In many Native American traditions, those who reported news were called Camp Criers. Camp Criers would walk, run or ride from person to person or home to home until everyone was informed.
Indigenous venture funds launch NACIA to bridge the capital gap for Native entrepreneurs
Published: 11-20-2023 Two prominent Indigenous venture capital funds on Saturday announced a new organization aimed at narrowing the gap between Native entrepreneurs and the capital sources that many other founders…
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Nonprofit initiates historic land return of 31,000 acres to Penobscot Nation
Publish date: November 7, 2023 National nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL) has secured more than 31,000 acres in the Katahdin region of Maine with designs on returning the land…
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Native-owned clothing brand weaves community service with its founder’s personal journey to reclaim her Indigenous identity
BY TAMARA IKENBERG – NOVEMBER 4, 2023 SANTA FE, N.M.– If a brand ever lived up to its name, it’s 4KINSHIP. The Diné-woman-owned upcycled clothing brand that transforms found fabrics…
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USDA launches $50M grant program for economic development in forestry sector, including Indian Country
The Department of Agriculture has just unveiled a groundbreaking initiative, offering a fresh $50 million round of funding to bolster economic development within the forestry sector, with a specific focus…
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OMWBE is Waiving Certification Fees until June 2024!
OMWBE is celebrating our 40 years of service this September by waiving certification fees until June 2024. We are so excited to invite small businesses throughout the state of Washington…
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MIT Solve announces 2023 Indigenous Communities fellowship cohort
Choctaw Nation member and newly minted MIT Solve Indigenous Communities fellow Amber Buker thinks she has joined the cohort at just the right time for her company, a Native-led financial…
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Major Navy Construction on the Horizon: What to Expect in 2026
In what’s being hailed as a “once in a generation” investment in national security, the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) is set to reshape the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and…
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Just Announced: SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available to Washington Small Businesses
This year’s $8 million PRIME grant awards will provide funding and support to 32 organizations across America, offering training, technical assistance, access to capital, and program development for disadvantaged microentrepreneurs…
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SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available to Washington Small Businesses
The SBA announced a finalized rule to increase support for disaster survivors and small businesses needing relief following a federally declared disaster. The rule, effective as of July 31, 2023,…
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Tribal businesses anxious over federal court ruling that could affect 8(a) program
A recent federal court ruling has sent shockwaves through tribal businesses participating in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program, a vital source of revenue for many. The ruling’s impact, stemming…
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Unveiling Winners of MBDA Capital Readiness Program: Empowering Underserved Entrepreneurs
August 20, 2023 WASHINGTON, D.C., – Today, Vice President Harris announced the recommended awardees for the MBDA Capital Readiness Program. The Capital Readiness Program is a $125 million technical assistance…
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Tired of Saying the Wrong Thing? Eliminate This 1 Word From Your Vocabulary Because It’s Holding You Back
Stopping this word from coming out of your mouth will also help you be taken seriously. Do you ever find yourself stumbling over your words or worried about making the…
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Tribal mortgage legislation passes Senate by unanimous consent
August 8, 2023 In a significant bipartisan move, the Senate has unanimously approved the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2023, aimed at expediting the review and processing of mortgages…
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Unearthing the Past: Kalispel Tribe and WSU Collaborate on Ancient Earth Oven Excavation
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians, in partnership with Washington State University (WSU) archaeologists, has embarked on a groundbreaking archaeological project that sheds light on their rich cultural heritage. The excavation…
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SCOTUS issues 8-1 ruling to strip tribal sovereign immunity from bankruptcy code
June 21, 2023 WASHINGTON— As Indian Country celebrated a major win for tribal sovereignty in Brackeen v. Haaland, Tribal Business News reported that the Supreme Court chipped away at a different…
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Best-selling Indigenous author Angeline Boulley to be featured in NIEA Book Club
June 14, 2023 Next month, the New York Times best-selling author, Angeline Boulley will hold an exclusive Book Club for National Indian Education Association (NIEA) members to discuss her book,…
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San Manuel Band acquires stake in Waldorf Astoria resort
June 7, 2023 On Monday, Tribal Business New reported that the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians acquired an ownership stake in the newly renovated Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort…
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DOI Announces $48M for Water Projects in Indian Country
May 30, 2023 On Monday, Tribal Business News reported that Interior Secretary Deb Haaland last week announced $48 million in funding to repair and revitalize Tribal water sanitation systems, upgrade…
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Indigenous Eats to open second location in May
April 20, 2023 SPOKANE, WA – Indigenous Eats, a popular Native American restaurant, is thrilled to announce the opening of its second location in downtown Spokane, WA. The new restaurant,…
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Native CDFIs get $47M in historic $1.7B U.S. Treasury award
April 17, 2023 On Sunday, Tribal Business News reported that 29 Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are getting a $47 million injection in funds to help Indian Country overcome…
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FTC Issues Report to Congress on American Indian and Alaska Native Consumer Issues
