Final Meeting Held for 4 Tribes in Asset-Building Project

Posted on May 19, 2014 by rblauvelt

Representatives from all project partners at the final meeting, plus First Nations President Michael Roberts (far left) and First Nations Program Officer Lisa Yellow Eagle (fourth from right, back row)

On May 2, 2014, First Nations brought representatives from the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, the Hopi Education Endowment Fund (Arizona), the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (Minnesota) and the Spokane Tribe of Indians (Washington) together in Denver, Colorado, for a final meeting of the Native Asset-Building Partnership Project.

The project was meant to strengthen tribal and Native institutions through peer learning and model development that will help improve control and management of assets for the Oneida Tribe and the Mille Lacs Band. First Nations found tribal mentors to help the Oneida and Mille Lacs design programs that will support, educate and strengthen the capacity of the youth of each tribe.

The Hopi Education Endowment Fund (HEEF) is an Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 7871 program that raises funds for Hopi students’ education. This means HEEF is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as being a division of a tribal government that can receive tax-deductible donations. HEEF has mentored the Oneida on designing and implementing an IRC Section 7871 program. Oneida has chosen to put together a framework for an Oneida Youth Leadership Institute to encourage, empower and provide leadership training to tribal youth. Oneida has chosen to use the IRC Section 7871 designation rather than the 501(c)(3) designation because it supports tribal sovereignty while still allowing donations to be tax-deductible.

The Spokane Tribe’s Department of Natural Resources has conducted a summer youth and mentorship program for more than a decade. The department incorporates traditions and culture into its summer programs and learning camps to teach youth how their ancestors used science to fish, hunt, build housing, etc. The department mentored the Mille Lacs on designing and implementing a summer youth program in Minnesota. The Mille Lacs designed a curriculum for high school students as extra-curricular science classes that will incorporate traditions and culture. The Mille Lacs also will implement a summer internship program at its Department of Natural Resources during June 2014. This will allow a tribal youth to work with the staff and learn about the different programs within the department as well as learning about career opportunities.

At the final meeting, all partners presented on their projects to First Nations and to the other partners involved in the project. First Nations also helped the two partnerships come up with action plans for the next year (after the grant is complete). The meeting was a success and the two projects developed more definite plans that will help them implement their projects in the upcoming months.

By Lisa Yellow Eagle, First Nations Program Officer

Wigamig’s Big Success Story is Good Example of VITA’s Big Value

Posted on March 19, 2014 by rblauvelt

Last year, there were 145 VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) sites that served Native American communities, according to the IRS. These sites were sponsored by tribal governments, tribal housing authorities, Native and non-Native nonprofit organizations, senior centers, credit unions, tribal colleges and urban Indian centers. First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) has also supported some of these Native VITA sites with grants, technical assistance and training.

VITA sites are a useful tool for providing free tax preparation services to low- to moderate-income people and helping them claim a range of valuable tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). In addition, they can help individuals avoid high fees for tax preparation services and also avoid being persuaded to take on high-cost loans against their tax refunds.

During the 2013 tax season these sites filed a total of 48,413 returns, facilitated $70 million in refunds and helped people claim approximately $26 million in EITCs, which is money that comes back to or stays in Native communities and benefits the entire community. Further, it is estimated that these 145 sites saved Native American filers $7.3 million in preparation fees alone, based on an estimate of $150 in fees per filer.

Data from several of First Nations’ recent Native VITA site grantees revealed the tremendous positive impact these programs can have in Native communities. A report about this can be found on the First Nations Knowledge Center at this link: http://firstnations.org/knowledge-center/financial-education.

Wigamig Executive Director Fern Orie

One of First Nations’ VITA grantees is the Wigamig Owners Loan Fund, Inc. (www.wigamig.org/) in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin. It serves the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa along with all Wisconsin Indian reservations. Wigamig offered up this anecdote as just one example of a tremendous success story stemming from its VITA effort:

“We had a client who had gone to a paid preparer for the past couple of years,” said Fern Orie, Wigamig executive director. “By Wigamig preparing the return and asking the appropriate interview questions, we discovered the family has an adult disabled son who they have not been claiming as a dependent on their tax return. In reviewing their previous returns from the paid preparer, we noted that they should file amended returns to claim their son for the prior years and recoup their appropriate refund and tax credits. In review and preparation of these amended returns, we discovered two errors totaling over $2,000. With these corrections and amending the returns, the clients will be receiving nearly $12,000 back from the IRS from two of their amended returns. This does not include a third year of an amended return that Wigamig is still processing. By educating clients, we are increasing their self-sufficiency.”

“VITA programs play an important role in providing affordable, appropriate financial services for Native families. We are proud to support VITA sites and their community partners that continue to bring resources into their local communities,” said Sarah Dewees, senior director of research, policy and asset-building programs at First Nations.

Strengthening Tribal Coalitions That Deal With Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence

Posted on July 18, 2013 by rblauvelt

At the Strong Hearted Native Womens’ Coalition on the Rincon Reservation are, L to R, Keely Linton, Co-Director; Germaine Omish-Guachena, Executive Director; and Catherine Revelez, Office Manager

Since 2007, First Nations Development Institute has partnered with the U.S. Department of Justice through its Office on Violence Against Women Tribal Affairs Unit to provide critically-needed training and technical assistance to build the capacity of Native American nonprofit tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions in the United States.

In June 2013, First Nations visited the Rincon Reservation in order to provide one-on-one tailored training and technical assistance to a coalition in Southern California. This training included presentations on best practices for financial management of a nonprofit organization, roles and responsibilities of a nonprofit board, and a refresher on the importance of bylaws and what information should go into a nonprofit’s bylaws. All of the information provided will help this tribal coalition become a stronger nonprofit organization. For the First Nations staff members involved, it was a pleasure to work with the coalition staff and board members and learn some history of the tribes in the area.

A second training was provided, also in June 2013, to an emerging tribal coalition in Maine. First Nations assisted this emerging coalition through the steps to legally incorporating as a nonprofit corporation. This training was used to draft articles of incorporation and vision and mission statements, identify key components of the organization’s bylaws, and, last but not least, we helped the group through the IRS Form 1023 in order to demystify the incorporation application process. This training provided a forum to the group to have their questions answered and to further their goal of becoming a nonprofit organization to fight violence against women. The meeting took place in Bar Harbor, Maine, at the Abbe Museum, which contains exhibits focused on the Maine tribes. It was the perfect location to learn about the history and the contemporary lives of the Wabanaki people, as well as provide direction and distinct purpose to their activities.

The tribal coalitions increase awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault against Native American and Alaska Native women. First Nations is honored to support the coalitions’ work through training and technical assistance. It is always an honor to meet these strong women who are dedicated to making a difference in Indian Country.

By Lisa Yellow Eagle, First Nations Program Officer

The Maine group at the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor are, L to R, Tiffany Hammer, Consultant; Lisa Yellow Eagle of First Nations; Jane Root; Tonia Dana; and Nancy Soctomah. Not shown is Julia Walton.