Wisconsin Statewide Native Market Study

StatewideMarket StudyResearch and Analysis

Apr 24

Written By Kevin Klingbeil

Project Profile

Client:
The Wisconsin Native Loan Fund

Project Location:
Wisconsin

Project Time Frame:
July 2025 - May 2026

Services:

Online Survey
Stakeholder Interviews
Talking Circles
Analysis of Newly Collected Data

Areas of Focus:

Demographics
Income and Finances
Interest in Homeownership
Interest in Small Business Development
Art and Culture
Access and Barriers to Markets

Project Description

The Wisconsin Native Loan Fund is building upon efforts to expand access to capital and strengthen economic opportunity for tribal and Native communities, with a mission centered on advancing financial empowerment, homeownership, and entrepreneurship.

The Wisconsin Statewide Native Market Study is part of a broader initiative to better understand the experiences, priorities, and barriers Native households, entrepreneurs, and artists across the state face and fill any existing data gaps surrounding access to financial resources for homeownership, business development, and the creation and sale of traditional arts and crafts. The project includes a comprehensive survey alongside stakeholder engagement with tribal members, Native-led organizations, and partner agencies. These data collection efforts are being coordinated by Big Water Consulting and developed collaboratively to support partnership-building, shared learning, and the creation of a robust, community-informed dataset.

The study design builds on prior community-driven research, including the Wisconsin Indigenous Housing and Economic Development Corporation’s Economic Impact Study of Indigenous-Owned Businesses and Non-Gaming Tribal Enterprises in the State of Wisconsin, and reflects a commitment to culturally grounded approaches. Designing the project to build upon existing tribal research efforts ensures that findings can inform more responsive programs, policies, and investments that align with the goals and opportunities identified by tribal and Native communities in Wisconsin.