Urban Native Project
First Nations Development Institute and the National Urban Indian Family Coalition (NUIFC) partnered in 2013 to conduct the three-year “Urban Native Project” aimed at “off reservation” Native American population centers. Significant funding from The Kresge Foundation and supplemental support from the Comcast Foundation makes this effort possible.
The project’s goal is to support new and expanded activities in urban American Indian environments with the goal of improving opportunities that can be attained in all Native American urban communities. During the project, First Nations and NUIFC will work directly with as many as nine urban American Indian and/or Alaska Native nonprofits to help them improve their capacity and leadership skills through customized technical assistance and training.
The project targets the 78% of American Indians/Alaska Natives who live off reservation, according to Census Bureau data. Historically, First Nations has worked with rural and reservation-based Native communities, so it partnered with NUIFC in order to bring the significant strengths of both organizations to the effort. Urban Indian organizations, some of which were launched in the 1940s and 50s, are an important support to Native families and individuals, providing cultural linkages as well as being a hub for accessing essential services.
The grantees for the 2015-2016 period are the American Indian Child Resource Center in Oakland, California; American Indian OIC in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Hawaiian Community Assets, Inc. in Honolulu Hawaii; and Little Earth of United Tribes in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The grantees for the 2014-2015 period were the Chief Seattle Club in Seattle, Washington; Native American Community Services of Erie and Niagara Counties, Inc. in Buffalo, New York; and the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) in Portland, Oregon.
The grantees for the 2013-2014 period were the Denver Indian Center and the Denver Indian Family Resource Center in Colorado; the Native American Youth and Family Center in Portland, Oregon; and the Little Earth of United Tribes in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
