efforts to tribes in the lower 48. Further, we will intensify our exploration into international trade strategies and coordinate a number of trade-shows both at home and overseas to augment stagnant markets of American Indians and Alaskan Natives produced products. In addition, NTDA will research the current laws on Empowerment Zones and present this research and recommendations to our member tribes through a detailed analysis of how it can impact Indian reservations and Indian Country as a whole. Finally, NTDA will prepare a narrative report that assesses historical developments in the use of Welfare-to-Work Reform and private activity bonds, including their role in leveraging investment in non-Indian communities, as well as on the reservation and in Indian Country. II. LONG-RANGE GOALS AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES A. Long-Range Goals: Goal 1: Promotion of Economic Development and Governance through Tribes and tribal economic development ventures have long been underexposed as far as what types of goods and services they can produce. The need to unmask the tremendous economic opportunities that exist in Indian country has been a major stumbling block to tribes with a wealth of resources, but little or no marketplace to expose them. This statement is especially true to the enormous amount of small Indian business owners who produce niche type products but can't afford the cost of advertising to further develop their market potential. With the establishment of NTDA, tribes and tribal businesses now have a cost effective outlet to professionally and efficiently market their tribal resources and Indian produced products to millions of potential customers worldwide. To begin the arduous task of identifying Indian owned businesses and tribal resources, NTDA has committed itself to prioritizing the recruitment efforts currently underway and expanding those efforts to reach Alaska Native Corporations as well as more tribes in the lower 48. Thus, a major goal for the first year of this proposal is to recruit a minimum of fifteen new member tribes, which is broken down as follows: five Alaska Native Corporations or business entities and ten federally recognized Indian Tribes. Further, in year two we expect to add fifteen new member tribes or Alaska Native Corporations and in year three our goal is to add another fifteen member tribes. This correlates into a goal of 45 new member tribes by the end of the proposed three year grant period. By expanding our current membership and linking these new members to our existing home-page, we are continually adding to the shopping list of Indian produced products and services through Internet links for use by potential private sector investors and customers. Goal 2: Promotion of Indian economies and governance through national and international Trade Shows. Another goal that became quite apparent during the recent trade mission to Japan and the exposure it generated for Indian produced products, was the need to broaden our marketing efforts to the international community. Therefore, NTDA proposes to coordinate a total of two national and one international trade show in year one using Indian produced products and services from our member tribes as the showcase. The goal for ensuing years will be the same with two national and one international trade show or a total of three shows per year for the duration of the three year grant period. Because Indian country is spread out over such a large expanse of territory, NTDA believes it is wise to separate the national trade shows into regional type settings; (see map in Attachment “B”), to insure accessibility by our economically disadvantaged Indian businesses. The first such trade show in year one will be held in the State of Montana with a commitment of resources from the USDA Rural Development State office to sponsor the event; (see commitment letter in Attachment “C”). This trade show will “highlight" those Indian produced products from the States of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Wyoming, along with products from some of our other member tribes who have the financial capabilities to attend. The expected audience to this trade show will be the Japanese trade representatives as well as USDA contacts that were acquired during the recent trade mission to Japan in September of this year and is expected to take place exactly one year later in August of 1998. The second national trade show in year one will be held in the State of Alaska to feature Alaskan Natives economic development enterprises, tourism, recreation and agricultural (i.e., timber, gas, oil, fisheries, etc. ventures). This show will also be used by NTDA as an opportunity to educate the Alaskan Native community about the services offered through NTDA and to recruit new members into the organization. This trade show is tentatively scheduled for October of 1998 in conjunction with the Alaska Federation of Natives conference which traditionally has more than 4,000 participants attend their annual gathering. The final trade show in year one will be held in Tokyo, Japan where the preliminary trade mission has already been held and where interest in American Indian produced products is extremely high. NTDA feels confident that by holding the first international trade show in Japan that we will attract the attention of not only the United States Department of Agricultures Foreign Ag. Service; (who will become key players in future funding options for this type of undertaking); but also leading Japanese trade officials. Goal 3: To update the research on Empowerment Zones and Enterprise In 1993, Congress enacted a $4 Billion Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ) program as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) and invited hundreds of communities around the nation to vie for 105 designations that included tax incentives, as well as direct funding to support local redevelopment projects. Unfortunately, American Indian reservations and other Indian communities were not invited to partake in this program; instead, two tax incentives were established that would benefit private investors who created jobs in Indian Country. This program went essentially unused and therefore has represented a negligible benefit to Indian people. When Congress enacted a second round of 20 EZ designations as part of the taxpayers Relief Act of 1997, tribes were specifically included as eligible applicants. Additional EZ legislation will be before Congress in 1998 and may offer additional designations in the future. In response, many tribes have inquired about the prospect of applying to receive a zone designation. Tribes will be at a disadvantage verses non-Indian applicants for second-round zone selections unless an effort is made