Spirit of the Sun, Inc. - SOTS

1. Spirit of the Sun, Inc. - SOTS American Indian Business Alliance - 2016 Conference & Trade Show, Bismarck, ND

2. Our History • Founded more than ten years ago by Brian Wilkerson, Spirit of the Sun, Inc., is a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Louisville, Colorado. It was established to foster collaborations with Native American communities in both urban and reservation settings across the nation. • Spirit of the Sun has worked with Native American partners to identify economic and community development opportunities, and has provided technical and training assistance to enable the development of Native American organizations and tribes. • Spirit of the Sun was founded on the belief that effective and sustainable development work is consistent with the cultural history and norms of Native American communities, and is fully respectful of the self-determination rights and aspirations of those community.

3. Redefined Focus-2016 and Beyond Mission: Spirit of the Sun’s has recently redefined its mission to work in partnership with Native American communities in urban areas and in reservation communities to enhance the resilience of Native people, especially youth and young adults, as they define their own futures and aspirations. Vision: Support Native American youthtoday to become the next generation of Native leaders,entrepreneurs, and skilled professionals who will help guide their communities and themselves toward wellness, prosperity, and cultural revitalization.

4. Spirit of the Sun pursues its new Mission and Vision by: • Providing employment preparation and career development for Native youth and young adults - through entrepreneurial and leadership trainings, mentorship programs, and practical skill-building workshops • Promoting health and wellness for Native youth and young adults - through improved access to and knowledge of raising and preparing traditional foods • Facilitating the reduction of risk taking and self-harming behaviors among Native youth - through training and experiences that address the root causes of substance abuse, suicide, and other behavioral health issues • Alleviating poverty for Native youth and their families - through collaborative capacity building services provided by VISTA Volunteers all across Indian Country • Building cultural resilience - through intergenerational programs that facilitate relationships between Native elders and youth

5. SOTS Recent Impacts in Indian Country • Fifteen AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers performed one or more years of service in Native American communities in ten U.S. states and territories. These VISTAs were recruited and supported by SOTS in collaboration with Tribes as they provided tasking, supervision and final VISTA selection. Funding was provided by AmeriCorps CNCS. • Seven tribal youth enrolled in the Population Health Aide Program on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming completed training in basic health care knowledge and skills – including CPR, first aide, mental health assistance, and diabetes and nutrition education – and then provided home health care outreach visits to more than 50 tribal community members, funded by the AmeriCorp State and National Program. • Eighteen participants attended the June & Oct. 2016 Urban Native Entrepreneurial Training in Denver, funded by the Xcel Energy Foundation

6. SOTS Recent Impacts in Indian Country • Seven youths from six different tribes developed the ideas for a proposal, created a video in support of their proposal, and participated in a highly competitive competition to win a $30,000 grant focused on Empowering Native Youth Leadership from the Rose Community Foundation, Denver. • A multi-organizational team, led by Brian Wilkerson, Spirit of the Sun, Board Chairman, assisted by two SOTS VISTA Volunteers compiled and published the first ever Colorado American Indian Alaska Native Economic Impact Report - which found that the State of Colorado currently receives $1.5 billion in economic impact from Native American enterprises within Colorado annually!

7. Partnership Opportunities With SOTS • Spirit of the Sun is always looking for Tribal partners and Native American owned and operated non-profit organizations to link with - to support individual, community, and organizational development that enhances the resilience of Native people, especially youth and young adults, as they define their own futures and aspirations. • Please contact me at: John Lathrop, Director Enterprise Development Spirit of the Sun Inc. jlathrop@spiritofthe sun.org 303 - 926 -4906 (o) 303 - 522 -1791 (c)

8. Economic Master Planning Importance for Achieving Tribal Community Goals and Sustained Revenue Generation Brian E. Wilkerson, Revolution Advisors and Spirit of the Sun John Lathrop, Spirit of the Sun American Indian Business Alliance2016 Conference

9. Overview • Background • Key Strategies • Overview of the Approach • Examples

10. Today’s Challenge – Resilience in Many Forms • Tribes often see Amplified Impacts from Economic Issues • Unemployment 5x or More National Average • 3x More Live Below the Poverty Line than Non-Natives • Impacts of Commodity Prices • Pressures for Economic Development continue to drives towards increased Resource Extraction • Mixed Success from Gaming and Diversification Challenge • Climate Change is a Significant Issue for Indigenous Peoples around the World • Natural Disasters have Significant Impacts on Tribal Lands

11. Community First Model for Economic Development

12. Community Model (continued) • Resilience: Application of traditional life-ways to a highly interconnected world for building competency to withstand hardship and capitalize on opportunities. • Meaning: Having focus on broader goals and connection to community, environment, and spirituality. • Sovereignty: Ability and willingness to determine the path to the future, including the initiative and the accountability for crafting a desired future for the community. • Resources: Stewardship of what is available to the tribe to support its needs (body, mind, spirit)

