Dennis Matthews’ life is unrecognizable since he enrolled in the IDA program. In 1999, Dennis was $10,000 in debt, had lost his job and had taken a new job with a 45% salary reduction. “I was in so much trouble,” he says. “The cost of living was so high.”

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Small individually owned enterprises have become an increasingly important economic base for Native communities. Yet, while efforts to promote entrepreneurship among low-income communities nationwide have grown dramatically over the past 20 years, only recently have Native communities begun to benefit from these programs and services.

CFED is committed to strengthening the supports for Native entrepreneurship across the country through research and innovation, policy, and field development. Primarily funded by the Northwest Area Foundation and the U.S. Department of Treasury CDFI Fund, this work is led by Kim Pate.