3rd Annual Native CDFI Capital Access Convening

(Beginner/Intermediate) USDA Rural Development programs have historically been a critical resource for Native CDFIs to capitalize and grow their lending programs. This session will review best practices in utilizing RD’s programs and provide insights into the current priorities and goals of RD and how they align with Native CDFIs. This session will also include an overview of Overview of the SBA Microloan Program including direct loans and technical assistance grants to eligible nonprofit micro lenders - specifically to provide micro-level loans, business based training and technical assistance to start-up, newly established and growing small business concerns. The session will include information on SBA interest rates (5-year Treasury-Bill rate minus 1.25% or 2.00% buy-down), possibility of grant funding (up to 25% of amount borrowed), matching funds and highlights from the SBA Microloan Program Standard Operating Procedure, as well as roles of state-based and D.C.-based SBA program representatives. What does the future hold for continued collaboration and innovation? This session will be interactive and discussion oriented, with questions, answers, best practices, and case studies. SBA and USDA representatives will be joined by Native CDFIs; First American Capital Corporation (FACC) based in Wisconsin using the SBA programs and Northwest Native Development Fund (NNDF) based in Washington using USDA programs.

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(Beginner/Intermediate) Although many Native CDFIs operate in communities with agricultural activity, many do not focus specifically on ag lending, and may not be familiar with what it involves. In this session, we will explore ag lending through an “Oprah-style” discussion with a number of experienced colleagues in the ag lending field. Led by Leslie Newman with Native CDFI panelists: Tawney Brunsch, Zach Ducheneaux, Angie Main, and Emily Trump. Our discussion will focus on the following questions: -What is ag lending? -How can ag lending look different from other business lending? -Are there special challenges to ag lending? -Are there unique sources of capital for ag lending? -How is the Keepseagle Settlement supporting ag lending?

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(All Levels) This fun and fast-paced workshop focuses on the importance of gathering data for impactful business storytelling and what “brand trust” is and how to achieve it. The important concept of storytelling is vital to businesses and organizations, no matter the size. Everyday our brains, our communities, and our organizations gather new information (learn), process existing information (think), and share information (teach). All this information is data, used to tell a story. Common indicators used throughout the CDFI industry will be shared, and reports will be passed out for small groups to critique, as well as discuss how the indicators in the reports were used to share an impactful story. Following the small group activity, we will share case studies from Native CDFI’s who have turned their data into an avenue for storytelling and fundraising. Then we discuss branding your product, and how to achieve brand trust, even during your busy day-to-day schedule. The importance of storytelling on social media and staying present will be discussed, then resources will be presented to provide insights on collecting data and establishing and marketing your brand. Led by April Lemly and Michael Brydge. Learning objectives 1. Storytelling for your business and how you use it. 2. Prioritizing data to tell an impactful story. 3. Actualizing the importance of follow-up data. 4. Understanding best practices for showing impact from data. 5. Establishing brand trust. 6. Using your brand to market your organization.

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(Beginner/Intermediate) In this session, we will explore how to increase access to capital for homeownership lending. Facilitated by Leslie Newman, a number of CDFIs working in this area will share their experience, including Susan Hammond, Marvin Ginn, and Collee Steele. The session will be interactive, first focusing on polling questions for the audience, including: -Have you considered homeownership lending? -Are you currently doing mortgage lending? -If you considered it, but aren’t lending in this area, why not? -What capital sources do you access for your homeownership lending? Our panelists will then address audience input, sharing how they have addressed challenges to homeownership lending, such as the need for long-term capital. Panelists will also share the sources of capital that they access for homeownership lending, innovative models for homeownership lending, and tips for fellow CDFIs considering or launching a homeownership lending program.

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(Intermediate/Advanced) Native organizations, CDFI’s, and Indigenous Community Economic Development Institutions can lead the way in creating pathways toward impact investing for Indian Country, by working with corporations and impact investors. The National Congress of American Indians in 2010 adopted a Sustainable, Responsible Impact Investment resolution for Tribal Nations. There is commitment nationally but direct relationships matter. Corporate investors want to find meaningful ways to limit tax burden and capital gains. Foundations want to align their grant making with their investments. There is potential for more connections between investment opportunities and Indian Country. The new federal tax reform law has changed the landscape. This interactive session will explore how communities of practice prioritize climate resilience and health outcomes in their processes. It will also highlight collective impact models that can leverage impact investments and regional capacity funds that support Indian Country and Native communities.

