USA.gov
Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and Resources for Native Americans
USA.gov, the federal government’s official web portal, provides information about federally recognized Indian tribes and provides cultural, housing, and legal resources for Native Americans.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Office of Tribal Relations
The office serves as a single point of contact for tribal issues and works to ensure that relevant programs and policies are efficient, easy to understand, accessible, and developed in consultation with the American Indians and Alaska Native constituents they affect.
Programs and Services
USDA offers many programs and services to members of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. The publications listed on this page provide summaries of USDA programs that support agriculture, food sovereignty, business and community development, conservation and forestry, research, extension, outreach, and education.
Rural Development
This federal organization makes critical investments in infrastructure, housing, schools, health clinics, and economic and community development to benefit Native families and communities across rural America. Rural Development’s Business Programs page provides information about financial backing and technical assistance to stimulate business creation and growth. The programs work through partnerships with public and private community-based organizations and financial institutions to provide financial assistance, business development, and technical assistance to rural businesses.
Programs & Services for Lenders
Rural Development offers several loan guarantee and relending programs.
- Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program
- Business & Industry Loan Guarantees
- Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program
- Community Facilities Relending Program
- Intermediary Relending Program
- Multi-Family Housing Loan Guarantees
- Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants
- Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program
- Water & Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees
Programs and Services for Tribes
This page provides links to Rural Development’s program and services for tribes.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Native American Programs
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Native American Programs administers housing and community development programs that benefit American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments, tribal members, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Native Hawaiians, and other Native American organizations. The office administers the Indian Housing Block Grants, Indian Community Development Block Grants, Tribal HUD-VASH program, and other programs.
Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program
The Office of Loan Guarantee within the Office of Native American Programs guarantees Section 184 home mortgage loans made to Native borrowers. The loan guarantee assures the lender that its investment will be repaid in full in the event of foreclosure. The borrower applies for the Section 184 loan with a participating lender and works with the tribe and Bureau of Indian Affairs if leasing tribal land. The lender then evaluates the necessary loan documentation and submits the loan for approval to the Office of Loan Guarantee. The loan in limited to single-family housing (one to four units), and fixed-rate loans for 30 years or less. Neither adjustable rate mortgages nor commercial buildings are eligible for Section 184 loans. Maximum loan limits vary by county.
Tribal Housing Activities Loan Guarantee Program (Title VI)
Title VI is a public investment tool that HUD offers to federally recognized tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities. The program provides an additional source of financing for affordable tribal housing activities. A tribe/TDHE uses IHBG funds to leverage additional funds to finance affordable housing activities, so that it can undertake larger projects and build at today’s costs. This leverage is created by pledging the need portion of the tribe’s annual IHBG grant and the project’s income as security to HUD in exchange for a Title VI loan guarantee.
In turn, HUD provides a 95% guarantee of outstanding principal, plus accrued and unpaid interest as collateral to the lender. The lender then, provides the financing to the tribe.
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The bureau’s mission is to enhance the quality of life, promote economic opportunity, and carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives. The bureau’s Division of Human Services oversees the Housing Improvement Program, which provides home repair, renovation, replacement, and new housing grants administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and federally recognized Indian tribes. The program assists American Indians and Alaska Natives who have no immediate resource for standard housing.
Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs
This office assists and supports the Secretary of the Interior in fulfilling the United States’ trust responsibility to the federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages and individual Indian trust beneficiaries. The office maintains the federal-tribal government-to-government relationship. The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary–Policy and Economic Development oversees the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development, the Office of Indian Gaming, and the Office of Self-Governance.
The Indian Energy and Economic Development, Division of Capital Access, manages the Indian Loan Guaranty, Insurance and Interest Subsidy Program, which helps borrowers secure business financing on commercially reasonable terms. The program is open to federally recognized American Indian tribes, Alaska Native groups, individually enrolled members of such tribes or groups, and business organizations with no less than 51 percent ownership by American Indians or Alaska Natives. Borrowers apply for a loan through any lender that regularly engages in making loans. A lending institution should only apply for a loan guarantee or obtain loan insurance when it would not otherwise approve the borrower’s loan application.
U.S. Department of Energy
Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program
This program partially guarantees up to $2 billion in loans to support economic opportunities to tribes through energy development projects and activities. Under this solicitation, the Energy Department can guarantee up to 90 percent of the unpaid principal and interest due on any loan made to a federally recognized Indian tribe or Alaska Native Corporation for energy development. The tribal borrower will be required to invest equity in the project and all project debt will be provided by non-federal lenders.
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund’s Native Initiatives
The CDFI Fund created the Native Initiatives to support the creation and expansion of Native CDFIs. Native CDFIs help Native communities thrive by increasing the communities’ access to credit, capital, and financial services. Native Initiatives uses a combination of financial, technical assistance, and training to build the capacity of CDFIs serving Native communities.
U.S. Small Business Administration
Office of Native American Affairs
The office promotes and supports Native American entrepreneurs through tribal consultations, development and distribution of promotional materials, attendance, and participation in national economic development conferences.