March 21, 2023 Report outlines FTC enforcement, outreach and education efforts to identify and fight scams affecting AI/AN populations The Federal Trade Commission sent a new report to Congress detailing the consumer…
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Senate looks to update protections in Indian Arts and Crafts Act
March 20, 2023 WASHINGTON — The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs last week released a draft of proposed legislation that would strengthen enforcement of laws against counterfeit Native art. U.S.…
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REPORT: Character may be more important than credit scores when it comes to Native business lending
March 20, 2023 When it comes to business lending in Indian Country, character may count more than credit scores. That’s according to a report from the Minneapolis-based Center for Indian Country Development,…
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Kendrick Stewart named interim director of Washington State Department of Commerce
March 6, 2023 OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Kendrick Stewart interim director of the Washington State Department of Commerce effective March 4, when Lisa Brown steps down…
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Next week, celebrate National Entrepreneurship Week with a Native Entrepreneur Success Journey
February 22, 2023 Next week is National Entrepreneurship Week, a congressionally chartered week dedicated to empowering entrepreneurship across the United States, and the IDRS Acorn Project wants to celebrate and…
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Investing in Youth: Teaching financial literacy to young Native Americans
January 26, 2023 As economic development surges across Indian Country, personal finances lag as Native communities continue to experience some of the highest rates of poverty in the nation. Several…
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Generations of Jewelers: The 100-year Legacy of The Arrowhead
January 11, 2023 By, Matthew Kincanon For Dyaami Lewis, being a silversmith is more than a profession, it’s a family tradition. He is the 4th generation of jewelers carrying on…
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Center Us: State of Native American Youth report celebrates Native American Youth
December 8, 2022 Washington, DC — The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute recently released the Center Us: State of Native Youth report, which celebrates and…
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Through partnership with Google, NCAI appoints digital coach to help Native Businesses
November 17, 2022 On Monday, Tribal Business News reported that the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has partnered with the Grow with Google Digital Coaches Program to bring broadband…
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BIA distributes first $3M of create, bolster Native business incubators
November 17, 2022 On Monday, Tribal Business News reported that Crow Agency, Mont.-based Plenty Doors Community Development Corp. plans to establish a new business incubator to help Native entrepreneurs on…
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NCN partners with BMO to launch Native-owned Business lending program
October 13, 2022 On Tuesday, Oct. 11, PRNewswire reported that BMO Harris Bank launched BMO for Native-owned Businesses as part of its five-year, $5 billion BMO EMpower initiative aimed at supporting an inclusive…
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WA state introduces new policy that aims to increase equity for small, diverse, veteran-owned businesses
October 7, 2022 OLYMPIA, Wash. — On Wednesday, October 5, the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services announced they are introducing a new enterprise supplier diversity procurement policy next year,…
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One Heart Native Arts & Film Festival begins next week
October 6, 2022 Next week begins the 7th annual One Heart Native Arts & Film Festival in Spokane, Washington, which will showcase stories from Native perspectives through film, art and…
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Apache and Yaqui actress Sacheen Littlefeather dies at age 75
October 6, 2022 On Monday, Native News Online reported that actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather (Apache and Yaqui), who is known for her speech of defiance at the 1973 Academy…
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Local Native artists win Spokane Arts awards
September 29, 2022 By Matthew Kincanon SPOKANE, Wash. — Filmmaker Misty Shipman (Shoalwater Bay Tribe) and artist James Pakootas (Colville Confederated Tribes) received the Spokane Arts awards on Saturday night.…
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Remembering Amy Fredeen: A Life of Love, Humor and Advancement for Native people
September 7, 2022 By Matthew Kincanon On Thursday, July 28, 2022, Iñupiaq member Amy Fredeen’s life was cut short in a car collision, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, advocacy,…
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Mary Peltola becomes first Alaska Native elected to Congress
September 1, 2022 Anchorage Daily News reported on Wednesday that Democrat Mary Peltola won Alaska’s special U.S. House race and is set to become the first Alaska Native in Congress,…
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Working Washington Grants: Round 5 accepting applications starting today
August 17, 2022 The day has finally come. Applications can now be submitted for Working Washington Grants: Round 5. The portal will be open between now and September 9. You…
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Native American-owned company Totem seeks to revolutionize banking in Indian Country
August 17, 2022 Tribal Business News reported earlier this month that an Indigenous-owned company “aims to harness the power of technology to change how Native Americans bank, and in some…
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Native Americans across Midwest embrace traditional foods rejected by centuries of colonization
August 11, 2023 “Native American tribes and communities are creating formal programs that focus on their traditional foods to not only combat systemic food insecurity, but also connect people to…
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U.S. Senate Announces Creation of Community Development Finance Caucus
August 8, 2022 On Monday, August 1, Native CDFI Network News reported U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) announced the creation of the Senate Community Development Finance…
Read MoreApplying for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online
Learn how to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online
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Working Washington Grants: Round 5 webinars happening in August
