Oweesta Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Longmont, Colorado. Founded in 1999, it is the nation's longest-standing Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) intermediary. The organization supports economic growth in Native American communities through the creation, development, and capitalization of Native CDFIs, providing training, technical assistance, direct investments, research, and advocacy to strengthen financial ecosystems designed and led by Native communities themselves.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$117.8M
+19.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
-62.2% YoY
Grant Count
19
-42.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$108K
-34.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To provide opportunities for Native people to develop financial assets and create wealth by assisting in the establishment of strong, permanent institutions and programs contributing to economic independence and strengthening sovereignty for all Native communities.
Core Belief: When armed with the appropriate resources, Native peoples hold the capacity and ingenuity to ensure the sustainable, economic, spiritual, and cultural well-being of their communities.
Primary Focus Areas:
Institutional Development: Creating, developing, expanding, and strengthening Native CDFIs through regional and local workshops, industry conference participation, technical assistance, and training for tribes forming or interested in forming CDFIs.
Lending and Capitalization: Providing capital to qualifying Native organizations, enabling reinvestment into community programs and leveraging additional capital. Oweesta makes loans to various Native CDFIs including small business loan funds, credit associations, and housing loan funds for consumer, business, housing, and mortgage lending.
Asset-Building Services: Offering financial education, small business development support, commercial real estate development, affordable housing and homeownership programs, and basic banking services to underbanked Native communities historically targeted by predatory lending practices.
Six Pillars of Native Prosperity: Capital Access, Capacity Building, Community-Led Change, Clean Energy & Climate Resilience, Education & Youth Development, and Food Sovereignty & Health.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$31,000
Ready to take the next step with Oweesta Corporation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Oweesta serves Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Nations and communities across the United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2025:
- Total Assets: $117.75 million
- Total Revenue: $19.07 million
- Total Expenses: $11.09 million
- Giving Rate: 5.5% of assets
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $98.9 million
- Total Revenue: $16.4 million
- Total Expenses: $12.3 million
- Total Liabilities: $71.8 million
Organization Rating: Three-Star rating with 84% overall score, reflecting strong accountability and finance practices.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $117,750,208 | $98,925,404 | $81,341,285 |
| Revenue | $19,066,595 | $16,385,342 | $11,519,423 |
| Expenses | $11,086,330 | $12,306,007 | $7,536,427 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $252,179 | $343,979 | $187,355 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
149 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include St Croix Chippewa of Indians ($452,615), Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation ($452,605), Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor ($343,360).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ST CROIX CHIPPEWA OF INDIANS WEBSTER, WI | HVAC GRANT | $452,615 |
| TOLOWA DEE-NI' NATION SMITH RIVER, CA | YEAR 1 SUBGRANT | $452,605 |
| ALUTIIQ TRIBE OF OLD HARBOR OLD HARBOR, AK | SUBGRANT | $343,360 |
| CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI PABLO, MT | GRANT | $219,771 |
| VILLAGE OF SOLOMON NOME, AK | GRANT | $182,674 |
| TIWA LENDING SERVICES ISLETA, NM | WF WORTH GRANT | $69,689 |
| PONCA TRIBE OF NEBRASKA NIOBRARA, NE | GRANT | $60,787 |
| NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH AND FAMILY PORTLAND, OR | NHCN SUBGRANT | $40,852 |
| HAWAIIAN LENDING AND INVESTMENTS ANAHOLA, HI | WF WORTH GRANT | $40,750 |
| COUNCIL FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN KAPOLEI, HI | NHCN SUBGRANT | $37,782 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Chrystel Cornelius — President & CEO (Ojibwe, Oneida)
Florence Ludka — Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance and Lending (Ojibwe)
Heather Rademacher Taylor — Chief Operating Officer
Jamie Olson — Chief Lending Officer (Nez Perce)
Sayre Savage — Director of Programs
Alexandra Shaughnessy — Director of Investments & Reporting
Skye "Kolea" Kolealani Razon-Olds — Director of Community Initiatives (Kānaka ʻŌiwi)
Tawny Wilson — Senior Director of Advancement (Sicangu/Oglala Lakota)
The organization employs 27 staff members as of 2025.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRYSTEL CORNELIUS | CEO | 40 | $255,487 |
| FLORENCE LUDKA | CFO | 40 | $243,337 |
| HEATHER TAYLOR | COO | 40 | $186,249 |
| JAMIE OLSON | DIRECTOR OF | 40 | $126,614 |
| DEBBIE POWERS | ACCOUNTANT | 40 | $120,784 |
| ALEXANDRA SHAUGHNESSY | DIR INVESTME | 40 | $104,306 |
| ROBIN DANNER | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| DEREK VALDO | VICE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| SUSAN HAMMOND | SECRETARY/TR | 2 | — |
| JEFF BOWMAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| FRAN LUTZ | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RODGER BOYD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Oweesta has been selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a Solar for All awardee, supporting Native solar energy initiatives. The organization was also selected for the Community Navigator Initiative. Oweesta has received support from the MacArthur Foundation and received a grant in April 2023.
Oweesta Has Been Selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection ...The organization has set an ambitious goal to channel $500 million into Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities by 2030, strengthening the Native financial ecosystem for generations.
Oweesta Supports Native Solar Energy Initiatives with Submission of Application\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Oweesta Corporation fund?
**Mission:** To provide opportunities for Native people to develop financial assets and create wealth by assisting in the establishment of strong, permanent institutions and programs contributing to economic independence and strengthening sovereignty for all Native communities. **Core Belief:** When armed with the appropriate resources, Native peoples hold the capacity and ingenuity to ensure the sustainable, economic, spiritual, and cultural well-being of their communities. **Primary Focus Are…
How do I apply for a grant from Oweesta Corporation?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Total giving: $5.4 million • Number of grants: 33 • Median grant size: $31,000 • Grant range: $9,000 to $2.6 million **Historical Giving:** • 2023: $1.2 million across 21 grants (median $38K) • 2022: $2.8 million across 37 grants (median $75K) **Application Policy:** Invite-only; does not accept unsolicited applications.
Where does Oweesta Corporation make grants?
Oweesta serves Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Nations and communities across the United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.
What size grants does Oweesta Corporation award?
In 2025, Oweesta Corporation awarded 19 grants totaling $2.1M — an average of about $108K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Oweesta Corporation's EIN?
Oweesta Corporation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1970097. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Oweesta Corporation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Larimer County Farm Bureau
WELLINGTON, CO
Assets
$986K
Grants
1
Total Given
$16K
Knight Family Foundation
BASALT, CO
Assets
$9.6M
Grants
22
Total Given
$420K
Jumping Mouse Foundation
BOULDER, CO
Assets
$10.0M
Grants
19
Total Given
$700K
Delta Dental of Colorado
CENTENNIAL, CO
Assets
$106.6M
Grants
42
Total Given
$2.8M
German American Chamber of Commerce -
DENVER, CO
Assets
$2.8M
Grants
2
Total Given
$63K
Terra Foundation Inc
NIWOT, CO
Assets
$2.2M
Grants
3
Total Given
$82K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Oweesta Corporation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Oweesta Corporation to a real strategy.