BIA Indian Loan Guarantee and Insurance Program (ILGP)
Bureau of Indian Affairs — U.S. Department of the Interior
Up to $500K (individuals)
Federal loan backstop for Native business owners
The BIA Indian Loan Guarantee and Insurance Program guarantees up to 90% of commercial loans made to federally enrolled Native American individuals and AI/AN-majority-owned businesses. Since 1974 it has backed over $2 billion in loans used for equipment, working capital, building construction, and acquisition. The federal guarantee reduces lender risk so Native businesses can access financing they would otherwise be denied or quoted at much higher rates.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $5,000 – $500,000
- Realistic amount
- Typical guaranteed loans range from $25,000–$250,000 for individual Native entrepreneurs. Tribes and tribal enterprises…
- Deadline
- Rolling — no cycle deadlines; contact your regional BIA Division of Capital Investment (DCI) zone office.
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- loan
Who qualifies
- Applicant must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribe or group
- Business must be at least 51% owned by federally recognized AI/AN individuals, OR be a federally recognized tribe or tribal enterprise
- Borrower must demonstrate at least 20% equity in the project
- Loan must be used for a legitimate business purpose that benefits a reservation or tribal service area economy
- Ineligible businesses: casinos, smoke/vape shops, high-alcohol breweries/distilleries, businesses primarily selling tobacco or vaping products
- Borrower must work with a participating commercial lender — BIA guarantees the lender's loan, not the borrower directly
Hard requirements
- Demographic eligibility: native-american-owned
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Operating capital and business working capital
- Equipment and machinery purchases
- Business acquisition
- Building construction and renovation
- Lines of credit
- Inventory
- Refinancing of existing business debt (with restrictions)
Ineligible expenses
- Casino operations and gambling businesses
- Tobacco shops, smoke shops, and vape businesses
- High-alcohol breweries or distilleries
- Personal expenses unrelated to business
- Businesses that do not benefit a reservation or tribal service area
How to apply
-
1
Locate a participating lender
Find a commercial bank, CDFI, or tribal lending institution willing to make the loan. The lender submits the guarantee request to BIA on your behalf. Your BIA regional DCI office can suggest participating lenders in your area.
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2
Contact your regional BIA Division of Capital Investment office
Reach out to the DCI zone office covering your tribal service area. Identify yourself as AI/AN enrolled, describe your business and loan purpose, and confirm your project benefits a reservation or tribal service area economy.
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3
Prepare and submit proposal package
Assemble: tribal enrollment documentation (Certificate of Indian Blood or tribal ID), business plan, financial projections, 3 years of tax returns if available, the lender's loan proposal, and documentation of 20%+ equity contribution. Submit via email to your regional DCI office.
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4
BIA reviews and issues guarantee
BIA reviews the proposal package and issues a guarantee certificate to the lender if approved. The lender then disburses loan funds per its normal closing process. Timeline varies by regional office but typically 30–60 days from complete submission.
BIA guarantees the lender's risk, not your loan directly — your lender relationship matters as much as your BIA eligibility. Tribes often get larger guarantees beyond the $500K individual cap.
Deadline & timing
Program operates on a continuous basis. Contact the nearest DCI zone office first — they accept proposal packages by email and confirm receipt within 5 business days. Loan must benefit a reservation or tribal service area economy.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.