Indian Country Today’s article, “Are Native CDFIs the Financial Institutions of the Future?” discusses access to financial products and services in reservation communities. It highlights our work and the great need for capital among Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs). We encourage everyone to read this article to learn more […]
Lakota Funds Deploys 1st Agricultural Loan
James Two Crow (Oglala Sioux), a loyal Lakota Funds client since 2002, was the first to tap into our new Farm Service Agency guaranteed loan program. He utilized this agricultural loan product to purchase 20 bred cows, which symbolize the start of his growing cattle operation just east of Kyle […]
Tribal Member Takes Ownership of Pizza Shoppe, Works to Create Jobs
By any standards, Warren Peterson (Lower Brule Sioux) would be considered an ambitious social entrepreneur. At the age of 24, Peterson – already a husband and father – has worked his way out of special education classes, started his college education to become a doctor, and most recently purchased the […]
Rapidly Growing Food Truck Industry Reaches Pine Ridge Reservation
As the general economy headed for a downturn in 2008, the food truck industry began a remarkable rise. As of 2015, annual food truck revenue hit $1.2 billion with a 12.4% increase over five years. With markets near saturation in large metropolitan areas like Denver and Silicon Valley, the Pine […]
Business Ownership Brings Family Back to Hometown of Oelrichs
Randy and Jessica Hamar recently became the new owners of The Office, a bar, restaurant, and the cornerstone of Oelrichs, South Dakota for over 20 years. Originally from Oelrichs, Jessica Hamar (previously Dryden) is glad to be back to her hometown after living in Chadron, Nebraska for 15 years. “We […]
Derek Weston Receives All Star Honor for Business Success
Derek Weston, owner of Six Stars Pest Control Services, has been recognized by Lakota Funds as an “All Star” for his participation in multiple programs designed to build assets for Lakota individuals and families. The All Star program was designed by Lakota Funds to encourage their clients to participate in […]
Creative Financing Plants Seeds for Community Revitalization
The small town of Whiteclay, Nebraska lies just outside of the boundaries of the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. It is infamous for its liquor stores and some of the highest rates of alcohol sales per capita in the nation. With a population of 14 and average sales […]
Rosalie’s Quilting Expands, Persistence Pays Off
Rosalie’s Quilting, located 15 miles east of Wanblee on Highway 44 on Corn Creek, has expanded their operations from a home-based business into a newly constructed shop. The shop, built by Mendoza Construction and financed by Lakota Funds, will house all of the business’s equipment and will feature a new […]
Darrell Hunter Receives All Star Honor for Building Business
Over twenty years ago Darrell Hunter was one of three students in the first-ever woodshop class at Little Wound High School in Kyle, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Reservation. His teacher, who Darrell indicates was also a supportive mentor, created the class so he could develop his talents and […]
New Lending Program Creates Greater Access to Capital for Indian Agricultural Entrepreneurs
Lakota Funds, a community loan fund, was approved as a lender for Farm Service Agency (FSA) guaranteed loans. As a result, Lakota Funds will now be able to provide up to $300,000 in capital for eligible Indian-owned agricultural businesses located on the Pine Ridge Reservation or within 50 miles from […]