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The National FSA American Indian Credit Outreach Initiative (AICOI) has grown each year of our eight years we have been with the National Tribal Development Association. The following graphs and other descriptions of our success has proven our ability to adapt and come up with innovative ways to help the farmers, ranchers, tribes and youth of Indian Country. Nothing proves this point more than our ability to include youth in our outreach and educational services, a fact that will eventually allow these future farmers, ranchers and other entrepreneurs to qualify for the FSA Beginning Farmer Programs as well as other USDA programs.
Since 2001, the NTDA has administered the National FSA American Indian Credit Outreach Initiative which is a USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) funded outreach and educational effort designed to provide one-on-one FSA loan application preparation assistance and other kinds of financial opportunities to American Indian farmers, ranchers and the youth. The major objective of this initiative is to ensure American Indians are afforded an opportunity to understand, access and participate in the plethora of FSA administered credit opportunities available, as well as some of the other USDA programs that are available for Indian families. To date, our Credit Outreach Liaisons have been responsible for assisting program recipients in receiving over $33 million, in low interest loans for farming, ranching, and youth related projects. Because of the success of this program, it is being held up as a "model" by which other agencies and organizations outreach and education is being done. At this point in time, this program is the only external outlet for potential American Indian borrowers to receive counseling, education and one-on-one assistance to complete an FSA or guaranteed commercial loan application. fully understand the FSA Agricultural Credit programs and borrower's responsibilities. In addition, we currently have developed an internet based educational tool to be utilized by our outreach staff through the creation of an interactive entrepreneurial curriculum funded by a US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Native Americans (ANA) Grant entitled, Youth Entrepreneurial Empowerment Project. The curriculum will be created in a manner that will be relevant and accessible to American Indian youth, and our entire outreach staff will have another device to offer program recipients customized educational and business development instruction through use of state-of-the-art communications instruments. We are also involved with another program called the "Whole Farm Empowerment Project" which allows our outreach liaisons to be mentors to other minorities in reaching out to their farmers, ranchers and youth. This also adds to our educational skills for our Credit Outreach Liaisons as well. While NTDA has only been in existence since 1995, we're extremely proud of the fact that we now have 13 satellite offices strategically positioned throughout the United States which enables us to extend our coverage and service delivery to nearly all reservations in the entire lower 48 states. However, considering the fact that Federal assistance for domestic programs has steadily declined we are working to move into the foreseeable future, more widespread funding, so that these kind of services and opportunities are offered to all minorities, the NTDA has been seeking out other sources of revenues, so that we can continue to provide the absolutely necessary professional services we're currently providing. |
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Coverage Area
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RR 1 Box 1080 - Box Elder, MT 59521 - Toll Free 1-800-963-0015 - Phone 406-395-4095 - Fax 406-395-4096
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