Kola Campground in Wounded Knee
 KOLA Campground owners Leonard and Debra Martinez wanted to expand their business of trail rides on horses to include overnight camping with added activities. Lakota Funds had the opportunity to assist Leonard and Debra with one of our loan products to accomplish their expansion goal. David White Bull, Lakota Funds Wawokiye Business Institute Success Coach was able to offer technical assistance to develop sources and uses with cash flow projections. The loan department offered suggestions and then a loan. KOLA campgrounds will include sleeping under the stars in traditional tipis, beds and showers, evening meals of traditional Lakota foods and other activities. This summer the sale of artwork/crafts and the features of the campground will be offered by the Martinez to tourists and tribal members who pass through the Wounded Knee village. To book your camping trip and to obtain more information call Debra and Leonard at 605.441.6187.
Lakota Funds technical assistance and courses are free to entrepreneurs like Leonard and Debra here on the reservation. The free classes offered: Core Four Business Planning, Financial Literacy, and Homebuyers Training just to name a few. Wawokiye Business Institute also has small business success coaches who assist future business owners with resources and technical assistance. Lakota Funds provides services in five areas: technical assistance, financial literacy, housing, financial capital and market access. Lakota Funds makes micro loans up to $5000, small business up to $25,000, and business expansion loans up to $200,000. The last two categories require the Core Four Course and/or three years of successful business experience.
Badland Boy Adventures
 Lakota
Funds assisted Chris Cuny to get his new business,
Badland Boy Adventures, started with one of the loan
products. Chris used the Core Four Business Planning
Course to start his plan. Chris began his road to entrepreneurship
with Harvey White Woman as his small business success
coach four years ago, now he has David White Bull to
assist in getting his entertainment business up and
running. Badland Boy Adventure is possibly the first
portable rock climbing wall entertainment in Indian
Country. It will be set up at pow-wows, local schools,
local trade shows, and various tribal programs, with
the first appearance at the trade show in Rapid City
the 3rd week in March. Chris stated, “If you
got your dream, okay it’s possible to find resources
here, give it a shot.” Entrepreneurs like Chris are offered Lakota Funds loan products here on the reservation. There are free classes offered: Core Four Business Planning, Financial Literacy, and Homebuyers Training just to name few. Wawokiye Business Institute also has small business success coaches who assist future business owners like Chris with resources and technical assistance. Badland Boys Adventures shows there are opportunities for tribal members desiring their own business. Call Chris at 441-3876 or email him at Chris Cuny for more information.
Lakota Funds Client Spotlight Native
American Natural Foods, LLC
 Lakota
Funds is proud to spotlight Native American Natural Foods,
LLC as our successful client of the month for January
2008. Karlene Hunter, chief executive officer and Mark
Tilsen, president work swiftly to fill orders of the
famous Tanka Bars which are sold just as fast as they
are produced. Hard work and high quality products have
made the company reach production goals at an accelerated
pace. The energy bar called Tanka Bar is an made from
dried buffalo meat and dried cranberries. Hunter is South
Dakota’s Small Business Woman of the Year for 2007;
she is demonstrating to Oglala Lakota Nation the possibilities
of our reservation to the world. The constant demand
for the product is incredible and Tank Bars are just
the beginning for Native American Natural Foods, LLC.
This years Black Hills Powwow was where the Tanka Bars
were introduced to an enthusiastic audience. Buffalo
has always been essential for the survival of our ancestors
and Tanka Bar has revived buffalo’s benefits in
today’s culture.
Lakota Funds mission to promote socioecomic sustainability of Oglala Lakota
people on Pine Ridge Reservation can be accomplished with successful entrepreneurs
like Hunter and Tilsen. Community development and Economic development start
right here on our reservation with our members desiring a change for the future.
All people of the Oglala Nation deserve to have achieving communities and people
with homes and a vibrant economy.
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