At a glance
From its website, read 29 Oct 2026Sequoyah Fund Inc., The is a loan fund based in Cherokee, North Carolina. Its website describes credit-builder loans, home repair loans and small-business loans. Stated loan amounts run from $500 to $150,000. Where it lends: Qualla Boundary and the western NC counties of Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Graham, Clay and Cherokee. Business loan rates stated on its site range from 5% to 12%. It says it considers borrowers with low or no credit history. You can start an application online.
Each point is backed by a quote further down this page. Terms change: confirm with the lender.
How to reach them and apply
| Lending | (828) 359-5004 source |
|---|---|
| Main | (828) 359-5001 source |
| Lending | (828) 359-5007 source |
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
| Website | www.sequoyahfund.org |
| Office (official list) | PO Box 1200, Cherokee, NC 28719 |
What their website says about applying
Proof of enrollment (copy of enrollment card required).
sourceProvide a quote for the intended purchase.
sourceApply online! It's fast and easy. Once you create an account, you can save your application and come back to it later.
sourceSubmit application to identify your goals and needs
source
Phone numbers and addresses are the ones on the lender's own site and the CDFI Fund list. CDFI Atlas does not take applications.
Rates and terms they state
Read 29 Oct 2026| Loan | Stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit-builder loans | Rate stated, not as an APR: see their wording | Interest Rate: 10% Fixed | source |
| Personal / consumer loans | Rate stated, not as an APR: see their wording | Are at a low fixed rate (10%). | source |
| Small-business loans | Rate: 5%–12% | Sequoyah Fund interest rates range from 5% - 12%, depending on your personal credit history, the amount of equity (your personal funds) you bring to the project, and your collateral, among other things. | source |
| Credit-builder loans | Term: see their wording | Term: 2 years | source |
| Small-business loans | Term: up to 10 yr | Loans terms can be as long as 10 years in some cases | source |
As published on the lender's website on that date, not an offer or a quote. Your rate depends on the lender's review. A missing rate means the pages we read did not state one. For consumer loans we repeat a rate only when the lender states it as an APR (annual percentage rate, which includes fees); otherwise read the lender's own wording and ask for the APR.
Who qualifies, in their words
- Low or damaged credit considered
Have an average credit score of below 650 as reported by Experian, Equifax, and Transunion
source - Collateral required
We require loans to be 100% collateralized.
source - Training or counseling required
participants must apply and be accepted into a year-long program that includes 1-on-1 counseling, class time, and independent work.
source
Only rules the lender's own pages state. Other requirements may apply.
Official record
CDFI Fund list, 21 Oct 2026| Institution type | Loan fund |
|---|---|
| Native CDFI | Yes |
| Date certified (as listed) | 15 Jul 2026 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | PO Box 1200, Cherokee, NC 28719 |
| Website | www.sequoyahfund.org |
Head officeBranch or officeApproximate (ZIP code area)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, © OpenMapTiles, tiles OpenFreeMap. Head-office points: U.S. Census Bureau geocoder.
Loans and eligibility
Verified from lender site on 29 Oct 2026Read from 5 pages of the lender's website on 29 Oct 2026. Quotes are verbatim. Reviewed by a person (Oct 2026). Items added later were extracted with AI help and checked automatically against the pages listed below. Confidence: high. Auto loans listed as "On hold, as of January 2024" on the site, so excluded. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit-builder loans | — | Credit Builder Loans are available to enrolled members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) to help with building and repairing credit scores. | source |
| Home repair / improvement loans | — | (828) 359-5005 Housing Rehab Loan Inquiries: | source |
| Small-business loans | — | Download a Sequoyah Fund business loan application. | source |
Loan sizes
Our small-dollar loans are for a maximum of $2,500.
sourceSequoyah Fund offers small business loans from $500 to $150,000
sourceBusinesses in the start-up phase and up to two years old can qualify for up to $50,000 in funding.
sourceAmount: Up to $2,500
source
Range used for the size filter: $500 to $150,000
Service area
Qualla Boundary and the western NC counties of Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Graham, Clay and Cherokee
Sequoyah Fund is only able to lend within the Qualla Boundary and the western North Carolina counties of Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Graham, Clay, and Cherokee.
source
Counties this matches: Cherokee County, NC, Clay County, NC, Graham County, NC, Haywood County, NC, Jackson County, NC, Macon County, NC, Swain County, NC
Borrower focus
- Native American / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian
be an enrolled member of the EBCI
source
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
Yes — the site links to an application. Ready to apply? Apply online! It's fast and easy. Once you create an account, you can save your application and come back to it later. Submit all your documents online and get a faster response!
source
Questions to ask when you contact them
Based on what their website said when we read it on 29 Oct 2026, and what it left out. Something missing here does not mean they don't offer it: ask.
