Native Initiatives (21.012)
Native Initiatives (Assistance Listing 21.012) is run by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, part of the Department of the Treasury. It awarded $90.2 million in 112 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $805,233 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $481,000. Half of the 112 awards fell between $150,000 and $1.3 million, and they ranged from $125,000 to $2.6 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$90.2 million
- Grant awards112
- Typical award$481,000
- Awarded in FY 2025$5.3 million
- Size rank843 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $2.4 million in fiscal 2021 to $5.3 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 843rd largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 74% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 21 states and territories.
What the program funds
To promote economic revitalization and community development through financial and technical assistance to certified and emerging Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Past notices
Of 4 notices posted under this program since 2021, most went up in February (2), January (1) and December (1).
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Only a certified CDFI that demonstrates that at least 50% of its past activities were in one or more Native Communities and describes how it will target its lending/investing activities to one or more Native Communities is eligible to apply for FA awards. Additionally, an organization wishing to apply for an FA award through the NACA Program must have an approved certification Target Market that consists of either an Investment Area or Other Targeted Population that includes a Native Community. Organizations that are certified CDFIs and non-certified entities, including Sponsoring Entities, seeking to become certified CDFIs that demonstrate they will primarily serve one or more Native Communities as its Target Market may apply for Technical Assistance awards. No awards may be issued to federal agencies, departments or instrumentalities, State governments, local governments, or any agency or instrumentalities thereof.
What the money can and cannot pay for
FA awards enhance the Recipient's ability to provide financial products and services that promote economic revitalization and community development for Native communities and populations. NACA Program FA awards must be expended for activities in the following five categories: (i) Financial Products; (ii) Financial Services; (iii) Loan Loss Reserves; (iv) Development Services; and (v) Capital Reserves. Note: Only Regulated Institutions may use an FA award for Financial Services and Capital Reserves. TA awards build the Recipient's organizational capacity. NACA Program TA awards must be expended for activities in the following eight categories: (i) Compensation – Personal Services; (ii) Compensation – fringe benefits; (iii) Professional Services Costs; (iv) Travel Costs; (v) Training and Education Costs; (vi) Equipment; (vii) Supplies and (viii) Incorporation Costs (Sponsoring Entities Only).
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Funds for the FY 2024 Funding Round are a combination of appropriations from FY 2023 and FY 2024. Therefore, no funds were awarded in in FY 2023. In FY2024, there were only Financial Assistance awards obligated and no Technical Assistance awards were obligated. FY 2024 Funding Round Technical Assistance awards will be obligated in FY 2025. The FY 2024 dollar range of total Financial Assistance (FA) awards were from $500,000 to $2,600,000. The FY 2024 average Financial Assistance awards (Base-FA) was $1,729,800, which does not include Persistent Poverty Counties-FA (PPC-FA), Disability Funds-FA (DF-FA), and Healthy Food Financing Initiative-FA (HFFI) awards. The range of PPC-FA for FY 2024 were from $100,000 to $600,000. The FY 2024 average PPC-FA was $500,000. No supplemental awards for DF-FA or HFFI were made under the NACA program in FY 2024.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2017: Please visit the CDFI Fund website for examples of funded projects. The information can be accessed via www.cdfifund.gov/programs-training/Programs/native-initiatives.Fiscal Year2019: Visit the CDFI Fund website for examples of funded projects. The information can be accessed via www.cdfifund.gov/programs-training/Programs/native-initiatives.Fiscal Year2025: Visit the CDFI Fund website for examples of funded projects. The information can be accessed via https://www.cdfifund.gov/programs-training/programs/native-initiatives.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Native Initiatives (21.012) awarded $90.2 million across 112 grant awards, an average of $805,233 per award.
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 71% of the money, businesses 15% and tribes 9.6%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 83 | $63.7 million | 71% |
| Businesses | 9 | $13.8 million | 15% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 12 | $8.6 million | 9.6% |
| Colleges and universities | 2 | $2.6 million | 2.9% |
| Other | 5 | $1.3 million | 1.5% |
| Small businesses | 1 | $200,000 | 0.2% |
By state
16 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | 11 | $16.6 million |
| Wisconsin | 12 | $9.7 million |
| Washington | 12 | $7.9 million |
| Alaska | 6 | $7.2 million |
| Colorado | 5 | $6.9 million |
| Minnesota | 9 | $6.9 million |
| Oklahoma | 7 | $5.6 million |
| Nebraska | 6 | $4.8 million |
| Montana | 7 | $4.6 million |
| Michigan | 5 | $4.3 million |
| Hawaii | 6 | $3.3 million |
| Maine | 2 | $3.0 million |
| Oregon | 3 | $2.4 million |
| New Mexico | 3 | $2.3 million |
| Arizona | 3 | $1.8 million |
| California | 5 | $1.1 million |
| Idaho | 3 | $747,000 |
| Mississippi | 3 | $475,000 |
| Wyoming | 2 | $376,000 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $150,000 |
| New York | 1 | $150,000 |