b'THINKING: NATIVE WOMEN LEADNWLS 5 RS OF REMATRIATIONNative Women Lead have created their own model standard in response to their concerns with criteria in the 5 Cs of Credit. In contrast, their 5 Rs of Rematriation are rooted in traditional Indigenous values and centre on Indigenous womens leadership:1. Is the business relational? 2.Are they rooted in Indigenous values andA pitch for Circle of Support, one of NWLs funding initiatives community needs?which offers technical assistance for entrepreneurs3.Is the business restorativedoes it aim to support its employees so that they canIndigenous women in the field of finance,NWL launched another fundThe close their own racial wealthand we want to see systems and policyCreative Fundin 2021 for women in gaps? changes that support Indigenous peoplethe creative economy. We funded 20 of 4. I s there a 7th generationoverall. We constructed that prospectusthem up to $10,000, says Gloshay. All of impact to Indigenousnot only with the traditional ideas ofthese women from all of these funds get families, communities andwhat success looks like, but we want towraparound technical assistance, loan economies from their busi- look at values such as what it means forrepayment support and loan forgiveness nessis it regenerative?Indigenous women to increase agencyas long as they continue to stay engaged And is it revolutionary? her ability to make decisions over herand activated, pay on time and maintain lifeand to economically advance andgood communication.5. Are they game-changing, i.e.,have empowerment.are they solving a problem? In 2022, NWL launched their third THREE FUNDS fund: the Restorative Fund with partner NWL launched three key funds in theirCommon Future. It was mainly set up quest to help Indigenous women entre- for established Indigenous women entre-This year, were going to select 10preneurs. In 2020, they partnered withpreneurs, with up to $50,000 in funding Indigenous women to go through aNusenda Credit Union of New Mexico toon offer. That one was really interesting fund management apprenticeship; thenstart a relationship-based lending programbecause we then introduced the 5 Rs of we want to place them into an existingcalled Co-op Capital, with the goal of notRematriation, a framework that was essen-impact fund, explains Gloshay about theusing traditional underwriting criteria thattially the antithesis to the 5 Cs of Lending, Rematriating Economies Apprenticeship.had historically proved to be a systemicsays Gloshay. We were funding women A big part of this is [that] instead ofbarrier for Indigenous borrowers.who were rooted in Indigenous values thinking We want to be invited toand serving Indigenous communities the table, were just going to build ourThe pandemic hit, and we felt uncomfort- and social enterprises. own table.able about giving our community debt at that time, so we launched a responseWhat Native Women Lead is doing The Circle of Support program isfund of anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000is not easy. Its charting [a course] conducted in partnership with Newfor women to pivot during the pandemic,that were also learning in real time Mexico Community Capital, a non-profitsays Gloshay. Since that was launched in(about money, economy, the trauma of aiming to change the status-quo of2020, every one of the 35 entrepreneursmoney and capitalism, etc.) in creating Indigenous-owned business. The organiza- we were able to help has paid it off.the future that we want, emphasizes tion offers a guide to digital marketingRoanhorse. Its so important that we and business basics, augmenting the freeFeedback shows that people have been able programming offered to entrepreneurs byto build their credit because of the relation- understand that, while at the same time NWL throughout the year. ship developed with the credit union. Theygiving one another the grace and the now have increased access to capital, and thecare to try new things. We often dont This will be one of the first-evercredit union was able to use that paymentget an opportunity to try, to learn [from Indigenous womens intact investmenthistory to consider supporting them tomissteps], and to try again, and I hope funds from a gender lines perspective,access more sources of capital to help buildthats what Native Women Lead will emphasizes Gloshay. We want to see moreout their businesses, Gloshay adds. always be able to do. 14Spring/Summer 2023'