13. Critical Foundations

14. Key Strategies • Return to Traditional Governance (Guardianship) • Redefine Measures and Goals in Community Terms • Code of Conduct for Collaboration with Outsiders • Collaboration across Native Nations • Culturally compatible techniques and ventures • Focus on mutually reinforcing economic activity and increasing economic multiplier • Land acquisition and preservation • Diversification and long-term Investment • Robust Information Management (Mapping, Assets, etc.) • Intellectual Property Protection

15. Examples From Native Communities • Energy Production for Community Needs and Competitive Advantage • Virtuous Cycle of Food Production and Community Health • Broadband as a Business and Community Foundation • Taking Over Services from Outside Providers

16. Core Development Strategies • Increasing the Economic Multiplier – we focus on keeping money flowing through the Native Nation and maximizing the ability of residents and businesses to gain from the economic activity within. This means helping local businesses work with each other and creating business opportunities that capitalize on this potential. It also means substituting local goods for those currently purchased from the outside. • Maximizing Secondary Job Creation – many tribes focus on the jobs created from some of their “big” economic development projects, but miss the opportunity to create businesses to serve those other businesses. As a consequence, other jurisdictions often benefit when local businesses should. For example, if a tribe is developing a biomass energy venture, other local businesses should be able to provide tools, supplies, and services that this venture needs, thus maximizing the positive impact on the Nation. • Cultivating Entrepreneurs – tribes should focus on developing more businesses owned and managed by local entrepreneurs, again increasing the opportunities and economic impact on the city. This is more than just the small business with a few employees, but also includes how tribes can become attractive to growing businesses that need to expand and/or are seeking to relocate. The requires building the entire ecosystem that will encourage entrepreneurship and make tribes attractive to growing business. • Reshoring– Reshoring is taking functions (manufacturing, call center, etc.) that had been previously outsourced to China or other low-cost countries and bringing them back “onshore” via economic development incentives and finding locations that matched the labor and other needs of the companies. Native Nations are an ideal destination for these operations.

17. What is a CEDS? • The Economic Development Administration, a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has programs focused on enhancing the economic vitality of tribes, regions, cities and towns. • CEDS = Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy • Provides funding assistance for development of a CEDS document provided document development follows format for the process and production of the CEDS

18. Why might CEDS be a Good Planning Vehicle for You? • Structured guidance to assist in development of document • Funding availability/assistance • Linked to funding/grant opportunities for infrastructure development & facility construction • Capacity building • Planning through a regional/holistic lens

19. Key Planning Process Steps

20. Data Gathering – Existing Conditions Current Allocation of Land

21. Existing Conditions • Also run analyses such as: • SWOT • Shift-Share • Economic Multiplier • Others

22. Engaging Tribal Voices • Use of tribal website, local newspapers, local radio to connect with tribal members • Flyers and brochures in English and Lakota hung in areas frequented by community • Transportation to meetings, food and door prizes • Strategic planning workshops in both North and South Dakota

23. Vision for Economic Development “The Standing Rock Tribal Government Strives to be a More Effective, Efficient, and Visible Government Providing Opportunities for Our Economy to Grow Through Business Development by Educating Our Members, to Enhance the Health and Wellness of the People of Standing Rock.”

24. Representing Community Feedback Guiding Principles Coordinate policies and leverage investment Enhance economic competitiveness Support existing communities Promote equitable, affordable housing Provide more transportation choices

25. Providing Focus

26. Examples of Goals • Honors cultural values and traditions of respect, listening, living in harmony • Increase training and education • Increase self-governance • Increase economic self-sufficiency • Living wage employment • Economic development outside reservation boundaries • Foster private business ownership • Improve internal infrastructure • Flexibility around work structure(s) • Alternative approaches to address housing shortages • Clean, safe, healthy, and substance free community • Cohesive supportive and community

27. Align Tribal Community Goals with Economic Development Strategy

28. Base Problem to be Solved • Given a set of opportunities and limited resources, determine the best set of projects that achieve the community goals in desired areas while controlling risk.

29. Analyzing Investment in Common Terms

30. Measuring Probability of Success (POS) • Past Experience with Particular Initiatives • Resources (Financial, Land, etc.) • Knowledge and Skills • Experience • Community Support

31. Key Strategic Projects, Programs & Activities

32. Implementation Road Map

33. Performance Measurement

34. “Economic Master Planning: The Importance for Achieving Tribal Community “Goals & Sustained Revenue Generation” Brian E. Wilkerson, Revolution Advisors and Spirit of the Sun John Lathrop, Spirit of the Sun American Indian Business Alliance2016 Conference