Native agriculture market study

Akiptan

Akiptan is a certified Native CDFI located on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, that provides loans and technical assistance to agriculture producers across Indian Country. Akiptan stands firmly behind the belief that patient capital is the way to do financing.

• Project purpose

  The purpose of this study was to determine the unmet financing and support needs of Native producers across the country. The information will help organizations like Akiptan fundraise, build internal capacity, and grow partnerships to meet community needs.

• Objectives

  • Inform gaps in finance access.

  • Understand current strengths and needs.

  • Get a clear picture of the Native agriculture industry across the country.

• Outcomes

  Through key opnion leader interviews, regional focus groups, and CDFI, lender, and Native producer surveys, we developed a report of the findings. We discovered an unmet financing need of almost $43 million, and our report included 31 recommendations for fundraising to support Native producers across the country.

• Timeline

  2021–2022

• Project team

  Mary Sienko — Project support

  Mairi Creedon — Data analysis and report writing

“I love working with Sweetgrass. Whether it's a small task or a large project, they're always willing to help us. The rapport we've built with the team is unbeatable and irreplaceable.”

Skya Ducheneaux, Akiptan

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