American Indian Report - September/October 2008 - (Page 16)

Tribes Benefit from Regional Collaboration When planning for economic development, tribes should not only look inward for ideas and resources. So much more can be gained by also reaching outward to entities, let’s say, in the same region, where all stand to benefit from growth. A good example of this kind of reaching outward is the Northern Minnesota Reservation Economic Development Summit & Trade Show, an annual event that draws hundreds of participants. This collaborative event is hosted by the Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth tribes, three northern Minnesota Ojibwe nations that make up approximately 50 percent of the state’s Indian population. Melanie Benjamin, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band, is the one who came up with the idea. A few years ago, she brought to discuss collaborating on economic development via a summit. The chairs then appointed a staff person to lead the effort on behalf of their reservations. Dave and Donna Murray (White Earth Ojibwe) check out one of 75 vendors at the Northern Minnesota Reservation Economic Development Summit & Trade Show. Photo courtesy of Gary Padrta, White Earth. together the tribal chairs from That small group grew into a the three tribes for a meeting sizeable planning committee The Washoe Tribe’s Economic Development Think T Economic development ideas can come from anywhere and anyone, whether it is a board or committee, a tribal chair or tribal member or even someone off the reservation. They usually come from all those sources. But how does a tribe determine which ones to pursue — which ones will be profitable as well as in harmony with their cultures and traditions? For the Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada, a special group was created about a year ago and specifically charged with that task. Called the Economic/ Business Development Working Group, it can be best described 16 as an economic development think tank, where business ideas are explored in-depth. Washoe members, numbering more than 1,500, are scattered throughout several communities: three in Nevada and one in California. The tribe owns just a few enterprises, including the Meeks Bay Resort on southern Lake Tahoe, so there is lots of room for growth. The working group meets monthly, though smaller task forces created to tackle specific business opportunities may meet more often. Participants can change as the flow of ideas changes, the tribe said, yet there are some regulars, such as tribal council members and the chairman, the tribe’s planner, grants manager, chief financial officer, environmental director, general counsel and business manager. Tribal members are encouraged to attend and often do. There is always an agenda, which includes updates from active task teams on new developments or needs for future action and then moves on to new ideas or developments that may require further action or the creation of a new task team, but there is also plenty of freeflowing open discussion. September/October 2008 American Indian Report http://www.mntribalinitiative.org/ http://www.mntribalinitiative.org/ http://www.mntribalinitiative.org/ http://www.mntribalinitiative.org/ http://www.llojibwe.com/ http://www.rlnn.com/ http://www.whiteearth.com/ http://www.whiteearth.com/ http://www.washoetribe.us/ http://www.washoetribe.us/

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Indian Report - September/October 2008

American Indian Report - September 2008 Contents Notes from Indian Country Language Learning Gets More High-Tech Native American Music Awards Celebrates 10th Anniversary Hoop Dancing's Best to Compete for World Champ Title in Phoenix Congress: Activity on the Hill Device Monitors Sobriety for Pueblo Planning for Economic Development Negotiated Rulemaking to Impact NAHASDA�Reauthorization Cherokee Takes Big Step Toward Health Care Vision Preparing a Vision for the Future Grants: NAHMI - Strengthening Native American Families Blogroll

American Indian Report - September/October 2008

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