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(Beginner) A workshop covering the basic components of an Impact Measurement Program (IMP) and case studies of successful IMP implementation. The workshop starts with a discussion of the underlying theory of IMP and the fundamental aspects of impact measurement. Following the introductory section, we will review examples of culturally-based IMP case studies and highlight their successes and challenges. The workshop will end with a review of the variety of database options, their pros and cons, and how to pick the right database for your organization. Led by Josh Shaughnessy and Alyssa Camp. 1. What is an Impact Measurement Program and how does it work? What do I need for my own Impact Measurement Program? 2. How have other organizations incorporated an Impact Measurement Program into their own data structure in a culturally appropriate way? 3. What do I need to begin my own Impact Measurement process? What software is needed?

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(All Levels) In this session, we will be discussing and sharing best practices on innovative collaboration in Native CDFIs. In summer 2017, two Native CDFIs in South Dakota – Four Bands Community Fund and Lakota Funds – launched an innovative construction internship program where building trades students at the Tribal college had the opportunity to work with local contractors (many of whom are CDFI borrowers and clients). In addition to hands-on work with contractors, interns were required to participate in a series of financial education classes taught by the CDFIs. The CDFIs reported that conducting this internship has been one of the most impactful activities they have ever undertaken. This session will also tell the story of the collaborative efforts between the Black Hills Community Loan Fund (BHCLF) and the James Madison University senior capstone class in human resource development. Through their partnership, BHCLF was able to build their capacity and create a list of deliverables created by the students of the James Madison University senior capstone project. While BHCLF received valuable resources currently used to market and engage the community they serve the students of JMU gained real life experience as “consultants” to BHCLF. In this workshop, we’ll hear directly from Lakota Vogel and Tawney Brunsch about the internship and from Onna LeBeau about the partnership with the University/students; how they were created and worked, why it was so impactful. Participants will also see samples of what was created, hear about lessons learned, and have the opportunity to share their experience with partnerships and internship programming, as well as potential internship programs and partnerships they could consider.

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(Intermediate/Advanced) During this panel discussion, we will share information about AERIS ratings and talk about the AERIS rating process, issues, outside metrics investors review, and gaps in program assessment, with Native CDFI panelists talking about their experience with the process and how it has impacted their organizations.

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(Beginner/Intermediate) Accounting can be a challenge for CDFIs. This session will cover a variety of topics, including helping practitioners understand balance sheets and p&l’s, how to look at financial statements and understanding accounting transactions for assets and liabilities (current and long-term), write offs, and the loan loss reserve.

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(Beginner/Intermediate) The CDFI industry, and specifically Native CDFIs, are subject to in-depth performance and impact monitoring/research – in part to understand the efficiency and effectiveness of these mission-driven lending organizations to fill access to capital gaps, facilitate leveling of the playing field in the free market economy for respective target markets, and measure ROI for taxpayer and other investments. At the individual NCDFI organizational level, measurement and monitoring of KPIs, and ratios such as The CDFI Fund’s historic Minimum Prudent Standards (MPS) are used by the industry to test compliance with award agreements, competitiveness and selection decisions during grant application rounds, and in underwriting for those NCDFI seeking subordinated or senior debt. This session will address four perspectives associated with measuring/monitoring/managing respective KPIs: -National industry perspective – what we need to know about why and how the industry is evaluating our NCDFIs’ performance -Board of Directors’ perspective – What a NCDFI Board member wants to see in a KPI Report -NCDFI Management perspective – How NCDFI management can adjust performance & production during a fiscal year to work towards KPI goals -Nuts & Bolts development and maintenance of custom NCDFI KPI reports – a practitioner’s tour of standard operating procedures for developing source documents, tables, Excel formulas, report formats, graphs, and SWOT analyses relative to both internal management goals and industry standards. Led by First American Capital Corporation (FACC).

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(Beginner/Intermediate) Many Native CDFIs struggle to project the funding they will need over time to meet their mission. This session will lead the participants through an eight-step process to determine the amount of lending, loan loss reserve and operating capital required over a three- to five-year period. Many capitalization training sessions focus on the “who” and “how” of capitalization: Who do we ask? How do we ask? This session is intended to give participants the tools and process for calculating the What: What do we need to raise? The session will include a step-by-step process to convert lending projections into a capitalization plan and includes the tools and templates used in the process. Participants will be asked to bring lending projections and information on their portfolio products, including term and interest rates. During the session participants, will work with the tools and templates to begin to calculate their capital needs.

