First Nations Development Institute facts for kids

First Nations Development Institute (often called First Nations) is a special organization that helps Native American tribes, their communities, and Native-led groups. They work to make economies stronger by offering training, advice, and grants. They also teach the public about important issues. Their main office is in Longmont, Colorado. Charity Navigator has given First Nations Development Institute a top four-star rating, showing they are a trustworthy charity.

What is First Nations' Goal?

First Nations wants to make American Indian economies stronger. This helps Native communities be healthy and successful. They find and create new ways to help Native people control their own resources. This supports economic growth for American Indian people and their communities.

What Guides Their Work?

First Nations believes that Native peoples have the skills and ideas to make their communities strong. They aim for a future where Native communities are stable in their economy, spirit, and culture. Their main saying is: "Strengthening Native American Communities & Economies."

How Did First Nations Start?

First Nations Financial Project began in 1980. It was founded in Fredericksburg, Virginia, by Rebecca Adamson. In 1991, its name changed to First Nations Development Institute.

First Nations Development Institute believes in finding solutions from within Native American communities. They do not force ideas from the outside. Their projects use a tribe's unique culture and resources. This helps build a more stable economic future. Rebecca Adamson once said, "I want to show the brilliance, the creativity, the efficacy of Indian people."

Key Moments in History

• 1985: First Nations helped create Lakota Funds. This was the first Native American Community Development Financial Institution on a reservation. It helped people get loans and financial services.
• 1986: The Oweesta Program was created. It was a model for how financial institutions could work in Native American communities. First Nations Development Institute is its parent organization.
• 1985-1991: The Tribal Commerce and Enterprise Management Program (TCEMP) started. It helped Native American students get business degrees. It began at Yale University and later moved to the University of Minnesota.
• 1997: First Peoples Worldwide was started as a project of First Nations.
• 2001: First Nations worked with the Fannie Mae Foundation. They created a program called Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families. This program taught financial skills in a way that fit Native cultures.
• 2002: The Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative (NAFSI) began. It looked at how food systems worked in tribal communities.
• 2003-2005: Michael E. Roberts joined First Nations again. He became the president in 2005.
• 2006: First Nations Development Institute moved its main office. It moved from Virginia to Longmont, Colorado.
• 2013: First Nations helped host the first Native Food Sovereignty Summit. This meeting focused on Native communities controlling their own food sources.
• 2016: First Nations worked on a project called Reclaiming Native Truth. This project aimed to correct wrong ideas about Native Americans.
• 2017: GuideStar gave First Nations Development Institute a Platinum Participant rating. This shows their openness and good work.
• 2022: Charity Navigator gave First Nations Development Institute a 4-star rating. This was the 11th year in a row they received this top rating.