NCN Joint Sign-On Letter to Admin and Congress

This joint sign-on letter, issued on October 17, 2025, represents a unified front by the Native CDFI Network (NCN) and 153 co-signatories to prevent the scheduled dissolution of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund.

The Crisis at Hand

The letter was prompted by an October 10, 2025, announcement stating that all CDFI Fund staff would be terminated and its operations discontinued by December 13, 2025. The coalition argues that this decision, based on a determination that the Fund no longer aligns with federal priorities, ignores the statutory status of the Fund and the clear legislative intent of Congress to sustain it.

Critical Impacts on Indian Country

The document outlines several devastating consequences if the termination proceeds:

• Loss of "Seed Capital": The Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program provides essential funding for nearly 100 Native CDFIs. Without staff to disburse these funds, $500 million in potential investments for small businesses, housing, and infrastructure over the next two years is at risk.

• Disruption of Investment Tools: The letter highlights that the New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) program, a vital tool for private investment on tribal lands, would effectively be frozen without staff to manage allocations.

• Certification Roadblocks: The abolishment of the Fund would end the federal certification process for CDFIs. This "seal of approval" is necessary for Native CDFIs to leverage and secure private sector investments, where they typically turn every $1 of federal investment into $8 of private capital.

The Call to Action

The NCN urges the White House and Congress to:

1. Reverse the termination of CDFI Fund staff to uphold trust and treaty obligations.

2. Maintain funding at $35 million for the NACA Program for FY 2026.

3. Conduct oversight hearings to examine the impact of these staffing cuts on low-income and rural Native communities.

Dave Harper, CEO of Huurav Energy, is specifically listed as a national co-signatory supporting this effort to protect essential financial resources for Indian Country. His support, alongside other tribal leaders and organizations, emphasizes that protecting the CDFI Fund is not just a financial issue but a fulfillment of the federal government's responsibility to support economic self-sufficiency for Tribal Nations.