A total of $550,000 in grant funds were awarded to the White Earth Investment Initiative as part of the Northwest Area Foundation fourth-quarter donations for 2018.
“The new awards bring our total grant-making for the year to just over $16 million spread among 200 grants for organizations throughout our service region — Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and 75 Native Nations,” the Foundation stated in its award announcement. “The grantees reflect our focus on expanding economic opportunity in under-resourced communities by supporting organizations rooted in the communities they serve.”
White Earth Investment Initiative will utilize funds to hire an employee and provide additional loans to Native American individuals and businesses, including those not presently served by a Native American Community Development Financial Institution (Native CDFI).
“We appreciate the strong support of the Northwest Area Foundation for Native organizations,” said Audra Tonihka, Vice President of Lending for WEII.
“We will utilize the award to continue to build economic resilience within the communities we serve,” said WEII Board Chairman Arlen Kangas, Ph.D.
White Earth Investment Initiative is a private, nonprofit community economic development corporation in Ogema, Minn. In addition to business loans, it offers consumer loans, homebuyer education, financial coaching, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance via the White Earth Tax Site. For further information, call Audra Toniha, Vice President of Lending, at 218-983-4020.
