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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Economic Development
From record-breaking federal contracts and historic philanthropic gifts to groundbreaking developments in education and tribal sovereignty, 2024's most-read stories in Tribal Business News reflect significant economic progress and persistent challenges across Indian Country.
These ten stories showcase how tribes are building economic power while navigating both opportunities and obstacles in sectors ranging from gaming and healthcare to housing and food security.
Arrest made in $700,000 heist from tribal casino
A sophisticated phone scam netted $700,000 from the Pokagon Band's Four Winds Casino in Michigan when a scammer impersonated the tribal chairperson. Authorities arrested Jesus Gaytan-Garcia after finding marked casino money bands in his home, highlighting growing telephone scams targeting tribal and commercial casinos.
Record High: Tribal entities won $23.3 billion in federal contracts in fiscal 2023
Tribal entities won a record $23.3 billion in federal contracts in fiscal 2023, up 16.3% from 2022. The increase, driven by Department of Defense contracts, shows tribal entities gaining a larger share (3.05%) of federal contracting dollars, providing crucial non-gaming revenue.
MacKenzie Scott awards more than $100M to Native CDFIs
MacKenzie Scott donated $103 million to 30 Native-led CDFIs, likely the largest-ever private investments in Native financial institutions. With Native communities receiving less than 0.5% of large U.S. foundation funding historically, Scott's investment signals to funders that Native CDFIs are ready for investment.
Navajo Nation secures $88.7M in federal small business funding
The Navajo Nation received $88.7 million from Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative for loan programs. Each federal dollar could attract $10 in private investment, addressing reservation economic leakage where 65% of earned dollars flow to border towns.
THE ART OF TRANSFORMATION | Ruth-Ann Thorn's unconventional path from teenage border runner to Indigenous art maven
Ruth-Ann Thorn, Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians member, transformed from teenage drug runner to successful gallerist with seven high-end art galleries. As San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter's first Native American business owner, her galleries showcase Indigenous and mainstream artists.
Video game aims to reclaim, revitalize Ojibwe language
A new video game, "Reclaim!" aims to preserve the Ojibwe language through innovative storytelling. Developed by Indigenous creators, it leverages the $217 billion global gaming market while offering a non-colonial narrative.
Record $1.3 billion in federal funding allocated to Native American housing
Congress approved $1.34 billion for Native American housing programs, the first significant NAHASDA funding increase since 2013. The $324 million increase falls short of advocates' $1.68 billion recommendation and the estimated $30-60 billion needed to address the housing crisis.
DOI places Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation's northern Illinois reservation land into federal trust
The Interior Department placed 130 acres of historic Shab-eh-nay Reservation into trust for Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, making them Illinois' only federally recognized tribe. The action partially rights a 175-year-old wrong when 1,280 acres were illegally auctioned.
Native food distribution program disrupted amid USDA warehouse consolidation
A USDA warehouse consolidation disrupted tribal food deliveries, causing food insecurity. Bipartisan congressional leaders demanded answers about disruptions affecting 50,000+ Native households, highlighting federal failure to meet trust responsibilities.
First graduating class emerges from nation’s first tribal medical school
The first class of 46 doctors graduated from OSU College of Medicine at Cherokee Nation, the nation's first tribally affiliated medical school. With 20% Native American graduates compared to less than 1% nationally, it addresses physician shortages in rural and tribal communities.
