PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kim Hayes, (301) 585-1131; kim@oweesta.org
Oweesta Awards Financial Education Grants in South Dakota; Services to Tribal Communities Will Be Enhanced, Expanded
June 17, 2009, Rapid City, SD// Three Native organizations in South Dakota will enhance their financial education and homebuyer education programs through a grant program from First Nations Oweesta Corporation (Oweesta). With funding provided by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines), Oweesta is awarding the second year of the South Dakota Native Financial Education Grant.
The $2,000 grants go to Native organizations delivering financial education training and/or homebuyer education to Native people in South Dakota. The 2009 recipients are: Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing, on the Pine Ridge Reservation; Four Bands Community Fund on the Cheyenne River Reservation, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Financial Education Initiative, on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.
"Oweesta would like to thank FHLB Des Moines for providing the funding that will enhance financial education and homebuyer education, which are vital elements in building strong Native communities," said Tracey Fisher, Interim President and CEO of Oweesta. “For example, these funds will assist Standing Rock with expanding services to include financial education. This will assure that their clients are ready to take advantage of existing business development products and services offered at their Entrepreneurial Centers. “
Generally, grant recipients will use the awards to upgrade their computer and impact data tracking systems, offer additional financial education workshops, purchase course materials and increase their outreach efforts. The first round of grants, given out in 2008, enabled at least 120 adults and middle and high school students to participate in financial education and home buyer education courses.
“We are very pleased with the positive impact this program has had in South Dakota,” said David Fleming, Manager of Lending and Capitalization at Oweesta. “Among other benefits, this year’s funding will help expand services into remote areas of the state. For example, financial education courses will be taught in more remote districts of the Pine Ridge Reservation, including Oglala, Porcupine, and Wakpamni.”
For more information about these grants or Oweesta’s other lending and grant programs, please visit http://www.oweesta.org/ or contact David Fleming at (605) 342-3770 or David@oweesta.org.
About Oweesta Oweesta (http://www.oweesta.org/) is a certified Native CDFI intermediary, providing Native communities with loans, investments, technical assistance, training and community development information. Its mission is to provide opportunities for Native people to develop assets and create wealth by assisting in the establishment of strong, permanent institutions and programs, leading to economic independence and strengthening sovereignty for all Native communities.
About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines The Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines is a wholesale cooperative bank that provides low-cost short and long-term funding and community lending to more than 1,200 members, including commercial banks, saving institutions, credit unions and insurance companies. The Bank is wholly owned by its members and receives no taxpayer funding. The Des Moines Bank serves Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota and is one of twelve regional Banks that make up the Federal Home Loan Bank System.