As you know, the Native CDFI Network (NCN) learned last month that OMB is withholding its allocation of FY 2025 appropriations from the CDFI Fund, which includes vital funding for Indian Country through the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program and Small Dollar Loan (SDL) Program. The NACA Financial Assistance (FA) and Technical Assistance (TA) program applications have been pending since March 2025, with no word from the CDFI Fund regarding whether or when those awards will be announced despite formal requests from NCN, Native CDFIs, and other stakeholders to do so. Meanwhile, the CDFI Fund is now significantly behind schedule in releasing the SDL program applications.
NCN calls on all Native CDFI leaders and key partners to call your state’s U.S. Senate delegation and your U.S. Congressional representative and ask them to engage OMB and Treasury to demand the CDFI Fund awards and applications for FY 2025 go forward without further delay. GOP Senators and House members are particularly critical.
The basic message you want to share is this: “We have a [pending application/plan to apply for the NACA/SDL program at the CDFI Fund]. We understand that OMB is ‘slow walking’ the funds appropriated in FY 2025. Here’s why that matters for the [entrepreneurs, small businesses, homeowners, etc. we serve]. Please reach out to the leadership of the OMB and Treasury to urge them to move forward with the CDFI Fund awards and applications.”
We also welcome you to email your Congressional delegation’s staff to share more details about the impacts the withholding of FY 2025 dollars will have on your CDFI and the Native people it serves using this template email. We encourage you to reference and attach the NCN’s joint letter opposing the withholding of FY 2025 funds and its summary of the impacts it will have on Native CDFIs.
To engage your Congressional delegations, please consult the contact info below:
U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators
U.S. House of Representatives: Find Your Representative (locate by ZIP code)
U.S. House of Representatives: Directory by State, District, Last Name
If you need assistance with locating the email addresses of the staff of your Congressional delegations, please email NCN Policy Consultant Ian Record at [email protected].