Oweesta Corporation

Oweesta Corporation is a charitable organization and Native Community Development Financial Institution with a mission to provide opportunities for Native people to develop financial assets and create wealth. Oweesta pursues this mission by assisting in the establishment of strong, permanent institutions and programs contributing to economic independence and strengthening sovereignty for all Native communities. Oweesta provides training, technical assistance, investments, research, and policy advocacy to help Native communities develop an integrated range of asset-building products and services, including financial education and financial products. This award supports Oweesta Corporation’s general operations.

Oweesta Corporation, the longest standing U.S. intermediary serving Native communities, provides the tools and capital support to Native community development financial institutions that are required for real and sustainable job creation, small business development, commercial real estate development, and affordable housing/home ownership. Oweesta also offers basic banking services and financial literacy training to “under-banked” Native American communities historically targeted by predatory lending practices. Oweesta supports Native communities through three key strategies: a) providing access to capital to support community development through direct financing, and facilitating the aggregation of larger capital sources directed to Indian Country; b) providing organizational capacity training and technical assistance to Native community development financial institutions; and c) providing leadership through facilitating and advocating for local, regional and national solutions that support the work of Native community development financial institutions. MacArthur’s award to Oweesta provides general operating support, helping it to execute on its three-year strategic plan that is focused on arming Native communities with the appropriate resources to unlock their capacity and ingenuity, and to ensure the sustainable, economic, spiritual and cultural well-being of their communities.