| Our
Mission
Lakota
Funds is a community development organization actively
promoting the socio-economic sustainability of Oglala
Lakota Oyate (people) on the Pine Ridge Reservation. It's culturally appropriate strategies include business
loans, technical assistance and targeted community and business
development.
History
Lakota Funds
was established twenty years ago by a group of visionary
community leaders with assistance from Oglala Lakota College
and the First Nations Development Institute.
The group realized
that to break the cycle of poverty on the Pine Ridge Indian
Reservation, they needed to go beyond charity focused on
daily needs. They focused on the key roadblocks to economic
development: access to capital, access to technical assistance,
access to business networks, and access to infrastructure.
They also decided
to build the first Native American Community Development
Financial Institution (CDFI) in America, and Lakota Funds
was born. read more>
| OUR TEAM |
| Dr.
Dowell Caselli-Smith, Executive Director, read
bio>> |
| LaVonne
Randall, Financial Manager |
| Tawney Brunsch, Loan Officer |
| David
White Bull, Small Business Success Coach |
| Darrel
Twiss, Housing Manager |
| Mary
Mousseau, Oyate Woableza Otipi Project Coordinator |
| Diane
Tail, OWOP Investment Specialist |
| Tony Taylor,
OWOP Loan Improvement Specialist |
| Jennifer
Richards, OWOP Information Specialist/Public Relations |
| Peggy Two Crow, OWOP Clerical |
| Jo
White, WBI Director |
| Shanelle Bull Bear , Small Business Success Coach Assistant |
| Judy Rouillard, Custodian |
| |
| SUPPORT CONSULTANTS |
| Micheal
Utter, Rural Community Innovations |
| Phebe Royer Quattrucci, Opportunity
Finance Network |
| |
| BOARD |
| Elsie Meeks, Chairperson, read bio>> |
| Brian Kirk, Vice President |
| Emma Clifford , Member , read bio>> |
| Faith Two Eagle , Member |
| Wilma Standing Bear, Member |
| Ivan Sorbel, Member |
| Mike Her Many Horses, Member |
| |
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| Thanks to the Foundations That Have Provided Lakota Funds Support |
| |
| Bush Foundation |
| Citigroup |
| Clover Foundation |
| Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation |
| FB Heron |
| First Nations Development Institute |
| Flora Family Foundation |
| Ford Foundation |
| Golden West |
| Hearst Foundation |
| Hewlett Packard |
| Kellogg |
| Mennonite Central Committee |
| Mott Foundation |
| Ms Foundation |
| North West Area Foundation |
| SD Community Foundation |
| Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Family Foundation |
| Walton Family Foundation |
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