United Indians of all Tribes

Foundation

Pathways to Prosperity Project

 Randy Ross, Coordinator
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska

Community Economic
Development
Introduction
• Native Americans of all ethnicities have the worst
• Poverty (50%)
• Homelessness (30%) of Seattle homeless population
• Unemployment (up to 90%)
• Victims of Crime (Amnesty International)
• Lowest life expectancy (50 yrs old)
• Education (up to 90% drop out)
• NWAF gave UIATF 3.5 million to hire a team to find
a solution. The pathways to Prosperity project
PPP - CED
Building individual and community capacity for
economic success – Workshops, Training, T/A
Small Business strategic consultation services and
support (Incubator, NABEC, PTAC, SBA, EDA,
ANA)
Access to capital and financing - CDFI, ATNI RLF,
Native American Bank, Other
Social Enterprise Initiative – Teepee Camp (Cultural
Education Ventures); Salmon Bake/Catering Service;
Northwest Canoe House/Seattle Parks Foundation
Community Needs
• Low-income and Lack of Access to Economic
Development Opportunities
• Lack of access to capital and credit
• Lack of access to business opportunities due to
market entry barriers
• Job training
• Lack of knowledge to joint venture and sub-contract
for minority business opportunities under 8a SBA
certification, WO/MBE, SDV, SDB, HubZone, etc.
Solutions/Services
Establishing a Business Consulting Service staffed by
Business Asssistance Officer and Consultants
Identify financial partners to support joint venture for-
profit projects to be owned by UIATF under a
Community Development Corporation or LLC
structure (ownership, income, and jobs creation)
Offer Small Business training programs and
entrepreneurial technical assistance services
Credit and financial literacy training
Goals
Create greater number of job opportunities
Create business ownership opportunities
Assist in existing or emergent small business growth
Develop asset building opportunities through small
business training and community economic
development participation
Develop networks and partnership through economic
alliances with tribes and corporations supporting
UIATF
Work with Day Break Star College
Working Together
Identify family members who have interest and skills to
become a small business owner
Develop a learning plan to include credit and financial
literacy training leading towards asset building (home
ownership, small business)
Identify successful Native Business persons to
participate in Advisory Circle to help Pathways
advance and grow (i.e. connecting to tribal leadership
from home reservations, education resources)
Where it fits
Conclusion
• UIATF, as a non-profit, and has in the past been
largely dependent upon grants and gifts. The grant
economy is weakening; and even when it was
considered strong only less than ½ of 1% of giving by
all Public and Private Foundations is gifted to Native
American organizations and purposes.
• Unrelated earned income and for-profit strategies to
earn revenues is a must for future security and growth
of UIATF.
• To reduce poverty, we must create our own wealth
Questions & Answers
• Invite questions from the audience

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