Lakota Funds
  • P.O. Box 340 Kyle, South Dakota 57752 USA
  • (605) 455-2500
  • M-F 8:30am-4:30pm

Culture is your craft.

Make art your business.

Our Building Native Art program is designed to support our local art entrepreneurs by providing capital, training, and customized assistance.

Art Builder Microloan - $500 or less

The Art Builder Microloan is an excellent financing solution for artists who have small working capital or inventory needs. This loan is unsecured, meaning no collateral is required, and is designed to support the start-up and growth of art businesses on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

 

Eligibility Guidelines:

  • Loan applicant must reside and base his/her business on the Pine Ridge Reservation, be at least 18 years old, and be an artist.
  • Applicant must not have any other current Lakota Funds business loans and no history of Lakota Funds charged off loans.
  • Applicant must have verifiable income for at least six months.
  • Applicant must complete the Personal Financial Skills course. (This may be waived for applicants depending on credit score.)

 

Requirements: Proceeds of loan will be paid directly to vendor of applicant's choice.

 

Terms of Loan: Up to 6 months, payable monthly via automatic withdrawal, with fixed interest rate of 15%.

Art Equity Grant

Artists who are approved for our small secured business loan, also have the opportunity to apply for an Art Equity Grant. These grants provide a cash infusion of up to $2,500 or 20% of loan proceeds (whichever is less) to support art businesses.

Online Courses for Art Entrepreneurs

Our Building Native Industry Institute Online Learning Center provides a variety of courses for established and aspiring art entrepreneurs. Enroll in one of these courses and learn at your own pace from any location with internet access.

Business Planning for Artists

Start Learning

Financial Considerations for Artists

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Increasing Sales through Online Tools

Start Learning

Strategic Planning for Native Artists

Start Learning

Art Business Coaching

Artists are not only unique in their craft, but also in the way they launch, grow, and operate their businesses. We understand that every art entrepreneur has different dreams and goals when it comes to building their business. Our success coaches provide uniquely tailored, individualized assistance depending on your needs and circumstances.

Take the first step on your art building journey


Change Your Future

Partner Spotlight

Increasing Access to Artist Resources

Lakota Funds works closely with First Peoples Fund, our partner that provides support and voice to creative Indigenous artists so they may share their inspiration, wisdom, knowledge and gifts with their communities. In addition to receiving grant funding from First People’s Fund, we have partnered with them on some truly innovative initiatives to support our art entrepreneurs on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

The Rolling Rez is a state-of-the-art mobile art space, business training center, and bank that travels throughout the Reservation to build our creative economy. This mobile unit, made possible through a partnership with Lakota Funds, First Peoples Fund, and the Lakota Federal Credit Union, provides artists with the resources and support needed to build their art businesses.

We are also partnering with First Peoples Fund to build the Oglala Lakota Arts and Business Incubator, an 8,500-square-foot building to be constructed in Kyle.