April 2015 Newsletter

Financial Literacy Month

Training from Oweesta

Upcoming Trainings

BNC Community Trainings

May 4-6
BNC: Train-the-Trainer in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Register for the training NOW!

June 22-25
Fundamentals of the Opportunity Finance Industry- Certificate in CDF
in Durham, New Hampshire
Registration is now OPEN

Upcoming Webinars

April
NGFN Presents:
Discerning Pallets: Grower's Experiences Selling Their Crops Through Food Hubs
April 16 @ 11:30p.m. MT
Register Now!

NCN Presents:
Building Partnerships with the National Cooperative Bank
April 16 @ 2p.m. MT
Register Now!

Oweesta Presents:
Financial Education and Asset Building:
Elder Financial Education
April 23 @ 1p.m. MT
Register Now!

NeighborWorks Presents:
Business Model for Your Native CDFI
April 23 @ 1p.m. MT
Register Now!

South Dakota Home Ownership Coalition trains on Building Native Communities

Thirty participants from across South Dakota recently participated in a three-day intensive train-the-trainer session in Pierre focusing on financial education for Native communities.The training was sponsored by the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalitio n, which works to increase homeownership opportunities for South Dakota’s Native people to build strong and healthy communities.

To read the full article, click the link below.

Oweesta Products and Services

Oweesta offers state-of-the-art Institutional Development and Training Programs meeting all of your CDFI needs. Check out our Products & Services Guide and see how Oweesta can be of service to you!

News from the Oweesta Office

Oweesta Job Opportunity:
Program Officer, Capacity Building

Join our amazing team as the Capacity Building Program Officer. The Program Officer and Technical Assistance provider will offer technical assistance and training to Native CDFIs and Native nonprofits while maintaining partnerships, subcontracts and other collaborative efforts. For more information on applying for this position, please follow the link below.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter to evette@oweesta.org. Deadline for application materials is April 10, 2015.

Lending

For more information on our Start-Up Loan product or additional loan capital products, please contact Emily Trump, Lending and Compliance Manager, at emily@oweesta.org.

Community Spotlight

Awendela Dana

Prior to applying for financing from Four Directions Development Corporation (FDDC), Awendela Dana was not aware of any lending options for on-reservation properties. She heard about FDDC through word-of-mouth from other tribal members on Indian Island. Ms. Dana’s initial reaction was that FDDC was an innovative approach to allow tribal members an opportunity to purchase, improve, and access equity from residential properties located on-reservation.

Click below to read the full story.

Four Directions Development Corporation is one of the nation's most successful Native Community Development Financial Institutions. Established in March 2001 by the Penobscot Nation in Maine, FDDC serves members of the four Native American tribes in Maine: the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Indian Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseets, and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs.

For more information on this wonderful NCDFI, please follow the link below.

Funding Opportunities

AmeriCorps Indian Tribe Grants FY 2015

The mission of the Corporation for National and Community Service is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic participation through services and volunteering. CNCS may award an AmeriCorps planning grant to provide support for the development of an AmeriCorps program for a federally recognized tribal entity.

Community Economic Development Projects

The Administration for Children and Families Office of Community Service has announced a new funding opportunity open now until April 24, 2015.

The Community Economic Development Program provides funding for projects aimed at business development opportunities and creating employment for individuals with low incomes located in geographic areas with demonstrated need for the proposed project.

Partners

Oweesta is a proud partner of The Disability CDFI Coalition, a network of CDFIs, financial institutions, disability service providers and advocacy organizations, and individuals with disabilities launched in 2015 to address the unique set of challenges faced by people with disabilities and their families: Asset Development – Financing Affordable, Accessible, and Safe Housing – Employment Opportunities – Access to Assistive Technology.

National Partnership Survey Winner!

Sandra with the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe

Oweesta recently conducted a National Partnership Survey to research partnerships and what they have to offer. The results of the survey show the landscape of partnerships and will be published in Spring 2015.

Thank you all who participated in our survey. For more opportunities like this, please follow us on Facebook!

Job Opportunities

The Nez Perce Tribe Department of Executive Direction is recruiting for Executive Director of the NiMiiPuu Community Development Fund. This call reports to the economic development planner and is primarily responsible for managing the nonprofit NCDF Fund by providing grant writing, fund raising, day-to-day operations management, and is responsible to process loans from concept to repayment.

For more information, please follow the link below

Upcoming Events

Don't miss out on Trading at the River Small Business Conference and Marketplace presented by ONABEN at the River Spirit Event Center on May 5-6, 2015, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Registration is open now!

We are pleased to announce NAFOA's 33rd Annual Conference in Austin, Texas at the Hyatt Regency! This two-day conference will give you an opportunity to not only learn more about economic and financial issues facing Indian Country, but will also provide you a chance to engage with tribal leaders, professionals and influential federal agencies.

Register NOW !

Resources

Building Assets and Building Lives

First Nations Development Institute has published a report that provides an overview of financial capability programs serving reservation-based Native communities in the Northwest Area Foundation region.

Please follow the link below to access this very informative report

Building Financial Capacity

Assets for Independence has just released Building Financial Capability: A Planning Guide for Integrated Services, an interactive resource to help a wide range of community-based and social service organizations integrate financial capability services into their existing programs.

For more information and resources, please visit Assets for Independence.