Nimiipuu Community Development Fund

09/23/2026

Building Capacity Through Training & Workforce Development 🏗️

Nimiipuu Fund recently hosted a Building Inspector Certification Training led by instructor David Jackson, creating an opportunity to strengthen local expertise and expand professional capacity in building codes and inspection.

Ten participants completed the training, with several moving forward to test for their B1 Building Inspector Certification. This investment in people is an important part of building the skilled workforce needed to support safe housing, construction, and future development in our communities.

The training builds on the momentum of our 2025 Building Codes & Workforce Development Summit, where community members, Tribal programs, and industry professionals came together to explore the connections between building codes, workforce development, housing, and economic growth.

For Nimiipuu Fund, this work is part of Nation Building—developing local knowledge, credentials, and capacity that strengthen housing opportunities, economic development, and Tribal sovereignty for generations to come.

We extend our appreciation to the Nez Perce Tribe, Nez Perce Tribal Housing Authority, and Wells Fargo Foundation for supporting initiatives that invest in our people and strengthen our communities.

09/09/2026

Nimiipuu Fund Represented at the 2026 HUD National Tribal Housing Summit

Nimiipuu Fund continues to push forward in expanding housing opportunities for our community. Our Executive Director, Jonelle Yearout, recently attended the 2nd HUD 184 Lenders Bootcamp in Crystal City, Virginia, leading up to the 2026 HUD National Tribal Housing Summit.

The HUD 184 Lenders Bootcamp provided intensive, specialized training on leveraging the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program. By participating in this high-level forum, Nimiipuu Fund gathered valuable technical resources, industry insights, and national connections to directly advance our strategic objectives—specifically the development of responsive home loan products and tailored financial services built for Nez Perce community members.

Coordinated by the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), the broader summit brought together over 600 attendees, including Tribal Leaders, Native CDFIs, housing entities, financial institutions, and federal agencies. The event was anchored by a historic milestone: the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between HUD and the Department of the Interior to implement the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act. This landmark interagency agreement streamlines mortgage processing and cuts bureaucratic delays on trust land, making homeownership more accessible than ever.

Armed with new federal partnerships and enhanced program tools from the summit, Nimiipuu Fund is well-positioned to turn these national developments into practical homeownership solutions right here at home.

09/08/2026

📣 This Week’s Business Resource Bulletin is here!

Stay connected to upcoming trainings, funding opportunities, business resources, community events, and news happening across our region.

Notably this week:
🏠 FREE Home Buyer Education Classes – Sept. 15–17 in Lapwai
🐟 Fish harvesting & processing contractor opportunities with the Nez Perce Tribe – beginning Sept. 9
🎨 Funding for Native artists – up to $10,000 through the Native Creative Development Program
👗 Opportunities for Indigenous fashion designers, artists & vendors
💼 Upcoming small business trainings on marketing, SBA financing, government contracting & more
📸 Nez Perce Sesquicentennial Photo Contest – $1,000 Grand Prize
🏡 Homeowner maintenance classes and estate planning resources
📅 Plus upcoming community events, workshops, scholarships and conferences!

There are a lot of opportunities coming up—take a few minutes to see what may benefit you, your business, your family, or your organization.

👉 Read the September 8 Business Resource Bulletin⁠

https://mailchi.mp/nimiipuufund/business-resource-bulletin-september-8-2026

Have an upcoming event, training, or resource to share? Nimiipuu Fund welcomes information from community partners for future newsletters.

Nimiipuu Fund continues to push forward in expanding housing opportunities for our community. Our Executive Director, Jonelle Yearout, recently attended the 2nd HUD 184 Lenders Bootcamp in Crystal City, Virginia, leading up to the 2026 HUD National Tribal Housing Summit. The HUD 184 Lenders Bootcam....

09/01/2026

Sharing the wills intern schedule

Nez Perce Tribal Members
The Nez Perce Tribe Wills & Estate Intern

Wills and Estate Planning Assistance - The Wills Intern is available to assist Nez Perce Tribal members with wills and estate planning matters during the following times:

School Year Schedule
The Wills Intern is available as follows:

➡️Wednesday, September 2, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
➡️Wednesday, September 30, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
➡️Wednesday, October 28, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
➡️Wednesday, November 25, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
➡️Wednesday, December 30, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

To Schedule an appointment or Ask Questions, Contact:

Nora Fluetsch
Legal Intern – Estate Planning Project
Nez Perce Tribe
Office: (208) 621-4827
Email: [email protected]

