First Nations Development Institute

The mission of First Nations is to strengthen American Indian economies to support healthy Native communities. First Nations invest in and create innovative institutions and models that strengthen asset control and support economic development for American Indian people and their communities.{{cite web|title=About Us First Nations|url=http://www.firstnations.org/about|website=firstnations.org|accessdate=24 February 2017}}

"We believe that Native peoples hold the capacity and ingenuity to ensure the sustainable, economic, spiritual and cultural well-being of their communities."{{cite web|title=About Us First Nations|url=http://www.firstnations.org/about|website=firstnations.org|accessdate=24 February 2017}} The organization's slogan is "Strengthening Native American Communities & Economies."

First Nations Financial Project was founded in 1980 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, by Rebecca Adamson. In 1991 it was renamed as First Nations Development Institute.

First Nations Development Institute's methods seek answers from within Native American communities as opposed to imposing solutions from the outside. First Nations Development Institute's projects "build on a tribe's unique culture and resources at hand to work toward a more stable economic future." Interviewed for the Fredericksburg, Virginia, Free-Lance Star in 1995, Adamson said: "I want to show the brilliance, the creativity, the efficacy of Indian people."{{cite web |last1=Smith College Special Collections |title=Guide to the Rebecca Adamson papers |url=https://findingaids.smith.edu/repositories/2/resources/936 |website=Smith College Finding Aids |access-date=3 April 2020}}

In 1985, First Nations Development Institute and the Oglala Lakota College helped to support the creation of Lakota Funds, the first Native American Community Development Financial Institution on a reservation.{{cite web|title=Lakota Funds Mission|url=http://www.lakotafunds.org/mission.htm|website=Lakota Funds|accessdate=24 February 2017}}

The Oweesta Program was created in 1986 as a model of a Community Development Financial Institution in Native American communities. First Nations Development Institute is its parent organization.{{cite web|title=Oweesta About Us|url=http://www.oweesta.org/about/|website=Oweesta|access-date=24 February 2017}}

The Tribal Commerce and Enterprise Management Program (TCEMP), which provided support for Native American students to pursue graduate degrees in business, was launched in 1985 at Yale University's School of Organization and Management. In 1991 it moved to University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.{{cite web|title=CAMPUS LIFE; Minnesota: Training Indians To Become Business Leaders|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/03/nyregion/campus-life-minnesota-training-indians-to-become-business-leaders.html|website=The New York Times|access-date=24 February 2017|date=February 3, 1991}}

In 1994 to 1995 First Nations Development Institute continued to expand is work in reservation economies through the Eagle Staff Fund.{{cite book|title=First Nations Development Institute Biennial Report, 1994/95|url=https://eric.ed.gov/?q=First+Nations+Development+Institute&id=ED398007|website=ERIC| date=July 1995 |publisher=First Nations Development Inst., Fredericksburg, VA.|access-date=24 February 2017}}

First Peoples Worldwide was founded in 1997 as a project of First Nations Development Institute.{{cite web|title=First Peoples Worldwide About Us|url=http://www.firstpeoples.org/about-us/about-us|website=First Peoples Worldwide|access-date=24 February 2017}}

In 2001, First Nations Development Institute and the Fannie Mae Foundation, released the Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families, a jointly developed, culturally relevant curriculum on building financial skills.{{cite web|author1=Jean Ness|title=Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families|url=http://tribalcollegejournal.org/building-native-communities-financial-skills-families/|website=Tribal College Journal|access-date=24 February 2017|location=Mancos, CO|date=November 15, 2001}}

The Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative (NAFSI) was launched in 2002, with funding support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. It was intended to assess food systems in tribal communities.{{cite web|author1=W.K. Kellogg Foundation|title=Reclaiming Healthy Food Systems in Indian Country|url=http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/reclaiming-healthy-food-systems-indian-country/|website=Native News Online|access-date=24 February 2017|date=July 30, 2014}}

In 2002, Rebecca Adamson wrote an opinion piece criticizing the use of Native American mascots by professional, university, and lower school sports teams.{{cite news|last1=Adamson|first1=Rebecca|title=Mascot supporters insult Native peoples|url=https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/mascot-supporters-insult-native-peoples/|accessdate=14 May 2018|publisher=Indian Country Today Media Network|date=March 24, 2002}}

Michael E. Roberts rejoined First Nations in 2003 and was named president of First Nations Development Institute in 2005.{{cite web|author1=Mary Reed|title=Longmont executive promotes economic development for Native Americans|url=http://getboulder.com/longmont-executive-promotes-economic-development-for-native-americans/|website=GetBoulder.com|publisher=Brock Media|access-date=24 February 2017}}

