Cherokee Nation’s Opportunity Zone program will steer tribal small business supports to under-resourced, high poverty areas of the Cherokee Nation Reservation. 

The new program identified and designated over 180 specific areas within the reservation and surrounding counties that face poverty rates of 19 percent or greater. By designating these as "Cherokee Nation Opportunity Zones," the tribe is ensuring that job creation and economic growth goes exactly where it can do the most good. 

To make this happen, the tribe is leveraging two powerful financial engines: the State Small Business Credit Initiative, which represents an $84 million dollar investment, and the Cherokee Nation Economic Development Trust Authority (CNEDTA), a US Treasury Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Together, these programs will offer tangible benefits to entrepreneurs in these zones, including: 

• 100% financing for microloans (under $25,000) 
• Low interest rates and flexible terms 
• Access for non-citizens who invest in these Cherokee Nation Opportunity Zones to create jobs and spur the economy 
• Additional workforce development resources, such as on-the-job training 
• Entrepreneurial Development training in communities within the Cherokee Nation Opportunity Zone 
• Specialized business coaching 
• Maximum loan amount $5,000,000, maximum project amount $20,000,000 

  For more information or to discuss participating in this program, call 918-453-5536. 

Cherokee Nation Opportunity Zone Map 

The Cherokee Nation Opportunity Zone Program does not replace any existing business support programs; it enhances those supports within the zones. Small business loans and specialized coaching supports are still available to Cherokee Nation citizens throughout the United States.