Nimiipuu Fund

What Nimiipuu Fund does

Nimiipuu Fund, legally Nimiipuu Community Development Fund, is a Native 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) chartered in 2013 to drive economic development on and around the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. Headquartered in Lapwai, Idaho, the organization provides non-traditional lending and financial education to Nez Perce Tribal members and local communities across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Its core product suite includes Consumer Lending (fixed 15% personal loans up to 12 months and Credit Builder loans), Business Lending (startup loans up to $100,000 and commercial business loans up to $250,000, priced at 2-6% above WSJ Prime Rate), and Home Improvement Lending (up to $50,000 at local bank rates plus 2%). Supporting services include the Initiate Platform (online business resources via SurveyMonkey), financial education classes, one-on-one business coaching, estate planning assistance, and youth financial education through the Young Buck$ program. The Pay it Forward lending model recycles repayments into subsequent loans, creating a sustainable community capital cycle.

The business model is hybrid: interest income from lending, application/origination fees ($30-$100 plus up to 1% origination), and grants/donations from federal CDFI sources (U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund, SBA), regional foundations (Northwest Area Foundation, Innovia Foundation), and community partners. Customer acquisition is community-led, driven by cultural events, financial education classes, workshops, and direct outreach through staff loan officers and a business coach. Technology infrastructure is lightweight: a Formstack-based loan application flow, a website at nimiipuufund.org, and the SurveyMonkey-hosted Initiate Platform. The organization operates with 1-10 employees, became independent from the Nez Perce Tribe in summer 2019, and has set a strategic goal to grow its active loan portfolio to $2 million by 2028.

Name

Nimiipuu Fund

Legal name

Nimiipuu Community Development Fund

Website

https://nimiipuufund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nimiipuu Fund is a Native 501(c)(3) CDFI providing consumer, business, and home improvement loans plus financial education to Nez Perce Tribal members and local communities across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Financial Services

NAICS

Credit Unions (522130), Credit Unions (52213), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Finance Services (6199), Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Secured Microloans (Community/Nonprofit, Collateralized) (FSAKALAJ), SBA/USDA Government-Backed Loan Intermediation (FSAEAEAI), Microenterprise Group Lending (Joint Liability) (FSAKAGAH)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Tribal financial services
• Consumer microfinance
• Small business lending
• Financial education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lapwai

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Interest earned on consumer loans (15% fixed rate), business loans (2-6% above WSJ Prime Rate), and home improvement loans (local bank rates + 2%).
2. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Nimiipuu Fund receives charitable donations and grant funding from organizations including U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund, Northwest Area Foundation, and community partners.
3. Application and Origination Fees: $30 application fee for consumer loans, $100 application fee for business loans, plus loan origination fees up to 1% at closing plus closing costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nimiipuu Fund is a certified Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides consumer loans, business loans, and home improvement loans to Nez Perce Tribal members and local communities across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The organization complements its lending with financial education classes, business coaching, financial coaching, and the Initiate online business resource platform, operating under a 'Pay it Forward' model where loan repayments fund future borrowers.

Product overview

Nimiipuu Fund operates as a unified CDFI platform offering multiple financial products and services to the Nez Perce Tribal and surrounding communities. The core lending products include Consumer Lending (with Credit Builder Loans as a sub-product), Business Lending, and Home Improvement Lending. Supporting services include the Initiate Platform for online business resources, Financial Education Classes, Personal Finance Tools, Business Planning Resources, Financial Coaching, and Estate Planning Services. These offerings work together to provide holistic support for economic development, from consumer credit building to business startup and growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consumer Lending (Personal and Holiday Loans)
• Credit Builder Loan
• Business Lending (Startup and Commercial Loans)
• Home Improvement Lending
• Initiate Online Business Resource Platform
• Financial Education Classes and Workshops
• Personal Finance Tools and Coaching
• Estate Planning Services
• Financial Coaching (One-on-One)

Quantifiable outcome

• 912 total loans provided from 2016-2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Nez Perce TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent tribal government that conducted 2011 Market Analysis identifying need for financial services. Formalized NCDF as independent entity in 2019 through MOU.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing Community Navigator Pilot Program grant enabling additional business training and technical assistance for tribal businesses.
• Idaho SBDCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSmall Business Development Center providing business training events and workshops for Nimiipuu Fund clients.
• Nez Perce Tribal Housing AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on home buyer education classes and community events for tribal members.
• Idaho Women's Business CenterminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWomen's business development resource providing training and support for entrepreneurs.
• Idaho Central Credit UnionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCredit union partner supporting community financial services.
• Clearwater River CasinominorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent venue hosting community classes and events including home buyer education series.
• Lewis Clark Credit UnionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional credit union supporting community financial development.
• Nixyaawii Community Financial ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNative CDFI providing financial services in the region.
• Northwest Native Development FundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNative CDFI serving Pacific Northwest tribal communities.
• Oregon Native American ChamberminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting Native American business development in Oregon.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Northwest Native Development Fund: Native CDFI serving Pacific Northwest tribal communities with small business and consumer lending, coaching, and financial education. Listed as a channel partner of Nimiipuu Fund with directly overlapping products (startup and consumer loans) and service geography across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
• Nixyaawii Community Financial Services: Native CDFI providing small business, consumer, and agricultural lending to tribal communities in the Pacific Northwest. Documented channel partner of Nimiipuu Fund with materially similar lending products, member base, and CDFI certification profile.
• NDN Fund: National Native CDFI providing capital, technical assistance, and policy advocacy to Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs. Listed as a financial partner of Nimiipuu Fund and operates a closely aligned mission and product set.
• Oweesta Corporation: Native CDFI intermediary that provides training, capital, and technical assistance to emerging and existing Native CDFIs. Major financial and capacity-building partner of Nimiipuu Fund, serving a closely related but slightly broader role as a national intermediary.
• Four Directions Development Corporation: Native-owned CDFI providing lending and community development services to Native American communities. Serves a closely analogous mission and customer base, making it a strong comparability benchmark for Nimiipuu Fund.
• Native Community Capital: Native-led CDFI and loan fund providing small business lending and financial services to Native entrepreneurs. Operates as a like-for-like peer to Nimiipuu Fund in target market, products, and CDFI structure.

Broad incumbents

• Native CDFI Network: Industry association representing and supporting certified Native CDFIs including Nimiipuu Fund. Provides policy, capacity-building, and capital coordination services across the sector, making it a broad incumbent peer for benchmarking and ecosystem positioning.
• LiftFund: Large, multi-state nonprofit CDFI providing small business loans and coaching to underserved entrepreneurs. Operates a similar nonprofit CDFI lending model to Nimiipuu Fund but at substantially greater scale across multiple geographies.
• Idaho Central Credit Union: Large Idaho-based credit union listed as a channel partner of Nimiipuu Fund. Provides consumer and small business banking services in overlapping territory and represents a mainstream financial incumbent against which Nimiipuu Fund competes for tribal members' banking relationships.

Regional players

• Umpqua Bank: Pacific Northwest community bank serving Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and listed as a financial partner of Nimiipuu Fund. Represents a comparable regional community banking player whose small business and consumer lending portfolio benchmarks the opportunity set Nimiipuu Fund targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NimiipuuFund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Nimiipuu Fund