South Dakota Regional Community Development Forum Reveals Powerful Strategies for Native Economic Development

The Native CDFI Network (NCN), sponsored by  Citi Community Development, convened Native community development stakeholders from across South Dakota and the region at the South Dakota Regional Community Development Forum. The two-day event, is the first NCN regional event of its kind and provides a rare opportunity to learn in depth about Native community development in South Dakota and around the region by bringing together Tribal and non-Tribal government and program representatives, practitioners, policymakers, financial institutions, researchers, and philanthropic organizations in knowledge sharing and networking activities. Attendees are also engaging in dialogues about the barriers that exist within Native communities, and identify actionable strategies for each challenge.

In addition, Tanya Fiddler, Executive Director of the Native CDFI Network (NCN), announced at the Forum that NCN will receive a major contribution from Citi to support Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). This funding will build upon the learnings and blueprint developed at the Forum, and will lead the expansion of the blueprint developed to the more than 53 Native CDFI members within NCN, and the over 70 Native CDFIs across the country.  It will enable NCN to gather new data that further identifies the gaps and challenges facing Native communities, and move the organization towards the creation of a Native Futures Fund which will provide equity through sub funds to Native CDFI’s across the country.

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