"Soon after taking office, I spoke with Onna LeBeau, a member of the Omaha Tribe. And we had an extensive conversation. I reached out to her, and she understood that, basically, as an executive director of a Native community bank in South Dakota, that the entrepreneurs in the community, many of them just were not being recognized by those who could invest in their work and in their growth.  

We talked, for example, about entrepreneurs in the community who make traditional quilts and the challenges that they often face in securing loans, as big banks often don't fully understand the culture and, therefore, don't understand the value of the product or service, don't understand the demand, don't understand the need."

"The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy appointed Onna LeBeau as Chief Impact Officer and Managing Director of the Indigenous Power & Light Fund for Energy Sovereignty. In this role, LeBeau will direct philanthropic investments to support marginalized tribal communities in their clean energy initiatives and sovereignty efforts.

With over 20 years of experience in finance and nonprofit leadership, she most recently served as Director of the Office of Indian Economic Development at the U.S. Department of the Interior. LeBeau also led the Black Hills Community Loan Fund, enhancing economic opportunities for the community." 

Onna LeBeau, a member of the Omaha tribe of Nebraska, served as the Director of the Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED) at the U.S. Department of Interior where she led the implementation of groundbreaking initiatives such as the Tribal Electrification Program and efforts to expand broadband access across Indian Country. 

Prior to joining the Department of Interior, Onna served as Executive Director of the Black Hills Community Loan Fund, where she had the honor of expanding the loan fund from a solely homeownership focused non-profit to one that provides the community with options for credit building and business development.

Onna LeBeau featured in a documentary produced by the Center for Responsible Lending, in cooperation with South Dakotans for Responsible Lending. Before November 2016, payday and car title lenders in South Dakota charged annual interest rates up to 574%, trapping people in debt and often ruining their financial lives. The state legislature wouldn't pass reform, so South Dakotans put a 36% interest rate cap on the ballot. In a true David and Goliath story, payday lenders spent $3 million and put a competing measure on the ballot, a fake interest rate cap intended to fool people into thinking they were voting for an 18% cap. With little money but lots of passion, a bipartisan, largely faith-based campaign worked to get the word out to voters by election day. This is the story of that battle, featuring former payday and car title borrowers who describe the hardships inflicted on their families by predatory lending, and the relief of being freed from the trap.

"Thousands of homes across Indian Country are still not connected to electricity, including an estimated more than 14,000 on the Navajo Nation alone. That accounts for more than 80% of the tribal homes in the United States that aren’t electrified.

But it could all change with the launch of the Tribal Electrification Program by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which will provide funding to help tribal nations get connected to electricity. “The goal of the funding is to get electricity to homes,” Onna Lebeau, director of the Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED), told the Arizona Mirror. “We do see the electrification need in Indian Country is in a critical state.”

Rapid City, SD - Discussing money and finances in homes has been a taboo for many generations. A program in Rapid City has been helping family members to understand financial literacy and bring credit scores to a place that makes them eligible for home and business loans.

According to LeBeau, what makes the Black Hills Community Loan Fund (BHCLF) stand out amongst its competitors is the financial education curriculum they offer clients. “Being able to see our clients find success in this manner is why we are here. Anyone that has the desire to buy a home, establish a business, or if they know three or four years down the line this is one of their goals then we can help them get prepared for their goal,” said LeBeau.

In 2020, Onna LeBeau was the recipient of the Native CDFI Catalyst Award for her leadership as Executive Director of the Black Hills Community Loan Fund (BHCLF) and her support for the entrepreneurship of Native artists.  The award provides a $25,000 grant for one Native community development financial institution (CDFI) with a compelling strategy. In 2019, Wells Fargo, Oweesta Corporation, and Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) launched the Native CDFI Awards as a program to honor and support Native CDFIs creating opportunity and promoting self-sovereignty in Indian Country nationwide.

In October 2023, Onna was invited to deliver closing remarks at SOCAP23 - At The Intersection of Money and Meaning. SOCAP Global works under the leadership of Sorenson Impact Center to serve as the thought leadership platform for the accelerating movement towards a more just and sustainable economy. SOCAP convenes a global ecosystem and marketplace – social entrepreneurs, investors, foundation and nonprofit leaders, government and policy leaders, creators, corporations, academics, and beyond – through live and digital experiences that educate, spur conversation, and inspire investment in positive impact.