- Details
- By Brian Edwards
- Finance
The Native CDFI movement continued to build momentum during the first half of 2026, even as shifting federal priorities created new challenges for Native lenders and the communities they serve.
In Episode 8 of Difference Makers 3.0, host Brian Edwards sits down with Native CDFI Network CEO Pete Upton and NCN policy consultant Ian Record for a mid-year discussion on the state of the industry. The conversation explores the push to increase funding for the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program, proposed changes to federal grantmaking, bipartisan legislation supporting Native entrepreneurs, and the importance of strengthening Native CDFIs through capacity building, technical assistance and relationship-building.
The episode also looks at the broader growth of the movement, with about 65 certified Native CDFIs now serving Indian Country and nearly three dozen more organizations working toward certification.
Here are highlights from the conversation:
On the Native CDFI movement's growth:
"We're right at or underneath 100 total CDFIs across the country serving Indian Country — 65 certified Native CDFIs and close to three dozen emerging ones."
On increasing federal support:
"We're really pushing on now... getting an increase from the $28 million in annual funding that the NACA program currently receives up to at least $35 million, if not the $50 million that we've been requesting for a while."
On why capacity building matters:
"Strong policy is created by strong practice."
On proposed federal grant changes:
"This could have a chilling effect on the ability of Native CDFIs and other Native-serving institutions to administer federal funds or even apply for it."
On building relationships in Washington:
"What I always look for is those success stories... so I can go back to D.C. and tell our policymakers the stories that I'm hearing."
On the future of the movement:
"We're not a moment in time. We're a movement, and it's going to continue."
Visit Difference Makers 3.0 to listen to the full episode and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.
