February 2025

Indigenous Peoples

& Impact Investing

Welcome to the 2025 Indigenous Peoples & Impact Investing issue exploring the transformative potential of creative capital in Indian Country and the intersection between sustainability and Indigenous knowledge. Articles follow pathways towards reconciliation and economic wellbeing through investment models that prioritize Indigenous Peoples’ rights, leadership and expertise. Contributors include: Jane Breckinridge, Carla Fredericks and Matt Aguiar, Casey Lozar, and Vanessa Roanhorse. By integrating Indigenous Peoples’ voices and values, investors can strengthen sustainability frameworks and rights-centered investment theses that illuminate pathways to achieving community-led and Indigenous-centered economic justice. A newly launched GreenMoney Talks podcast features an exclusive interview with scholar, Oglala Lakota elder and advocate Richard B. Williams, quantifying $1.17 trillion in land theft from Colorado’s Native Nations in TREC’s Historic Loss Assessment Report.

Your feedback is welcome!
Kate Finn, Guest Editor, Tallgrass Institute

Small Wings, Big Impact: Revitalizing Tribal Lands and Livelihoods

Jane Breckinridge,

Euchee Butterfly Farm

Supporting Indigenous Self-Determination Through a Spectrum of Capital

Carla Fredericks and Matt Aguiar,

The Christensen Fund

Unleashing Potential: The Vision of WIHEDC for Native Economic Development

Fern Orie and Becky Albert-Breed,

WIHEDC and Cedar Growth

Change the Lending Paradigm: A Model of Success in Native Ag Finance

Skya Ducheneaux,

Akiptan

Featured Podcast

GreenMoney Talks – In this exclusive interview with Richard B. Williams, scholar, Oglala Lakota elder and chair of the Truth, Restoration and Education Commission (TREC), guest host Kate Finn, executive director of the Tallgrass Institute, discusses key findings from TREC’s Historic Loss Assessment Report. The report quantifies Colorado’s $1.17 trillion land theft against the devastating economic and ecological losses experienced by Native Nations displaced by U.S. expansionism. Williams shares insights into addressing these injustices and the path forward for reconciliation, equity and restoring Indigenous self-determination.

Click to read or download the report

A Community Centered Approach to Closing Credit Access Gaps: Native CDFIs

Casey Lozar,

Center for Indian Country Development

Breaking Barriers: Catalyzing Indigenous Entrepreneurship Toward Financial Inclusion

Vanessa Roanhorse,

Roanhorse Consulting

Indigenous Values Seed Systems Transformation in Hawai’i

Keoni Lee,

Hawai’i Investment Ready (HIR)

Entry Points for Equity: Risk Criteria and Partnership in Indigenous-aligned Portfolios

Kevin O’Neal Smith,

Adasina Social Capital

Tallgrass Institute: Connecting Investors to Indigenous Insights and Expertise

Kate Finn and team,

Tallgrass Institute

Indigenous Peoples and Engagement Timeline for Sustainable and Responsible Investing–2016 to 2024

Steven Heim,

Boston Common Asset Management

Featured Video

In this inspiring kickoff for the Rematriating Economies Apprenticeship, Vanessa Roanhorse explores the power of reconnecting with traditional Indigenous knowledge to rebuild community-driven economic systems. She discusses the importance of moving beyond extractive models and fostering Indigenous leadership to create meaningful and transformative change. This video is a call to action for reimagining economies rooted in sustainability, resilience, and cultural values.