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Empowering Indigenous Entrepreneurs
Through Trust, Not Just Transactions.
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About rooted in Arizona
A Relational Based Lending Program for Indigenous Entrepreneurs & Businesses
Culturally aligned capital
RRF is co-created with Indigenous leadership to reflect Indigenous values, such as community connection, reciprocity, and self-determination. It respects the unique cultural and economic contexts of Indigenous entrepreneurs, offering loans that honor their vision and the needs of their communities.
Traditional lending focuses on credit scores and collateral, often excluding those without conventional financial history. RRF’s relational-based approach prioritizes trust, established community ties, and the relationships entrepreneurs have built within their networks.
Relational Lending Approach
Empowering Pathways
This loan program is designed to meet Indigenous entrepreneurs where they are, providing patient and flexible capital. By removing systemic barriers like jurisdictional constraints, cultural misalignments, and inequities in access to funding, RRF enables entrepreneurs to focus on building and growing their businesses sustainably.
Beyond financing, RRF partners with Indigenous-serving organizations to offer guidance, coaching, and capacity-building tailored to Indigenous entrepreneurs. This ensures participants receive not just financial resources but also the tools to thrive.
Holistic Support
The fund focuses on long-term community benefits, creating a ripple effect of opportunity for future generations. By investing in businesses that reflect Indigenous values, the program supports sustainable wealth creation, cultural preservation, and self-determination.
Impact-Driven Outcomes
How To Apply
To qualify for the Rooted Relative Fund loan program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
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Indigenous Entrepreneur: Applicants must have tribal affiliations or connections.
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Established Business: Your business must have been operational for at least 2 years.
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Business Bank Account: Applicants must have an active business bank account.
Loan Amounts: Ranges from $25,000 to $100,000.
Larger amounts may be considered based on your business needs.
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Once approved, all funds are loaned directly by RCAC and are held with them.
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Average loan terms are 8 years in duration with 3% interest.
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After submitting your initial interest, a member of the Rooted in Arizona team will reach out for next steps.
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You can expect to hear from us within 5 business days. Typically, the full loan process from initial interest to funds in hand takes anywhere from 4-6weeks.
Ready to get started? Submit your interest form below:
The process
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Complete Interest Form
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Schedule a 1-on-1 Call for us to learn more about your business needs
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Complete the application & submit documents
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The application will be reviewed
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Application submitted to the committee for final decision
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Once approved by the committee, the application will be submitted for funding
The Committee
Melody Lewis
Kendall Foster
Keneshia Raymond
Liz Pocock
Danny Knee
Workshops & Resources
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Join us for a Rooted in Arizona Lunch & Learn session designed to help Indigenous entrepreneurs like you access capital and grow your business! Click here to RSVP!
Collaborators
