Native Youth Business Plan Competition – 2022

Now in its third year, the Native Youth Business Plan Competition provides opportunities for Native youth to develop skills, cultivate new ideas, and connect with Native leaders for support in turning those ideas into businesses.

The 2022 Competition is open!

High school- or college-enrolled Native American students between 14 to 24 years of age are invited to apply here by April 18, 2022.

Semifinalist teams will be selected at the end of April to receive additional business mentorship and participate in the competition May 23, 2022, at the RES 2022 Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

About the Competition

Hosted in partnership with The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED), the Native Youth Business Plan Competition helps Native students increase their knowledge and enhance their business, entrepreneurial, and academic skills to prepare them for business and entrepreneurship opportunities in the future.

The competition provides an educational experience for students by learning the process of creating and presenting a business plan. It also simulates the real-world experience of entrepreneurs seeking start-up funds.

The competition is ideal for Native students who:

• Have a passion to create positive change within their local native communities
• Have started a business or have an idea to ​start a business
• Are interesting in enhancing their ​conceptual, organizational, written and oral presentation skills
• Wish to demonstrate their ability to ​clearly communicate an idea to a group of experts and peers

See highlights from previous Native Youth Business Plan Competitions

• 2021
• 2020

Questions about the Competition?

Contact Kendall Tallmadge, Senior Program Officer, at (303) 774-7836 or ktallmadge@firstnations.org.