The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced a new entrepreneurial development initiative designed to help Native American businesses succeed. Components of the initiative include ongoing consultation with tribal governments, participation in tribal-sponsored economic development events, implementation of an outreach campaign aimed at Native entrepreneurs and development of working relationships with tribal colleges and other Native organizations to provide training for Native small business owners. Contracts awarded under the initiative incorporate partnerships with tribal colleges and governments, Native organizations, federal agencies and the private sector.
The initiative’s first round of awards includes three Native-owned firms in the Ninth District: Mandaree Enterprise Corporation on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, to develop a business and technology incubator for Native entrepreneurs; Nth Degree Analytics in Bozeman, Mont., to conduct research on job creation tracking in Indian Country; and G&G Advertising in Billings, Mont., to develop marketing products for Native small businesses.
Additional contract awardees are Arviso Business Consulting of Chandler, Ariz.; and Kauffman & Associates of Spokane, Wash.
