2011 Annual Conference
6th Annual Native CDFI Awards
One Native CDFI and a Native CDFI leader were honored for their achievements in building Native communities on Wednesday, November 16, at the 6th annual Native CDFI Awards Ceremony. The Ceremony capped off the 8th Annual Native Convening, an event co-hosted by First Nations Oweesta Corporation and Opportunity Finance Network at the OFN Conference. Each year, Native economic development practitioners and tribal representatives from across the country join hundreds of other opportunity finance experts at the OFN Conference to share and learn about new ideas, strategies for change, and innovations from the field.
The Circle of Honor Award recognizes a Native CDFI that is successfully increasing access to capital and financial resources in Native communities by developing innovative loan products, promoting community development and overcoming challenges. The 2011 Circle of Honor Award winner is Salt River Financial Services Institution, a Native CDFI located in Scottsdale, Arizona, which serves tribal members of the Salt River Pima—Maricopa community.
Salt River Financial Services Institution was selected from a highly competitive group of Native CDFI nominees and received the award due to its strong financial performance, diversity in creating lending products and development services to serve its target market, and the commitment to advancing asset building efforts for Native communities on a local, state and national level.
The Visionary Leader Award for Outstanding Achievement recognizes a person who has made a longâ€term contribution to the Native CDFI industry and whose local financing and asset building efforts make them an inspiration for others. Ted Piccolo, executive director of the Northwest Native Development Fund in Nespelem, Washington, received this year’s award. Ted has been the director from its inception, and he has been a leading advocate in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade in advancing the Native CDFI movement. He has generously assisted other Native CDFIs in their development efforts, participated in key policy events, and demonstrated a strong commitment to the Native CDFI sector and the advancement of asset building opportunities for tribal members.
After the awards were announced and accepted, the night concluded with an honor line with Little Earth, a drum group, and a traditional Native dance performance by Native Pride.
OFN congratulates the 2011 Native CDFI Award recipients!