- What is the APR, including fees, on your credit-builder loans and home repair loans?
Their website states a rate, but not as an APR. The APR includes fees, so it is the number to compare. - What documents will you need from me, and how long does a decision usually take?
Their website describes some application steps (above); ask for the full document list.
Write down the answers, who you spoke to and the date, and ask for the terms in writing before you sign.
CDFI Fund awards
CDFI Fund database, 3 Nov 2026$7.6 million in 12 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2005–2024 (7 programs).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $625,000 |
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $737,281 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,200,000 |
| 2021 | Small Dollar Loan Program | $135,000 |
| 2020 | Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), Financial Assistance | $900,000 |
| 2019 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $650,000 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $875,000 |
| 2017 | Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), Financial Assistance | $665,500 |
| 2009 | Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), Financial Assistance | $470,000 |
| 2008 | Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), combined FA/TA (historic) | $557,250 |
| 2007 | Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), combined FA/TA (historic) | $665,583 |
| 2005 | Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), Technical Assistance | $140,000 |
These are awards and investments made to the institution itself to build its capital and capacity. They are not loans to borrowers, and an award does not mean the lender has money available for a particular loan today.
Source: CDFI Fund Searchable Awards Database, all 12,628 award records (1996–2025), read 3 Nov 2026. Years are the award round as the database lists it. Matched to the official CDFI list by exact name and state; see the method on the About page.
Size of the fund (IRS Form 990)
Fiscal year ending Dec 2023| Total assets | $11.5M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $1.1M |
| Net assets | $10.4M |
| Total revenue | $2.6M |
| Program-related investments (Part X line 13) | $5.8M |
End-of-year figures from the Form 990 this organisation filed with the IRS for the fiscal year ending December 2023 (tax year 2023; EIN 31-1619784, filed as “SEQUOYAH FUND INC”), taken from the IRS Annual Extract of Tax-Exempt Organization Financial Data (returns processed in 2024). Figures are self-reported to the IRS, not audited by us, and lag one to two years behind today. The lender’s own annual report may show newer numbers. This organisation’s filings on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Filings over time
| Fiscal year ending | Total assets | Net assets | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2021 (990) | $11.9M | $10M | $2.3M |
| Dec 2022 (990) | $10.9M | $9.5M | $1M |
| Dec 2023 (990) | $11.5M | $10.4M | $2.6M |
Total assets fell 3% from Dec 2021 to Dec 2023. One row per fiscal year in the IRS extracts of returns processed in 2022, 2023, 2024; “—” = the line was empty or zero on that return (a fund can book its loans on other lines).
How it compares
Computed from public data| Measure | This lender | Compared with |
|---|---|---|
| Largest loan its website states | $150,000 | Other loan funds whose website states a maximum: median $275,000. Higher than the stated maximum of 28% of these 184. |
| Total assets, latest IRS Form 990 | $11.5M | Larger than 62% of the 13 other certified loan funds and venture funds in North Carolina with a matched Form 990 (median $8.6M). |
| Business loan rate its website stated (29 Oct 2026) | 5.00% to 12.00% | Prime rate that day: 7.00% (FRED DPRIME), so the lowest stated rate is 2 pts below prime. For an SBA 7(a) variable-rate loan the legal maximum is prime plus 3 to 6.5 points, by loan size. |
How these comparisons were worked out
| Measure | Peer group (this lender left out) | Peers | Where this lender sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largest stated loan | other loan funds stating a maximum, nationwide | 184 | higher than 28% |
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, in North Carolina | 13 | larger than 62% |
“Larger than X%” = the share of the peer group with a smaller value. Ranks count from the largest. Peer groups use the lender's home state when it has at least 5 peers, otherwise the whole country. Full definitions: methodology.
For comparison, not an offer and not a rating. Past records show what this lender did, not what you would be offered; your rate depends on the loan and on the lender's review. Peer groups and sources: methodology. Form 990 figures: IRS annual extracts (see the Form 990 section). Prime rate: FRED DPRIME.
Other certified CDFIs in Cherokee and North Carolina
- Bragg Mutual FCUCredit union · Fayetteville, NCAuto / vehicle loansVerified
- Business Expansion Funding CorporationLoan fund · Charlotte, NCSBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- CAHEC Capital, Inc.Loan fund · Raleigh, NCAffordable housing development loansVerified
- Cares Project, Inc., TheLoan fund · Winston Salem, NCAuto / vehicle loansVerified
- Carolina Small Business Development Fund (The Support Center)Loan fund · Raleigh, NCMicroloans, SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- Institute Capital, Inc.Loan fund · Durham, NCAffordable housing development loans, Small-business loansVerified
Work at Sequoyah Fund Inc., The? Link to this page
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