The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected Native communities across the US, amplifying longstanding health and economic disparities that stem not only from Indigenous people’s historic displacement from their land and resources, but also from the disruption of tribal economies and continued barriers to accessing federal funding.
In response, the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Indigenous Communities Program allocated $100 million in American Rescue Plan funding to support the needs of tribal governments and Native communities. This historic investment, along with other EDA grants, reflects a critical step toward expanding opportunity and fostering economic mobility and resilience among tribes as they rebuild from the pandemic.
The Urban Institute, in partnership with Big Water Consulting and the National American Indian Housing Council, is contributing to the momentum through the Indigenous Economic Development Community of Practice. Together, we aim to advance economic development in tribal lands by increasing Native people’s awareness of and access to funding opportunities from the EDA.
The Community of Practice will be open to EDA Indigenous Communities Program grantees, current and prior EDA grant recipients in tribal communities, and tribal programs and enterprises supporting economic development. The Community of Practice will be facilitated primarily by Seattle-based Big Water Consulting, which has more than ten years of experience working with tribes and tribal organizations on economic development, planning, and housing issues. Email [email protected] to learn more.
As part of this effort, Urban is also analyzing new and existing data to determine characteristics of successful Indigenous-focused EDA grants. Our research seeks to advance equity in economic development opportunities available to tribal nations by identifying areas for improvement within the EDA grantmaking process.
How Will the Community of Practice Work?
The Community of Practice will convene regularly, coordinate training and technical-assistance opportunities for participants, and develop and share economic development best practices and resources—all in an effort to share knowledge and experience and build capacity to effectively secure funding for and implement economic development projects in tribal communities.
Members will also engage with an advisory group that includes representatives from academic institutions, philanthropic organizations, tribal programs and enterprises, and others advancing economic development in Native communities. Additional features of the Community of Practice will include:
- opportunities for members to interact with one another during quarterly meetings and trainings relevant to members’ projects and communities;
- subgroups of members organized around shared project and community characteristics, such as by project type, geographic setting, or tribal size as measured by population and/or land area;
- topics for discussion that reflect the needs and interests of members, such as building regional partnerships, access to capital, sector-specific issues, and planning and capacity building; and
- toolkits and case studies of best practices based on learnings from the Community of Practice and other resesources. These materials will support Community of Practice members and other current and prospective Indigenous EDA grant applicants.
Are you interested in joining the Indigenous Economic Development Community of Practice?
Sign up by winter 2023 to participate or stay informed.
Questions? Email [email protected]
This project site was prepared by the Urban Institute using federal funds under award ED22HDQ3079185 from the Economic Development Administration, US Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the US Department of Commerce.
