The Native CDFI Awards honor and support Native CDFIs that are creating opportunity and promoting self-sovereignty in Indian Country nationwide. Haa Yakaawu and Nimiipuu Fund are fellow recipients of this year's Native CDFI Awards.
"Receiving the Native CDFI Catalyst Award is incredibly exciting and humbling. It’s an acknowledgement that Akiptan’s hard work is paying off and that we are really making a difference in Indian Country. The Award also presents an opportunity not only to expand our reach to more Native agricultural producers but also to tell our story and share our successes with other Native CDFIs, as well as the broader CDFI and financial industries." - Skya Ducheneaux, Executive Director
Akiptan will utilize the Native Catalyst Award to further our mission in several ways. We will increase our team to deploy patient, innovative capital that works to uplift our underserved Native ag producers, so that more producers can prosper. By Helping them to grow their equity, accomplish their goals, and work towards food and financial security all across Indian Country.
The award will also enhance our programming. We are constantly developing new financial tools to help our producers. Which includes; financial literacy curriculum for different industries within the Native Agriculture space, and resources that enhance producers financial skills. Akiptan firmly believes that investing in youth is a step in food security and food sovereignty so we make sure that youth are included in all of our activities through youth financial literacy, scholarships, and internships. We hope to continue to broaden our financial literacy offerings and the Native Catalyst award will support these goals.
Our proof of concept is in the works and we are already seeing early signs of success; the next steps are to share the message to help change the paradigm of how lending is currently done. We know that patient, relationship based financing is the key to a prosperous economic future and we are looking forward to sharing our testimonials as our producers gain financial security.
Thank you to the Native CDFI Award Partners; Wells Fargo, Oweesta and Opportunity Finance Network for your generous support!
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