NAFOA and Native Advisory are co-hosting a two-part webinar series on February 20th and 21st to actively and timely prepare Tribes for the recent federal funding freeze and the related reviews of all federal spending by the Trump Administration.

To ensure the most immediate results from these workshops, have all necessary team members register and attend. It’s also recommended to set aside time afterward to finalize and implement as a team.

Workshop 1: Tribal Financial Contingency Plans – Proactive & Active Steps in Crises Thursday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time

In this one-hour workshop, Tribes will review a template Financial Contingency Plan and formulate their own custom plan to implement when necessary. Participants will learn proven ways to respond to financial crises and have a chance to ask questions and learn from each other.

Workshop 2: Tribal Funding Impact Reports – Preparing Your Messaging with Data Friday, February 21 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time

In this one-hour workshop, Tribes will be given steps to produce a custom Funding Impact Report that can be used to advocate for the necessity of their Tribal federal funding. Participants will learn simple ways to use readily available data and financial information to create reports that effectively tell their stories.

Register for One or More Workshops

Last week, NAFOA Board President Chairman Rodney Butler (Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation) testified at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) Oversight Hearing titled “Examine Native Communities’ Priorities for the 119th Congress.” This was the Committee’s first hearing of the 119th Congress, highlighting challenges in Indian Country, tribal needs, and key priorities for the next two years.

In his testimony, President Butler highlighted key issues affecting tribal finance, business development, and economies, including the current funding freeze impacting many tribal programs.

Read the Testimony

After two full days of sessions packed with informative and helpful content at NAFOA’s 43rd Annual Conference, let the good times roll at the closing reception at Mardi Gras World on Tuesday, April 29. Enjoy an evening of networking, delicious local food, and take a photo or two with a Mardi Gras float. Our reception starts in the heart of the magic – the Float Den, where you can get a behind-the-scenes look at how the world-famous Mardi Gras floats are made. This massive working warehouse is where artists, sculptors, and painters bring the vibrant and elaborate parade floats to life.

Shuttle buses will be provided between the New Orleans Marriott and Mardi Gras World. The event is included with your conference registration, but pre-registration is required.

Register for the Conference

Visit the Conference Site

By Casey Lozar, Center for Indian Country Development

Imagine financial institutions across Indian Country focusing on goals rooted in social impact investing. Their missions might include fostering financial inclusion, providing culturally informed services and improving access to capital and credit in low- and moderate-income communities.

These institutions exist, yet many people remain unfamiliar with them. Historically, economic data gaps have masked economic conditions and opportunities in Native communities. The Center for Indian Country Development, a research and policy institute based at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, is working to change that.

CICD advances the economic self-determination and prosperity of Native nations and Indigenous communities through actionable data and research that inform public policy. As part of our portfolio, we’ve worked with a team of researchers (Valentina Dimitrova-Grajzl, Peter Grajzl, Joseph Guse, Michou Kokodoko, and Laurel Wheeler) to conduct a series of studies on the unique role of Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in addressing capital and credit gaps in Indian Country. Those looking to engage in economic well-being in Indian Country may be interested in four key themes that have emerged in our research.

Source: GreenMoney Continue Reading

The Finance Director is responsible for all fiscal functions of RHC and compliance with all regulations from funding agencies. The Finance Director supervises and manages organization programs and personnel, in addition to providing an oversight of contracts including subcontractor agreements, grants, and IHS compact and funding agreements.

Learn More & Apply at nafoa.org/jobs