In 2006, First Nations Development Institute moved its headquarters from Virginia to Longmont, Colorado.{{cite web|title=Nonprofit moves to Longmont|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2006/03/20/daily9.html|website=Denver Business Journal|publisher=American City Business Journals|access-date=24 February 2017|location=Denver, CO|date=March 20, 2006}}

The Native American Asset Watch: Rethinking Asset-Building in Indian Country report was published in 2009 to report on who controls the assets of tribal communities and the implications for their economies.{{cite web|title=Native American Asset Watch: Rethinking Asset Building in Indian Country|url=http://vawnet.org/material/native-american-asset-watch-rethinking-asset-building-indian-country|website=VAWnet|access-date=24 February 2017|date=January 2009}}

The first Native Food Sovereignty Summit was co-hosted in 2013 by First Nations Development Institute, Intertribal Agriculture Council, the Oneida Nation, and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.{{cite web|title=Food Sovereignty Summit|url=https://nativefoodnetwork.com/2013/04/22/food-sovereignty-summit/|website=nativefoodnetwork.com|publisher=Native Food Network|access-date=24 February 2017|date=April 22, 2013}}

First Nations Development Institute's 35th Anniversary and the 20th Annual L.E.A.D.(Leadership, Entrepreneurial and Apprenticeship Development) Conference were held in 2015.{{cite web|title=20th Annual L.E.A.D. Institute Conference|url=http://nativephilanthropy.org/events/20th-annual-l-e-a-d-institute-conference/|website=nativephilanthropy.org|publisher=Native Americans In Philanthropy|access-date=24 February 2017|date=September 2015}}

In 2016, Raymond Foxworth wrote an opinion piece in response{{cite news|last1=Foxworth|first1=Ray|title=Skins Poll: Tribes Have Spoken, Which Is All That Matters|url=https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/opinions/skins-poll-tribes-have-spoken-which-is-all-that-matters/|accessdate=15 May 2018|publisher=Indian Country Today Media Network|date=May 27, 2016}} to a Washington Post poll that found the great majority of Native Americans were not offended by the Washington Redskins name.{{cite news|last1=Cox|first1=John Woodrow|last2=Clement|first2=Scott|last3=Vargas|first3=Theresa|title=New poll finds 9 in 10 Native Americans aren't offended by Redskins name|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/new-poll-finds-9-in-10-native-americans-arent-offended-by-redskins-name/2016/05/18/3ea11cfa-161a-11e6-924d-838753295f9a_story.html|accessdate=15 May 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 19, 2016}}

First Nations Development Institute and Echo Hawk Consulting received funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for Reclaiming Native Truth: A Project to Dispel America's Myths and Misconceptions.{{cite news|title=WKKF Awards $2.5 Million to Transform Image of Native Americans.|url=https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/wkkf-awards-2.5-million-to-transform-image-of-native-americans|access-date=14 May 2018|publisher=Philanthropy News Digest|date=August 31, 2016}}

In 2017, GuideStar gave First Nations Development Institute a Platinum Participant rating.{{cite web|title=First Nations Development Institute - GuideStar Profile|url=https://www.guidestar.org/profile/54-1254491|website=guidestar.org|publisher=GuideStar|access-date=24 February 2017}}

In 2017, BBB Wise Giving Alliance featured Michael Roberts, First Nations Development Institute President and CEO, on their [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb-LIV-8XK4 BBB's Give.org Building Trust Series] YouTube channel.{{cite web|title=Videos|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxK66eTWA00R9qVk-5SfZyw/videos|website=BBB Wise Giving Alliance|access-date=21 November 2017}}

In 2022, Charity Navigator gave First Nations Development Institute a 4-star rating, for the 11th year in a row.{{cite web|title=First Nations Development Institute - Charity Navigator Historical Ratings|url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.history&orgid=7156|website=charitynavigator.org|publisher=Charity Navigator|access-date=1 December 2021}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.firstnations.org/ First Nations Development Institute]
• [http://www.oweesta.org/ First Nations Oweesta Corporation]
• Guide to the [https://findingaids.smith.edu/repositories/2/resources/936 Rebecca Adamson papers] at Smith College Special Collections

{{Authority control}}

Category:Native American organizations

Category:Native American topics

Category:Native American history

Category:Native American cultural institutions

Category:Native American-related lists

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States

Category:Community development organizations

Category:1980 establishments in Virginia

Category:Native American history of Virginia