Purpose Statement: To invest locally in native grown ideas and support socially responsible business development to move Crow Creek Sioux Reservation toward a commercially viable, self-sustaining economic environment.
The Harvest Initiative is continuing to adapt its programs to best serve the needs on the Crow Creek Reservation. Services and programs are subject to change based on community input and resource availability.
Socially Responsible Business Development
Native Community Development Financial Institution
A primary focus of the Harvest Initiative’s work is the development of a Native Community Development Financial Institution (Native CDFI). The Native CDFI will provide basic financial services and help individuals overcome the barriers currently preventing access to credit and capital. CDFI’s are unique entities due to their grassroots nature and ability to provide financial services where traditional financial institutions will not. The Native CDFI will be created through the input of tribal members and managed through a majority native board. Services provided by the CDFI will likely include small/micro business loans and training for borrowers.
Market Analysis
The completion of a comprehensive market analysis on the Crow Creek Reservation comprises a large part of the Native CDFI certification process. This analysis will be accomplished through key informant interviews, data gathering, a household survey and focus groups. Combined this information will assist in the further work of The Harvest Initiative as a business plans are analyzed. See the completed Market Analysis.
Harvest Initiative Business Development Fund (Harvest Fund) In January 2009, the open application for the Harvest Fund was opened to enrolled members of federally recognized tribes living on the Crow Creek Reservation. This program was developed after looking at various financial strategies taking place in Indian Country. A major obstacle in potential clients accessing capital from local banks is an equity requirement. In most off-reservation transactions, potential borrowers have access to equity through retirement savings, home equity or family. The equity is not available to many on-reservation entrepreneurs. The Harvest Fund works with these entrepreneurs to provide equity to qualified applicants that enables them to access the existing financial mainstream. Through donations from South Dakota Community Foundation, Citi and SD Governor's Office of Economic Development over 10 businesses will start up or expand from 2009-2010.
Business Formation Services
The enterprise creation process for any entrepreneur includes market development and legal formation of the business. The Harvest Initiative Staff can provide extensive assistance in the business' formation. All projects will be considered based on its potential success in accordance with market research and other factors.
Tax Preparation
Each tax season tribal members use their federal income tax refund to access refund anticipation loans through major tax preparers. These loans are easily approved and provide instant access to the projected refund amount. However, accompanying these loans are exorbitant interest rates and fees. The Harvest Initiative will provide free tax preparation to enable individuals to retain their entire refund. This program begins January 18, 2010.
Agricultural Development Project - Icahunyapi Partnership
The Icahunyapi Partnership is focused on five primary objectives; improving agricultural productivity at Crow Creek, increase income and create jobs through socially responsible business development, improve Crow Creek education and adult capacity development, enhance the quality of life in the Crow Creek Reservation and develop a long term strategy for sustainable long term support. The practical on the ground work manifests into entrepreneurial development, education and other economic development areas, but the work centers on the fostering of the agricultural industry at Crow Creek. As a centerpiece, our partnership is redeveloping the Crow Creek Tribal Farm and utilizing the information collected as a tool for other Native American Tribes to do likewise. The work of the partnership is the first of its kind in the United States to partner with a Native American Tribe in the area of agricultural development. Pioneer Hi-Bred International has been doing ag-based development projects around the world for over thirty years but none of them have been working within the United States.
Crow Creek Fresh Food Initiative
One piece of the
Icahunyapi Partnership is the Crow Creek Fresh Food Initiative (CCFFI) which looks to utilize tribal land to provide healthier food for anyone in the community in a manner that is economically sustainable. Our organization is working directly with tribal members and grassroots nonprofits to develop a network of community gardens throughout the reservation communities. Each gardening project was self-started and our organization is providing requested technical assistance. The groups will grow in their communities and we will assist in the development of a distribution system to reach tribal members. The remainder of the produce created in this process will be marketed to provide income to sustain the program with a focus on the school system's gardening project.
Capacity Development
Financial Literacy
Adult financial literacy classes began in February 2009. These classes provide training in topics such as family budgeting and credit. The success of our clients rests on our ability to prepare existing and potential business owners for debt servicing. The goal of the classes is to provide a service by offering basic financial understanding to the community. The adult financial literacy classes will continue in six week increments with participants receiving recognition for completion of the course. We are also hoping to expand this into another class focused on entrepreneurial education.
Crow Creek High School Business Law Education
The Harvest Initiative views the growth and development of youth as vital to a developing economy. Beginning in the fall of 2008, The Harvest Initiative began partnering with Crow Creek Tribal Schools to develop and teach a high school business law course. The business law course takes traditional business law curriculum and then incorporates tribal business law for a broader understanding for the students. Tribal property and tribal business development are integral to understanding business development in a reservation setting.
Tribal Legal Development Consultation
The Crow Creek Tribal Council has requested the Harvest Initiative's assistance in the development of certain legal devices and general information gathering. With two attorneys on staff and access to various legal resources, the organization works with the council to develop legal instruments to further the commercial development of the entire legal environment at Crow Creek. The Harvest Initiative's consultation is limited to those issues specifically requested by the Tribal Council. We are helping to develop a tribal wind energy development ordinance and implement the model tribal secured transaction code.
Workforce Development
The Harvest Initiative looks forward to building partnerships with businesses planning to operate on the Crow Creek Reservation, academic institutions, and the tribal government to insure job training resources are available to tribal members.
Nonprofit Assistance
The Harvest Initiative works with relief organizations in the community that need assistance in areas of nonprofit governance and operations. We work with these groups to ensure that their services are not interrupted and they have long term support. Our organization helped form five nonprofit corporations and assisted another handful of organizations.
