credit.
It will include listening sessions as well as further study of best practices. The first focus group for the study will be held next week on Wednesday, Sept. 11, following the Native American Finance Officer Association’s (NAFOA) 2013 Fall Finance and Tribal Economies Conference in Seattle, WA.
GBS, an Alaska Native Village Corporation, has contracted with the CDFI Fund to lead the session. Registration is available here.
If you only know the CDFI Fund through the NMTC program, Travois encourages you to learn more about the wide range of programs the CDFI Fund has available to support housing and business development in Indian Country.