WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – The Navajo Nation continues to expand opportunities for entrepreneurs through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a federal program designed to increase access to capital for small businesses and strengthen local economies.
To further support business growth, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren signed an amendment to the SSBCI Allocation Agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury on May 5, 2026. The amendment increased the maximum loan size available through the Navajo Loan Participation Program from $1.5 million to $5 million, allowing larger investments in qualifying businesses.
Through a partnership with Change Labs, Inc., the Navajo Nation administers two key lending tools: a Loan Guarantee Program that helps reduce lending risk for financial institutions and a Loan Participation Program that allows co-investment alongside lenders to expand financing opportunities.
The initiative is supported by a $21 million SSBCI allocation distributed in three $7 million phases. The amendment authorized administration of the next $7 million tranche, with the program operating through Dec. 31, 2027.
Eligible participants include Navajo-owned businesses, socially and economically disadvantaged individual (SEDI) businesses located on the Navajo Nation, and qualifying businesses in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah that provide economic benefit to the Navajo Nation.
More than $20 million of the SSBCI funding is dedicated directly to loan deployment, helping entrepreneurs access the capital needed to start, expand, and sustain their businesses while creating jobs and supporting long-term economic growth across the Navajo Nation.
