On April 29, members of the Native CDFI Network (NCN) Board of Directors met in Washington, D.C. with CDFI Fund Director Pravina Raghavan, Clint Hastings, and Fatima Abbas, Director of the Office of Tribal and Native Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The 90-minute meeting brought together NCN CEO Pete Upton and Board Directors Russ Seagle, Rollin Wood, Cindy Logsdon, and Rolina Faagai for an in-depth discussion on the future of Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs).

The conversation focused on the certification process, federal appropriations, reporting requirements, and the implications of recent Executive Orders affecting Native communities. Director Raghavan was especially informative regarding CDFI certification and reaffirmed that certification is not only key to accessing public resources but also essential to unlocking private investment in Native communities. The discussion underscored the important role Native CDFIs play in building resilient, self-determined Tribal economies.

The NCN delegation also met with staff from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to advocate for the continued protection and expansion of the CDFI Fund and the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program. Board members expressed serious concern about the recent Executive Order issued by the Trump Administration and the ongoing challenges NCN faces in retaining the $400 million awarded through the EPA’s Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) program. The potential loss of these funds would significantly undermine the capacity of Native CDFIs and threaten critical investments in Tribal communities across the country.

Despite the concerning budget proposals and recent executive actions, NCN leadership left the meeting feeling optimistic. “The tone was productive, and the alignment between NCN and the CDFI Fund was clear,” said CEO Pete Upton. “While we know there’s still much work to be done, the CDFI Fund continues to enjoy strong bipartisan support, and that gives us confidence in the road ahead.”

NCN remains committed to working in partnership with federal agencies while vigorously advocating for Native CDFIs. The Network will continue to oppose any actions that undermine Native economic development and will work to ensure that trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations remain a federal priority.