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(Intermediate/Advanced) Understanding loan loss reserves can be challenging, yet it is essential for strong portfolio management. In this fundamentals session, you will learn why loan loss reserves are important and how they impact your financial statements, the difference between cash and accrued loan loss reserves, how to establish a loan loss reserve policy, and how to accurately calculate and manage your loan loss reserves.

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(All Levels) Join Prosperity Now and other partners for a broad overview on how financial capability solutions and toolkits can be funded. This session will also include a facilitated discussion to explore how Native communities fund their financial capability work. Hear about funding to support development services, public and private sources of funding, and creative fundraising strategies from this discussion. We will also be discussing increasing access to other financial products (beyond financial education) on the spectrum of financial capability tools, such as VITA, IDA, financial coaching, and others that can be a part of designing financial capability strategies for your community. In this session, you will hear more about tools developed on financial coaching, integration of financial capability into services, tax time savings, and children’s savings as well. The session will also include discussion on financial capability building and funding in Native communities. Led by Arohi Pathak, Megan Bolado, and Vera Moore.

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(Advanced) Social investment is another venue for Native CDFI capitalization and is underutilized. This interactive panel discussion with social investors will focus on how Native CDFIs can increase their visibility in this space and how these investors differ from traditional bankers and investors. Many social investors are taking notice and want to know how to invest and capitalize Native communities. What are social investors looking for and looking at?

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(Advanced) CAMELS (Capitalization, Asset Quality, Management, Earnings, Liquidity, Sensitivity) analysis is being used by an increasing number of funders and investors and is a method to help you assess your own organization. In this session, learn what the CAMELS analysis is, key ratios used in the analysis, and how to evaluate and improve your CDFI using this assessment method.

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In this session, participants will learn about the current federal policy landscape, understand what it means for Native CDFIs and see how Native CDFIs can engage in advocacy and stay current with fast moving policy changes. As a result, participants will obtain guidance and tools that they can use to add their voice to policy dialogue by hearing from Native CDFI Network and Prosperity Now and raising questions with presenters who can share their expertise and clear action steps to take. Led by Tanya Fiddler (Native CDFI Network) and Arohi Pathak (Prosperity Now).

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(Beginner/Intermediate) A sound financial foundation is essential for Native CDFI stability and growth. A key ingredient to establish and strengthen that foundation is the loan portfolio, which often represents a significant asset on the Native CDFI’s balance sheet. This hands-on session will use a case study method to take participants through a framework for portfolio quality review that ensures the Native CDFI is appropriately managing risk at the systemic and transactional levels to support its larger financial picture. -Objective 1: Understand the fundamentals of portfolio management that drive financial performance. -Objective 2: Understand the relationship between systemic and transactional risk management. -Objective 3: Successfully use examples to apply the portfolio quality review framework.

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(All Levels) Deep dive with Oweesta and Prosperity Now technical assistance providers who have been working with Tribal agencies in Alaska and the Southwestern United States to integrate financial capability services into existing cash and emergency assistance programs over the past year. You’ll hear lessons gleaned from the work thus far and specific strategies for how Native CDFIs can incorporate lessons learned to support the financial well-being of their Tribal members through financial service integration. Led by Chris Hansen and Megan Bolado.

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(Advanced) In this session you will learn how to develop an appropriate, balance sheet-driven capitalization strategy for your CDFI. This will include evaluation of where you stand now, aligning capitalization with your strategic goals, understanding what types of capital are available, and overcoming existing capitalization challenges.

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This session will include opening remarks from Kevin Walker, President & CEO of Northwest Area Foundation. Chrystel Cornelius, Executive Director of First Nations Oweesta Corporation, will also address the group. There will also be a presentation on the challenges and opportunities in Native communities by four Native CDFIs and a Social Investors Panel Discussion.

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This panel discussion will look at how key funding partnerships can increase investment in Native communities, looking at particular case studies, including a partnership between Clearinghouse CDFI, Travois, Native American Bank, and First Nations Oweesta Corporation. Representatives from Clearinghouse CDFI, Travois, Native American Bank, and First Nations Oweesta Corporation will sit on this panel. The Manatee Tank session will highlight aspiring Native CDFIs seeking investment as they make brief presentations to a panel of "manatee" investors, who ask key questions and discuss investment in these organizations.

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This session will include facilitated networking time between Native CDFIs, partners, investors, and funders.

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Discussion on Investment in Native Communities, Challenges, Opportunities, Next Steps

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