WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 20, 2009) – Native American Capital (NAC), LLC, an ‘All Indian Country' strategic advisory services firm, recently received the prestigious NAFOA Deal-of-the-Year award for partnering with Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas (KTTT) in creating a highly innovative, new model for a ‘Native American CDFI’, or tribal community development financial institution fund.  With the assistance of NAC, KTTT established Kickapoo Community Development Company, LLC (KCDC), capitalized the new tribal CDFI, and took control of the tribal member/employee loan portfolio thereby significantly reducing the interest rate paid by tribal members by more than half.  Many other tribes are also guaranteeing loan portfolios at outside commercial banks on behalf of their tribal members. By setting up their own CDFI and operating it as a ‘tribal credit union,’ a tribe can disintermediate its capital structure, directly support its members, reduce tribal member borrowing costs, and make reasonable profits on these loans.  This deal demonstrates a simple model for other tribes to emulate if they wish to make consumer loans to their members, create useful leverage on their capital, and reduce their dependence on outside commercial banks.

In commenting on the award, NAFOA President Bill Lomax said, "This is one of the most creative deals that we have ever seen at NAFOA. The Kickapoo Tribe and Native American Capital are to be congratulated for demonstrating that tribes with the ability to guarantee loans at commercial banks also have the ability to operate these loan portfolios directly with positive results for both tribal governments and individual tribal members."

Founded and led by Native Americans, Native American Capital, LLC, provides a full complement of strategic advisory services to American Indian communities, with particular emphasis on the development of innovative programs in support of tribal economic development and tribal infrastructure.   NAC’s programs have a special focus on health care, finance, economic development, infrastructure, the environment, education, and commerce.