Comments from ATTENDEES
Rjay Brunkow | Indian Land Capital Company
"The NCN Annual Policy and Capacity Building Summit is a can't-miss event for Native CDFIs. Each session was packed with spot-on topics, expert presenters, policy makers and information I found invaluable. This event is critical for Native CDFIs and those...
Cindy Logsdon | Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation
"The NCN Policy and Capacity Building Summit was an awe-inspiring event. With the array of speakers that spoke to the most pressing issues of the NCDFI industry and demonstrated a real ear for the issues and concerns we collectively are...
Andy Gordon | Clearinghouse CDFI
"NCN’s 2022 Annual Policy and Capacity Building Summit was, in a word, inspiring. For sure, the titles of the national policy speakers and practitioner panelists were impressive. But, even more importantly, the content of most all of the presentations and...
Rollin Wood | Native Partnership for Housing
"I want to compliment Pete Upton and his extraordinary staff for putting on an exceptional Policy & Capacity-Building Summit. Of all the meetings I have attended throughout my career, the summit was without question the most productive three days of...
Michael D. Carroll | RCAC
"NCN’s Annual Policy and Capacity Building Summit was two-and-a-half days packed with valuable information and networking opportunities. RCAC is a supporting member of NCN and I appreciate that Native CDFIs are taking on some of the toughest challenges for economic...
Dave Tovey | Nixyáawii Community Financial Services
"This year’s Native CDFI Network Annual Summit was an explosion of new resources, partnerships, and energy! Our fearless leader Pete Upton and his team assembled an unprecedented line-up of speakers at the highest levels of CDFI policy and government. We’re...
Robin Puanani Danner | SCHHA
"The 2022 Annual Policy & Capacity Building Summit was in a word, extraordinary. Native CDFIs across the country, in every region of Indian Country, engaged directly with high level federal and private sector officials. There is nothing more impactful in...
Rolina Faagai | Hawaiian Lending & Investments
"It's such a great opportunity to attend the NCN Summit every year. We spend much of the year living in, planning around and serving our respective native communities. The summit allows us to gather together and see the larger footprint...
Sean Winters | Chi Ishobak, Inc.
"The 2022 NCN Annual Policy and Capacity Building Summit was an enormous success. NCN continues to gain substantial traction within numerous governmental, financial, and philanthropic organizations with the direction aimed to assist the Native CDFI industry. It is very exciting...
Jonelle Yearout | Nimiipuu Community Development Fund
"The Native CDFI Network Summit allowed our industry leaders to hear from many federal program officials and leaders at the highest level. The opportunity to provide voice and context to the work we are doing to support community development and...
Joel Smith | Native American Bank
"The Native CDFI Network always does a great job of highlighting topics most important and relevant to Native CDFIs, and the Policy and Capacity Building Summit was no exception. The Summit’s speakers were a great mix of industry advocates, experts,...
Christy Finsel , Ph.D. | ONAC
"The Oklahoma Native Assets Coalition, Inc. (ONAC) wishes to congratulate the Native CDFI Network on their recent successful Summit. ONAC appreciated the opportunity to present during the final afternoon of the Summit about the ways in which we have been...
Russ Seagle | The Sequoyah Fund, Inc.
"In all my years of attending Native CDFI Network events, I've never experienced such a lineup of powerful speakers, amazing and relevant topics, and powerful networking. We learned how to be better practitioners, and our collective voice was heard loud...
Rob Aitken | Leech Lake Financial Services
"The NCN Annual Policy & Capacity Building Summit has grown into a necessity for any Native CDFI. This summit provides information, tools, and networking vital for the sustainability and growth for Native CDFIs of all sizes. The 2023 Summit was...
Alicia Burns | Westwater Financial, Inc.
"I left the summit very encouraged and invigorated to reach out to fellow Native CDFIs for networking as well as information about increasing our capacity. It was truly inspiring to be in the room with the policy leaders. As a...
Sheila Herrera | Tiwa Lending Services
"I left the Summit feeling very inspired and filled with heartfelt emotions. It's so nice to gather in a room surrounded by leaders that have the same mission and who truly care about our Native Communities."
Fred Eningowuk | Nome Eskimo Community
“NCN’s Summit was an excellent gathering of valuable networks and re-connection with fellow Native CDFI colleagues. It placed us directly with policy makers. We heard up-to-the-minute status reports on proposed policy modifications and examples of impacts these prospective changes may...