Treasury Officials have proposed moving up the Tribal expenditure deadline for the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) from October 2026 to November 2025. Congress created SSBCI to strengthen small business lending and investment nationwide, including in Indian Country. This proposed change represents a significant shift in program expectations and could have a serious impact on Tribal governments and Native-owned businesses.
Background: The State Small Business Credit Initiative
SSBCI is a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury that provides capital to states, territories, and Tribal governments to expand access to financing for small businesses. Initially established in 2010 following the financial crisis, the program was reauthorized and expanded under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which allocated $500 million to Tribal governments.
Under SSBCI, Treasury does not make loans directly. Instead, participating governments design and implement their own programs, partnering with banks, credit unions, and Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to leverage private capital and expand opportunities for small business financing.
The proposed acceleration of the expenditure deadline by 13 months (from October 2026 to November 2025) could:
- Undermine Tribes’ ability to effectively deploy allocated funds
- Compromise the development of sustainable lending infrastructure
- Reduce support for Native-owned businesses and entrepreneurs
- Limit job creation opportunities in Tribal communities
NAFOA has prepared a summary document that provides an overview of the NAFOA Member Tribes and their SSBCI funding by State.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has prepared an SSBCI Tribal Government Program Summaries document, which includes all Tribal SSBCI projects. The documents show that the potential impact on Tribal Nations and the surrounding communities of rural America is significant.
Act Now: Protect SSBCI Funding for Tribal Communities
NAFOA has submitted a letter of support urging Congress to maintain the existing SSBCI expenditure deadline and ensure the program continues to effectively serve Tribal Nations.
To assist Tribes in voicing their concerns, NAFOA has also developed a template letter that Tribal governments can use to communicate directly with their members of Congress regarding the proposed deadline change. Tribal input is crucial in voicing concerns about changes to federal programs that could negatively impact Tribal economies, communities, and Native entrepreneurs.
If you have trouble with the link, copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://go.nafoa.org/template-ssbci. The download link will open in Google Docs. To save a copy as a Word document, open the link, then select File > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx).
If you have any questions or need additional information, contact Nicholas Lovesee, Policy Director at nicholas@nafoa.org, or Marisa Joseph, Policy Specialist, at marisa@nafoa.org.