to inform them of the benefits and potential barriers they face in pursuing such course of action. NTDA will develop an information package to assist tribal governments with an interest in participating in the upcoming Empowerment Zone program and will conduct a series of briefings on a regional basis to offer perspective on EZ strategies. NTDA is uniquely qualified to carry out these tasks because it has available economic development specialists who have a strong background in Enterprise Zone policy design and implementation. Goal 4: To update the research and promote tax-exempt private activity bond financing in Indian Country. NTDA will prepare a narrative report that assesses historical developments in the use of tax-exempt private activity bond financing tools on Indian reservations. The report will discuss the rapid proliferation industrial development bonds and the Congressional initiative in 1986 to prevent their abuse by placing them under statewide caps. NTDA will conduct actual research by indicating how limitations were placed on these bonds that related to activities by non-Indian users and yet had a dramatically negative impact in Indian Country. The actual research will focus in those states that have significant American Indian populations; (i.e., Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, etc.); to assess the percentage of American Indian populations in relation to the use of these bonds. Goal 5: To provide information to NTDA member tribes and other tribes the latest information on innovative programs, training programs, and economic opportunities available to promote the opportunities for Indian tribes to fully participate in the Welfare-to-Work program. Welfare reform passed the U.S. Congress in 1996 and became law, P.L. 104-193, entitled "The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996" to end welfare as we know it. The Law is intended to dramatically cut back support to families that draw upon federal income assistance programs, such as: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Block Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Food Stamps Social Security Insurance Disability for Children The implications for rural and urban single-parent families are profound; many have not acquired the skills or employment background necessary to become part of the workforce. The situation in Indian Country is even worse, primarily due to the lack of ready access to job opportunities in isolated reservation environments. In 1996 and later in 1997, Congress approved a series of incentives and transition programs intended to increase new private employment opportunities to welfare recipients and to enhance their ability to compete in the private job market. Many of these initiatives already are being implemented at the state and local level; some will not go into operation until 1998. All of these programs are new; many are unfamiliar to tribal officials and to welfare recipients in Indian communities. The challenge is both to help tribes and Indian families understand how to access the "Welfare-to-Work" measures and to relate the overall initiative to new economic development opportunities. NTDA proposes to address these concerns with a project that will brief tribal human services and economic development officials on the operational features of all Welfare-to_work programs NTDA currently links our services with the following organizations: Thirty-two NTDA member tribes through Internet Web Sites and Home Pages National Congress of American Indians American Indian Trade and Development Association USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Bureau of Indian Affairs American Indian Beef Products Montana/Wyoming Stock Growers Association Montana/Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council In summary, we have identified our human and financial resources available in the future. Furthermore, we have identified future available resources that may be available to NTDA as early as April 1, 1998. III. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS National Tribal Development Association Management Capabilities: The National Tribal Development Association (NTDA) is a non-profit corporation, chartered under the law of the State of Montana on November 25,1995. NTDA is comprised of thirty-two tribes from throughout the United States, who have banded together to enhance and develop economic opportunities on Indian reservations. The governing body of the organization is made up of eleven representatives from the tribal membership. They are elected at the annual meeting to serve on the Board of Directors and serve in this capacity for a one year term. The five person Executive Committee is selected by the Board of Directors and serve as the decision makers between the regular meeting of the Board of Directors or when it is unfeasible to bring together the entire board. The Chief Executive Officer is primarily responsible for the day to day management of the organization and insures that organizational goals and objectives are met. He is directly accountable to the Board of Directors and reports on all activities conducted by the organization. He also provides an annual report to the membership. He serves as the primary liaison between the tribes. the state and federal agencies, in addition to being the congressional link to promote organizational goals and tribal needs. The other staff members, coordinator, researcher and word processor provide both support and project specific job responsibilities. They are under the direct supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and carry out duties as assigned. In addition, the organization has utilized outside consultant services to assist staff in areas where a specific expertise is required to meet project objectives. The organizational chart, job descriptions, and resumes of project personnel and consultants are provided in Attachment "D." Organizational Capabilities: NTDA in its short history has clearly demonstrated its ability to meet contracted goals and objectives. The unique combination of knowledge and experience of organization staff has lent itself to the development of a very capable team. During the last 2 1⁄2 years NTDA has been funded by the Administration for Native Americans under the discretionary authority of the Commissioner. Under their contracted goals and objectives, NTDA has met and in most cases exceeded the requirements set forth in the grant proposal. In August of 1997, NTDA contracted with, Ms. Luanne Belcourt, of CREE-ATIONS, INC., to conduct an external evaluation of NTDA activities from 1995 to the present. We have provided for your review, a part of the external evaluation report on the accomplishments by the organization during this period. 48-323 98-4 |