Sequoyah Fund began as a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in 1996. At the time, we were known as the Cherokee Business Development Fund. With funding from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, the board of directors began work to convert The Sequoyah Fund, Inc. into a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

CDFIs are chartered by the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, and this designation gives us more access to capital, helping more small businesses in Cherokee and Western North Carolina. The Sequoyah Fund serves the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on the Qualla Boundary and throughout the seven westernmost counties of NC. We also make loans to non-Cherokee-owned businesses, but these make up a small minority of our outstanding loans.