Executive Summary
Native women are among this country's most vulnerable populations. Not only are they breadwinners, they carry culture, language, families, communities, and their Tribes to survive. Native women interested in entrepreneurship do not enjoy equitable access to capital, business development resources, financial capability, or career opportunities. An established coalition between New Mexico Community Capital and Native Women Lead is delivering a culturally relevant solution to the gender and racial wealth gap. Our solution scales impactful businesses owned by Native women to create a waterway of investable companies. Their growth will increase power and influence within their families and unlock potential for wealth creation through community employment opportunities. In addition, we are assessing the national investment landscape through an Indigenous lens and developing a waterway for Native women to manage capital. These activities will engage investors to remove systemic blocks Indigenous people face. This effort is about catalyzing the investability and economic liberation of Indigenous women while co-creating non-harmful investment mechanisms.
Charity, fund, non-governmental organization, religious institution, school, or other entity
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2022 Swift Grant Awardee
The Native Women Lead and New Mexico Community Capital will engage Indigenous film and media creators to launch a storytelling campaign to reframe entrepreneurship in Native American communities and uplift the innovation of Native American matriarchs. This campaign will support the team’s The Future is Indigenous Women initiative.
2022 Swift Grants Awardee
The Native Women Lead and New Mexico Community Capital will engage Indigenous film and media creators to launch a storytelling campaign to reframe entrepreneurship in Native American communities and uplift the innovation of Native American matriarchs. This campaign will support the team’s The Future is Indigenous Women initiative.
Accomplishments
Our initiative weaves together 5 strategy tables: Indigenous Women’s Fund, Circle of Support, Community Table Building, Storytelling, and Impact Evaluation.
Indigenous Women’s Fund lent $420,000 in Year 1 through the Matriarch Creative Fund and the Matriarch Restorative Fund, which accumulated to $550,000 to date lent to 62 entrepreneurs with a 99% repayment rate.
Circle of Support provided technical assistance to 96 Native entrepreneurs representing 41 Tribes or Pueblos in 3 states.
Community Table Building launched its programming with a total of 344 attendees representing 208 Tribes, Pueblos, and Nations served through a model that integrates guest speakers and educational opportunities on business and personal growth topics.
Storytelling, Marketing & Communications created 4 videos, 2 of which are used to orient borrowers.
Impact Evaluation milestones in Year 1 include securing Sweet Grass Consulting to build a custom CRM and securing an Indigenous evaluation team from UNM with experience in community-based participatory research.
