Masaska Owecaso Otipi Financial

Name

Masaska Owecaso Otipi Financial

Legal name

Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial

Website

https://mazaskacdfi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Lending

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs) (FSABAEAC)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Housing loans
• Homebuyer education
• Credit builder loans
• Native CDFI services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pine Ridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Revenue generated from interest on housing loans including home purchase loans, rehabilitation loans, construction loans, and credit builder loans provided to Native American borrowers.
2. Grant Funding: Grants received from foundations such as the South Dakota Community Foundation's Beyond Idea Grant (BIG) initiative for community development programs.
3. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations supporting affordable housing initiatives. Mazaska is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with tax-deductible donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial is a Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides housing loans—including home purchase, rehabilitation, construction, and credit builder loans—along with one-on-one technical assistance, financial literacy classes, and homebuyer education to Native American borrowers on and around the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The organization uses character-based lending practices that incorporate community knowledge alongside conventional credit criteria to extend credit to borrowers underserved by mainstream banks.

Product overview

Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial is a Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) offering a coordinated suite of loan products and educational services. The core lending portfolio consists of four loan products: Home Purchase Loan ($10,000-$150,000, up to 30 years), Rehabilitation Loan ($10,000-$40,000, up to 15 years), Construction Loan ($25,000-$150,000), and Credit Builder Loan ($500-$5,000, up to 2 years). These financial products are complemented by support services including one-on-one technical assistance, financial literacy classes, homebuyer education courses, and workshops on home maintenance, green building, and foreclosure prevention. The organization also provides a Veterans Guide resource and operates a Community Support Network for peer mentorship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Home Purchase Loan Mortgage loan for purchasing existing homes on or near the Pine Ridge Reservation, with loan amounts from $10,000 to $150,000 and terms up to 30 years, available to Native American borrowers.
• Rehabilitation Loan Home improvement loan for repairs, energy efficiency upgrades, or modifications to accommodate elderly or disabled family members, with loan amounts from $10,000 to $40,000 and terms up to 15 years.
• Construction Loan Loan for building new homes on tribal lease, allotted land, or fee land, with loan amounts from $25,000 to $150,000 and a maximum of 5 draws during a 12-month construction period followed by long-term financing.
• Credit Builder Loan Small loan designed to help borrowers build credit history, with loan amounts from $500 to $5,000 and terms up to 2 years.
• One-on-One Technical Assistance Individualized support provided to help clients navigate the homeownership process, including pre-purchase and post-purchase housing assistance.
• Financial Literacy Class One-day course introducing fundamental financial management concepts including budgeting, saving, banking, and credit management, offered free of charge.
• Homebuyer Education Classes Three-week course preparing potential homebuyers for the home purchasing process, covering topics including down payments, mortgage loans, interest rates, and home maintenance, offered free of charge.
• Workshops Educational workshops covering home maintenance, green building techniques, and foreclosure prevention, provided by Mazaska and partners including Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing, Lakota Funds, and Thunder Valley.
• Community Support Network Network connecting existing homeowners who have successfully achieved homeownership on Pine Ridge with aspiring homeowners, providing peer mentorship and educational resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12.2 percent lower probability of bad debt when at least a half hour of free financial counseling was provided to borrowers without established credit
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pennington Title CompanycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 16 February 2024Selected as neutral third party to oversee the closure of a home purchase transaction, managing the transfer of funds and documents to ensure transparency and fairness for all parties involved.
• Bonnie LeBeauminorOthers · 16 February 2024Native American real estate agent who provided guidance throughout the real estate transaction, ensuring the family's interests were represented with expertise.
• Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing homebuyer education classes and housing assistance to Native American communities on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
• Lakota FundscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing homebuyer education classes and financial services to the Lakota community.
• Thunder ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing homebuyer education classes and community development services on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Four Bands Community Fund: A certified Native CDFI on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota providing small business, consumer, and housing loans plus financial coaching to Native American borrowers. Directly comparable to Mazaska in mission, products, and regulatory status as a Treasury-certified Native CDFI.
• Oweesta Corporation: A Native CDFI intermediary that provides capital, training, and technical assistance to emerging and existing Native CDFIs across the country. Comparable as the institutional backbone of the Native CDFI movement of which Mazaska is a part.
• Lakota Funds: A Native CDFI on the Pine Ridge Reservation that provides small business and consumer loans to the Lakota community. Direct geographic peer that also partners with Mazaska for homebuyer education.
• Akiptan: A Native CDFI focused on agricultural and youth lending in Indian Country. Comparable as a certified Native CDFI applying alternative, character-based underwriting to underserved Native borrowers.
• First Nations Community Financial: A Native-led 501(c)(3) CDFI providing financial services, lending, and education to Native American communities. Direct peer in structure and mission to Mazaska.
• Wind River Development Fund: A Native CDFI serving the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming with business, consumer, and mortgage lending. Comparable as a Treasury-certified Native CDFI serving a single reservation with similar character-based lending practices.

Broad incumbents

• Native American Bank: A national Native-owned bank serving tribal nations, Native businesses, and Native individuals with lending and deposit products. Comparable as a Native-focused financial institution, though broader in scope and federally chartered as a bank rather than a nonprofit CDFI.

Regional players

• Bay Bank: A Native American community bank in Wisconsin serving tribal communities and Native businesses. Comparable in mission (Native-led financial institution serving underbanked communities) but operates as a regulated bank in a different region.
• Lakota Federal Credit Union: A Pine Ridge-based federal credit union serving Oglala Sioux Tribe members with deposit and consumer lending products. Direct geographic peer and active partner, though structured as a credit union rather than a CDFI.

Emerging players

• Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation: A Pine Ridge Reservation-based community development organization that partners with Mazaska on homebuyer education and housing-related programming. Comparable as a Pine Ridge community development actor with overlapping housing mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MAZASKACDFI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mazaska-owecaso-otipi-financial-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Masaska Owecaso Otipi Financial