Citation:
Abstract:
Historically, the Potawatomi enjoyed a strong economy built on trading with Native nations throughout North America and with European settlers. Unfortunately, forced removal from the Great Lakes region to what is now Kansas, and then again to Oklahoma, brought about drastic political, cultural, and economic changes. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation's government and its citizens suffered from political instability and a weakened tribal economy. To address these concerns, the Nation began laying the necessary groundwork to rebuild itself. It reformed government institutions and established a number of successful tribal enterprises, including a gaming and entertainment center, grocery stores, and a bank. But the Nation also wanted to grow the private sector within its economy and encourage citizens, who may lack the credit records necessary for bank loans, to go into business for themselves. The solution was to establish the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation, a CDFI that offers, among other things, micro loans, commercial loans, an employee loan program, financial literacy education, and credit counseling to the Nation's citizens around the U.S. and to all American Indians in Oklahoma.