Sault Tribe Thrive

03/02/2026

One of the most important aspects of gaining access to capital is maintaining a healthy credit score. Over the next few weeks we will be posting the different factors and how important they are to making up your credit score.

The next topic is revolving utilization ratio. Utilization ratio is the amount of debt you are carrying on a credit line vs what the maximum of the credit line is (So if you have a $1,000 credit line and had $300 charged, your ratio would be 30%). Credit cards and other lines of credit are considered a revolving debt, meaning there is no specific end date set for it. When it comes to revolving debt, ideally you want to keep the total amount charged to the credit line at 30% of their credit line maximum or less. The closer you get to your limits, the lower your credit score will be.

Your credit score is determined by roughly 30% based on what your utilization ratio is. So it's important to keep this number healthy as it plays a large determining factor as to what makes up your score. Make sure to check back in next week as we post more of the factors that make up your credit score.

02/16/2026

One of the most important aspects of gaining access to capital is maintaining a healthy credit score. Over the next few weeks we will be posting the different factors and how important they are to creating your credit score.

The first one is Missed Payments. Consistently paying your creditors on time is the single most important factor in determining your credit score, making up about 35% of what compromises your credit score. Even a single missed payment can have a significant impact on your credit score.

The scoring system factors in:

- Collections & negative public record information

- The number of accounts with missed payments over the past 7 years

- Amounts owed on delinquent accounts

By making sure your payments are made on time, it helps give you a leg up on establishing a healthy credit score. Make sure to check back in next week when we cover another factor!

01/26/2026

There are several keys factors that go into starting your own business and being able to obtain financing. Over the next several weeks we will be posting information on what lenders are looking for so you can put your best foot forward when the time is right.
The third topic we will be covering is Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR.)

To calculate this, you take your Net Operating Income (or NOI) and divide it by your Total Debt Service. For example, if you make the exact amount to cover your debt, the number would be 1. When that number is below 1, you would have what's called a negative cash flow, meaning the business does not generate enough money to pay it's debts. Most lending institutions will want you to be at least a 1.25. Obviously the higher this number is, the better. Each lender is going to have different preferences, so it's important you talk with your lender and find out what their institutional guidelines may be.

One of the programs we currently have available through the SSBCI grant is the Sault Tribe Capital Fund. This is a loan guarantee program that incentivizes lenders to lend to Sault Tribe members by taking either a subordinate lien position, or by pledging collateral support. Below is a link to the program so you can do more research into it. It is not a direct lending program, simply a loan guaranty program with guidelines that must adhere to SSBCI grant guidelines.

https://www.saulttribecapitalfund.com/stp/home

With a strong credit score, collateral position and DSCR, the lender is more likely to lend to you. As always if you are looking to get financed and running into road blocks, please feel free to reach out to Sault Tribe Thrive and we will be happy to look over your plans and help you come up with potential solutions to help get you setup for success, whether it be right now or down the road!

If you are a Sault Tribe Citizen and own or want to start a small business, the Sault Tribe Capital Fund can help lenders make more secure loans for you.

01/20/2026

If you are an entrepreneur looking for guidance & assistance, following Headwaters North SmartZone is a good place to start. These classes are just a few of the many different courses they have available. Make sure to follow them to stay up to date on what's available!

The Eastern UP SBSH grant program provides opportunities for business owners to get practical advice, meet business experts, and get stuff done! Any questions about programming can be directed to the SBSH Liaison, Miche Rayment, [email protected]. Our SMART Sessions are your one-hour power-u...

01/13/2026

There are several keys factors that go into starting your own business and being able to obtain financing. Over the next several weeks we will be posting information on what lenders are looking for so you can put your best foot forward when the time is right.

The second topic we will be covering is collateral. Typically when you are trying to get financing at a lending institution, the lender will want to know what assets (house, vehicles, stocks, etc.) you will be willing to pledge in the event you default on the loan. Every lender has different lending guidelines, so it's important to ask them what kind of security they want on a loan. Typically the stronger your credit score and the stronger your other factors are, the less of your own assets you will have to pledge.

One of the programs we currently have available through the SSBCI grant is the Sault Tribe Capital Fund. This is a loan guarantee program that incentivizes lenders to lend to Sault Tribe members by taking either a subordinate lien position, or by pledging collateral support. Below is a link to the program so you can do more research into it. It is not a direct lending program, simply a loan guaranty program with guidelines that must adhere to SSBCI grant guidelines.

https://www.saulttribecapitalfund.com/stp/home

With a strong credit score and collateral position, the lender is more likely to lend to you. As always if you are looking to get financed and running into road blocks, please feel free to reach out to Sault Tribe Thrive and we will be happy to look over your plans and help you come up with potential solutions to help get you setup for success, whether it be right now or down the road!

If you are a Sault Tribe Citizen and own or want to start a small business, the Sault Tribe Capital Fund can help lenders make more secure loans for you.

01/09/2026

If you are a small business owner, these are some great resources that can help you out. Make sure to check them out!

SMART Sessions is a series of weekly 1-hour Zoom Q&A and Info sessions that are designed to give business owners and any of their team members practical advice they can use right away. Each session focuses on a specific topic, like "Business Contracts 101," "Leading Your Junior Leaders so You Can ...

01/06/2026

The Feeding America truck will be at the Big Bear this Thursday 1/8. If you would like to volunteer, please be at the Big Bear around 2:30 PM.

12/22/2025

There are several keys factors that go into starting your own business and being able to obtain financing. Over the next several weeks we will be posting information on what lenders are looking for so you can put your best foot forward when the time is right.

The first one we will be covering will be your personal credit history. Maintaining a good credit score is extremely beneficial when looking to launch your own business, as it will make it easier to get access to capital that can help with costs.

Some useful tips to maintain a healthy credit score:

- Keep credit cards under 30% or less of what your credit line maximum is.

- Always pay your bills on time. Having no late payments on your credit history plays a large factor in determining what your credit score is.

- Avoid collections & charge offs.

If you don't have any credit and are looking for a good place to get started, it's a good idea to look into getting a secured loan or secured credit card through your local lending institution.

This is a good way to build your credit score and show lenders you are responsible with the credit they give you, which can lead to credit increases in the future.

All lenders offer different products, so make sure to ask for what other products they might have.

If you're just getting started out and are unsure of where to go, please always free to reach out to Sault Tribe Thrive and we will do our best to get you pointed in the right direction!

12/09/2025

We would like to thank Central Savings Bank & Range Bank for their recent closings on Sault Tribe Capital Fund loans!

There are still funds available so make sure to talk to your lender about getting them signed up if they aren't already! Feel free to check out the link below for more info on the program!

If you are a Sault Tribe member who is an established small business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur, this program might be able to help!

If you are a Sault Tribe Citizen and own or want to start a small business, the Sault Tribe Capital Fund can help lenders make more secure loans for you.

11/20/2025

We would like to welcome Easy Access Wholesale, LLC as our newest member of Sault Tribe Thrive! This Sault Tribe member owned business is an alcohol distributor that does business all throughout the state of Arizona.