First Nations Development Institute

By Christine Wood

Adjunct Instructor, San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico

First Nations Development Institute (FNDI) is the sole non-profit organization at the national level whose goal is to promote the development of sound and efficient economies for tribal communities in the United States. This is done through the provision of various funding including grants, loans, and technical assistance (nonprofits). Their official mission statement is to "assist Indigenous peoples to control and develop their assets and, through that control, build the capacity to direct their economic futures in ways that fit their cultures" (First Nations Development Institute). Their hope is to reach Indigenous people where they reside, and to work along side them to guarantee that their tribe’s needs are met and are done in a pertinent manner to their culture.

Historic Roots

Rebecca L. Adamson, half Cherokee, is the founder and president of the First Nations Development Institute. Through Adamson’s experiences with groups working on various Indigenous issues, she recognized the need of having the Native population become economically sufficient. She boldly made a decision to venture to New York City in order to request grants from various organizations. After meeting with several, the Ford Foundation granted her $25,000 (Virginia Women Foundation).

With the funding that the Ford grant provided, Adamson began to put the money into action by creating The First Nations Financial Project, a nonprofit organization, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She developed six key areas in which to focus (@Grassroots.org). Later, in 1990, her dream was renamed First Nations Development Institute and today, those six areas she developed have evolved into program priorities within their existing departments: grants and technical assistance, loans and technical assistance, policy research, international programs, native philanthropy, publications and resources, and conferences and workshops (Charity Navigator).

As of 2003, FDNI has received funding from 90 other foundations other than the Ford Foundation (Fogarty 2003). With this money it provides for its staff, however, it also follows through with its main purpose of giving to the Indigenous people. With an annual operating budget of approximately $1.1 million, it awards $1 million of it in grants, and has a revolving loan fund of $600,000 (Garr 2005).

Importance

First Nations Development Institute takes a holistic approach in helping the Indigenous people. Within their various departments they aspire to this in a variety of ways. Though they partner with other foundations to assist tribes in their efforts to become self-sufficient, their hope is to also help tribes in starting their own giving programs (Fogarty 2003).

FDNI has several funds in which they manage to help tribes. One such fund is the Eagle Staff Fund (ESF). This fund began in 1993, and in order to qualify for such funding, the projects need to be related to or on location of a Native community, whether it be a reservation or likewise. Currently, there are three types of general grants provided including Seed, Start-Up, and Working Capital. In addition, there is a special initiatives category (First Nations Development Institute).

The Sustainable Forestry Fund (SFF) began in 1997 and provides funding for those tribes that would like to manage the assets that are acquired through their forests. Tribes must do this through methods in which are enduring, and have the desire to seek "environmental certification of sustainable forest management and forest products processing operations" (First Nations Development Institute). SFF has also organized workshops and supplied resource materials for the related topics.

Furthermore, FDNI grants financial support to those who are choosing to make graphic or visual arts an occupation through the Kookyangw Fund. This fund help provide the artists with tools that they may need to follow through with their dreams, as well as bring attention to Native American art nationally and worldwide without compromising their culture and beliefs (First Nations Development Institute).

In order to help the Indigenous children, FDNI has developed the Native Youth & Culture Fund (NYCF). Their goal is to encourage youth to become more involved in their tribes and appreciate their culture and heritage. If the children do not learn their language and traditions soon, the tribe’s customs will gradually become extinct.

Finally, with the help of Philipp Morris Companies Inc., the FDNI has developed the Native American Hunger Program. This campaign longs to alleviate hunger among Indigenous communities, as well as, teach the people proper nutrition.

Though FDNI appears to be a foundation because it gives grants to tribes, in actuality, it is considered a non-profit organization due to its additional assistance in providing loans to tribes (Fogarty 2003). They are able to help with loans through a unit called First Nations Oweesta Corporation. The Little Eagle Staff Fund was birthed through the integration of this corporation and the Eagle Staff Fund. The Little Eagle Staff fund provides "loan loss reserves for emerging Community Development Finance Institutions" on reservations or other Native rural communities (First Nations Development Institute).

Ties to the Philanthropic Sector

With the rising concern of current research not meeting the needs of the Indigenous people, in 1998, the First Nations Development Institute established the Native Assets Research Center (NARC). Their desire is to assist Native people and communities in taking control of their assets. They strive to do this by including the Indigenous culture in the actual research which will allow the information to become much more relevant to the tribal communities. By locating data that will assist in strengthening the tribal economies, they can also encourage others to make changes in their systems. Partnering with Natives and non-Natives alike will help them discover what specific needs still need to be met. One of the current "research and policy initiatives" is Strengthening Native American Philanthropy. In 1995, a program was developed by the same name (SNAP) (First Nations Development Institute).

SNAP’s goal is to promote awareness and open the door of opportunity wider to the Native communities that need the philanthropic money available to mainstream organizations. This information is made available to the Indigenous communities through workshops and conferences, as well as publications and resource manuals. The above opportunities and resources demonstrate methods of how tribes can start their own foundations. They are taught how to create a mission and vision statement and are given answers to legal questions including those regarding taxes (First Nations Development Institute). Finally, SNAP, along with the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission’s Spirit of the Salmon Fund, also has a sovereign philanthropy list-serve that people may refer to for assistance. By having tribes establish their own foundations, the hope is that soon they will no longer have to receive money from outside resources, but instead, the tribe can give to others who need it (Fogarty 2003).

Through SNAP, the First Nations Development Institute has targeted philanthropy; however, the organization as a whole continually makes philanthropy its purpose. FDNI previously published Indian Giver, a quarterly newsletter focusing on philanthropy among the Indigenous people. Today, this newsletter has become the journal, Native Americas (Fogarty 2003).

Though the entire Indigenous community is a concern for the FNDI, one way in which they are able to reach the