Native Women Lead (NWL) works to revolutionize systems and inspire innovation by investing in businesses owned and operated by Native women
VISIT WEBSITEABOUT
- ISSUE AREA: Indigenous Economy & Solidarity
- ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET: $2,000,000
- GEOGRAPHY: United States (Albuquerque, NM w/ reach and operations in Arizona, Colorado, and Texas)
KEY FINDINGS
- Established alternative financial health checks to counter the inequities of traditional finance systems. NWL has cultivated a community of Native-led businesses that do not run credit checks, uses borrower character interviews, and assesses whether an individual does work in the community so that they can access cash flow
- The alternative financial practices have been adopted by some traditional banking institutions too. Because of NWL, there are a growing number of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that consider a person’s rental history and utility, phone, and water payments as opposed to financial statements and credit checks
- The executive director is interested in coaching opportunities and professional development focused on non-traditional leadership roles and management
- NWL is looking to potential partners like Elevate to help them craft the story on what indigenous entrepreneurship looks like and why it should be a model for the future