A questionnaire is attached for your convenience. You may fill it out before your appointment and bring it with you, but completing it in advance is not required.
Estate Planning Questionnaire -https://nezperce.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EstatePlanning.Questionnaire-Fillable-Form.pdf

08/14/2026

NeighborWorks Training Institute! 🏠🌴

Our Nimiipuu Fund Executive Director spent the week diving into Post-Purchase Methods in Native Communities, focused on supporting successful and sustainable homeownership through three key pillars:

💰 Financial Management
🔨 Home Maintenance
🤝 Community

Homeownership doesn’t end when the keys are handed over. Supporting families in caring for their homes, managing finances, and strengthening community is an important part of building sustainable homeownership in Native communities.

Thank you to the instructors for a great week of learning, connection, and new resources to bring back to our community! This is part of our strategy in developing home products & services.
☀️



NeighborWorks America
Seven Sisters Community Development Group, LLC

08/07/2026

Our office will be closed on Monday, August 10th in commemoration of the Battle at Big Hole. One of war battles from the Flight of 1877.

To learn more visit National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/biho/learn/historyculture/index.htm

The Nez Perce National Historical Park to learn about Nez Perce history and culture

Safe travels to those who are attending the events at Big Hole Battlefield.

07/22/2026

07/22/2026

🎉🎂 Double the Birthday Celebration! 🎂🎉

Today we're celebrating 2 amazing members of the Nimiipuu Fund team! 🥳

🎈 Happy Birthday, George!
🎈 Happy Birthday, Jamison!

Thank you both for your dedication, hard work, and the positive impact you make every day for our team and the communities we serve. We appreciate everything you do!

Please join us in wishing George and Jamison a very Happy Birthday in the comments below! 🎉🎁🎊

07/14/2026

🌿 Our 2025 Annual Report is Here! 🌿

What does resilience look like in action?

It looks like neighbors helping neighbors, Native entrepreneurs launching businesses, families gaining access to capital, housing partnerships taking shape, and a community committed to building prosperity for generations to come.

We're excited to share the Nimiipuu Fund 2025 Annual Report, highlighting a year of growth, innovation, and impact. Our theme this year is Success Stories & Resiliency—showcasing how, together, we rolled up our sleeves to meet challenges head-on and create lasting opportunities across our communities.

2025 Highlights include:
🏡 Over $1.07 million in loan capital deployed to support businesses, consumers, and home rehabilitation projects.
🤝 22 trainings and workshops, serving 721 participants and 532 unique individuals through financial education, entrepreneurship, and community development.
💼 New partnerships and innovative financing strategies to expand access to capital and housing.
🏗️ Continued progress on housing solutions, our Lapwai Business Incubator, and a bold 2025–2028 Strategic & Sustainability Plan focused on building Native prosperity for generations to come.
💙 Inspiring client success stories that demonstrate the power of relationship-based lending, perseverance, and community resilience.

We are deeply grateful to our clients, Tribal leaders, partners, funders, volunteers, and supporters who make this work possible. Every success story is a reminder that when we invest in our people, we strengthen our communities.

📖 Read the full 2025 Annual Report:https://nimiipuufund.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/NimiipuuFund-Annual-Report-2025-small.pdf

Stay connected!
🌐 Visit our website
📬 Subscribe to our Business Resource Newsletter
🎓 Attend one of our upcoming workshops or events
💝 Support our mission by donating to Nimiipuu Fund, your Native CDFI

The work continues—and we're just getting started. Stay tuned as we share more stories, milestones, and opportunities from the report in the weeks ahead!

06/25/2026

Youth financial education in July!

💰 Take Charge of Your Financial Future! 💰

The Nez Perce Tribal Housing Authority invites teens and young adults to join us for a **FREE Financial Empowerment Workshop**! Whether you're just starting out or want to build stronger money management skills, this workshop is for you.

📅 Dates: July 13–15, 2026 *(Revised Dates)*
🕔 Time: 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM (3 evenings)
📍 Location: Lapwai

Topics include:
✅ The Power of Credit
✅ Smart Money Choices
✅ Predatory Lending
✅ Cars & Insurance
✅ Budgeting & the Economy
✅ Building Wealth

🍽️ Food and prizes will be provided!

📌 RSVP by Thursday, July 9, 2026

To reserve your seat, contact:
📞 (208) 843-2229
📧 [email protected]

We hope to see you there as we invest in the financial future of our next generation! 💙💛