active Private Loan

Lakota Funds — Native Business & Ag Loans

Lakota Funds

Up to $2,000,000

Visit official program ↗ See if you qualify — free

The short version

The original Native CDFI

Lakota Funds, established in 1986, was the first Native American Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in the United States and continues to place capital with new and growing businesses on and around the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota. Over its history it has supported the creation or expansion of more than 1,300 Native-owned businesses and deployed over $39 million in business loans. Its products include Credit Builder Loans (up to $2,500), Art Builder Microloans for artists (up to $1,000), Business Loans up to $2,000,000, Business Lines of Credit (1-year, for operating expenses), and Agriculture loans with competitive rates starting around 6% APR; non-ag rates generally run 8-15%. Borrowers must be enrolled members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (or a spouse/partner of one, or an enrolled member of another federally recognized tribe) and must reside and base their business on the Pine Ridge Reservation or within 25 miles of its exterior boundaries. A mandatory multi-week business training course is typically required before a loan is issued.

Funding type: Loan
Level: Private
Amount range: $500 – $2,000,000
Realistic amount: Most borrowers — especially first-time and developing entrepreneurs — take small business or…
Deadline: Rolling — applications accepted year-round; loan issuance follows completion of required business training.
Status: active
States: South Dakota
Payment model: loan

Who qualifies

Enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, OR spouse/partner of an enrolled member, OR enrolled member of another federally recognized tribe
Must reside and base the business on the Pine Ridge Reservation or within 25 miles of its exterior boundaries (as recognized by the Oglala Sioux Tribe)
Typically must complete a mandatory multi-week business training course before a loan is issued
Business or agricultural operation in any sector consistent with the product applied for
Adequate repayment plan and any required collateral

Hard requirements

Reserved for minority owned businesses
Must be in a rural area

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Start-up and working capital
Equipment and inventory
Real estate and facilities
Operating expenses (Business Line of Credit)
Agricultural operating and asset costs
Artist materials and supplies (Art Builder Microloan)

Ineligible expenses

Personal expenses unrelated to the business
Businesses based outside the Pine Ridge / 25-mile service area
Speculative or non-business purposes

How to apply

1

Confirm eligibility and contact Lakota Funds

Verify tribal-membership and geographic eligibility (Pine Ridge / within 25 miles) and contact Lakota Funds ((605) 455-2500) to identify the right loan product.

~2 hrs
2

Complete required business training

Attend the mandatory multi-week business training course (reported ~10 weeks). Completion is required for loan consideration but does not guarantee approval.

~25 hrs
3

Submit loan application and business plan

Provide the application, business plan, financials, and any collateral documentation for the chosen product.

~6 hrs
4

Underwriting, approval, and disbursement

Lakota Funds underwrites the request and, on approval, closes and disburses per the loan agreement.

~3 hrs

Insider tip

Treat the mandatory training as your edge, not a hurdle — Lakota Funds built the first Native CDFI model around bringing developing entrepreneurs to a fundable position, and the business plan you build in the course is what underwriting reviews. If you have an agricultural angle, the ag loans start near 6% APR versus 8-15% for general business loans.

Deadline & timing

No application cycle. A mandatory multi-week business training course is typically required before a loan is issued (reported as a roughly 10-week course), which extends the timeline for first-time borrowers; completing training does not guarantee a loan.

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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.