August 3, 2022 Throughout the month of August there will be several webinars focusing on Working Washington Grants: Round 5. These webinars are meant to help small business and non-profit…
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Native Business Center Launches Washington State Business Directory
August 3, 2022 SPOKANE, Wash. — On Thursday, June 30, Native Business Center, which is powered by Sister Sky Inc., officially launched the Washington State Native Business Directory to support…
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Tribal elders recall painful boarding school memories
July 21, 2022 We want to take a moment to pause here and let you know this post will be about the hardships Native peoples have faced in the boarding…
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IOC Restores Olympic Gold Medals Solely to Jim Thorpe
July 15 ,2022 On Friday, Native News Online reported that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will display legendary athlete Jim Thorpe (Sac and Fox, Potawatomi) as the sole gold medalist…
Read MoreNew round of funding allocated to Working Washington Grants for small businesses
July 15, 2022 For small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington State Legislature has allocated $70 million for the next round of Working Washington Grants: Round 5. In…
Read MoreNative American News Roundup, July 3-9, 2022
July 14, 2022 For the week of July 3rd to the 9th of 2022 there were a few exciting developments in Indian Country. The first was about Cherokee Nation citizen…
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President Biden Nominates Patrice Kunesh for Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans
July 7, 2022 Last month, Native News Online reported that President Joe Biden announced 13 new intended nominations for his administration, including Patrice Kunesh for Commissioner of the Administration for…
Read MoreUniversity of Alaska Southeast to Offer Free Alaska Native Language Courses
July 7, 2022 Last month, Native News Online reported that University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) will offer students free non-credit classes in Alaska Native languages this fall. “The University of…
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Supreme Court rules Oklahoma State has concurrent jurisdiction in Indian Territory
June 30, 2022 On Wednesday, Native News Online reported that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Oklahoma has jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indians who commit crimes against Indians in Indian…
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Chief Lynn Malerba is the first Native person to be selected as Treasurer of the United States
June 24, 2022 Chief Lynn Malerba, Mutáwi Mutáhash (Many Hearts), from the Mohegan Tribe has been confirmed as the first Indigenous person to be appointed as the next U.S. Treasurer.…
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Native CDFI convenes Wabanaki Nations behind ‘transformative’ economic development consortium
June 16, 2022 In a recent article from Tribal Business News, Four Directions Development Corporation is leading a new effort that aims to facilitate collaboration among the Wabanaki Nations in…
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BIGGEST Legal Mistakes Business Owners Make
June 14, 2022 When starting or running a business, there are a bunch of hoops to jump through and things to keep track of throughout the process. That is why…
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T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders program still accepting applicants for Spokane location!
May 26, 2022 Are you a small business owner or entrepreneur looking to take your business to the next level? Well, there is still time to apply for T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging…
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State Launches Small Business Flex Fund on June 30th
June 29, 2021 We are proud to be the technical assistance provider to the American Indian and Alaska Native communities for this new fund launched by Washington State Department of…
Read MoreStart Up Stories : Monica Simeon—Sister Sky
Our co-founder Monica Simeon was featured in Spokane Talks “Start Up Stories.” In this show, they discuss Sister Sky Inc.’s startup story, as well as explore early transitions in business…
Read MoreState to launch new round of Working Washington small business grants on March 29
March 30, 2021 Newest grant round focuses on brick-and-mortar businesses most directly impacted by COVID-19 public health measures The Washington State Department of Commerce opened applications for Working Washington Grants:…
Read MoreFIVE Helpful Tips when applying to Round 3 of the Working Washington Small Business grant!
December 4, 2020 The application for the new round of Working Washington business grants is now open. Businesses can apply for up to $20,000 to offset costs or expenses due…
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Sister Sky Inc. Provides Suicide Prevention Training for Indian Health Service
November 6, 2020 Native American-owned Small Business Chosen to Provide Culturally Customized Suicide Prevention Training for 17,000 IHS Employees Spokane, WA: Suicide is an urgent public health concern across the…
Read MoreWashington State Department Launches Grant for Disadvantages Community Business Owners
October 6, 2020 Funding and Resources for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic SPOKANE, WA. (October 6, 2020) – Washington State’s Department of Commerce announced the launch of the Small…
Read MoreNorthwest Native Development Fund Receives $1,083,300 Award From U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund
Native Business Center congratulates the Northwest Native Development Fund (NNDF). This is exciting news for Indian Country! Good job NNDF! September 25, 2020 Coulee Dam Washington – The Northwest Native Development…
Read MoreState Seeks to Address Economic Inequality by Increasing Culturally and Linguistically Relevant Help for Small Businesses Owners
Commerce partners with 20 community-based organizations statewide to provide technical assistance and other resources to underserved small businesses affected by COVID-19 September 24, 2020 OLYMPIA, WA –Small business owners now…
Read MorePassage of Native American Business Incubators Act is an Important Step for Native Entrepreneurship
This is what Indian Country has been waiting for! Native Business Center is very ecstatic for this news we received, stay tuned for updates! Bill now headed to President’s desk for signature…
Read MoreWashington State Small Business Grant Program
Funding and Resources for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID Pandemic SPOKANE, WA. (September 11th, 2020) – The Washington State Department of Commerce has launched a second round of available funds…
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