The First Nations Development Institute assumes
a venture capital investment approach
and provides grants and training to Native Tribes
who want to take stewardship of their assets.
Tangible Deliverables
During the fiscal year ending June, 2006 the FNDI
helped over 100 individual First Nation persons
on reservations to open their first ever bank accounts
and provided them with financial counseling.
In addition, it invested $500,000 in projects
aimed at sustainable economic initiatives.
Competitiveness
(Efficiency of Delivery System) Substantial training into investment and financial
management are provided to recipients
along with seed capital. Examples of successful
programs include the harvesting of pine nuts in
Nevada, developing better distribution operations
for Bison farming in South Dakota, and
the funding of a vital trades apprenticeship program
for Native peoples in Wisconsin.
Competitiveness
(Financial Efficiency)
The First Nations Development Institute treats
Tribes and individual recipients as venture capital
investment targets. Specified rates of return on
investment parameters are established and regranting
depends on the meeting of these goals.
Management Accountability
to Clients & Investors
The President of FNDI has considerable private sector
experience in private equity and runs the First
Nations Development Institute in a streamlined
manner, focused on concrete financial disciplines.
The FNDI is proactive in meeting ROI projections.
“The FNDI helped over 100
individual First Nation
persons on reservations to
open their first ever bank
accounts and provided them
with financial counseling”
Commitment and Plans to Achieve
Sustainable Client Independence
The essential success of FNDI is to drive First Nation
peoples to take ownership of their financial
futures. Selected local initiatives are those which
build sustainable projects and engender the financial
skills to grow independently.
Volunteerism/Recruitment
The FNDI works hand in hand with members of
Native communities and relies on Tribal members
to advance and monitor initiatives.
