The Mountain | Plains Native CDFI Coalition is consistently working to fortify the Indigenous finance industry. Read more about their innovations below

Cheyenne River Thriving Wage

Locally collected data was analyzed to identify a thriving wage for the Cheyenne River Reservation, which counters the invisibility and inaccuracy of current federal data sets. This replicable methodology empowers Native CDFI’s, reservation-based businesses with employees, businesses considering hiring a reservation-based workforce, tribal economic development departments, and future Native homeowners.

See the Living Wage presentation here

Regional Impacts

We track data to measure the impact of our work. This slide deck is a summary of the relationships we’ve fostered, the capital we’ve deployed, and how our CDFI’s serve clients in our region.

See the Regional Impacts presentation here

Mountain | Plains Indigenous Finance Gathering, Browning MT

The Mountain | Plains Coalition gathers their partners, funders, allies, and members annually to reinvigorate passions, provide updates, and create strategic plans. This year (2024) was hosted in Blackfeet Country.

See the Mountain | Plains gathering report here

Ally- Narrative Change Testing Guidelines

Narrative change is a key part of our work. The way that stories are told impacts perspectives, funding, support, and mental health. To assist our allies in supporting narrative change work we developed this survey to use when reviewing deliverables.

See the Ally- Narrative Change Testing Guidelines here

Native CDFI Workforce and Professional Development Study

To build sustainable career paths in the Indigenous Finance Industry, there is a pressing need for comprehensive training and educational services. Current resources are available but often inaccessible or not directly applicable, placing a significant training burden on Native CDFIs and impacting their efficiency and sustainability. To bridge this gap, curriculum and certification programs are being developed through local tribal colleges and the Mountain | Plains Regional Native CDFI Coalition, ensuring that Native CDFIs can secure skilled and quality employees nationwide.

See the NACDC & Sweetgrass report on Workforce Development here