Welcome to First Nations Development Institute
Our Mission
Through a three-pronged strategy of Educating Grassroots Practitioners, Advocating Systemic Change, and Capitalizing Indian Communities, First Nations Development Institute is working to restore Native control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own - be they land, human potential, cultural heritage, or natural resources - and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native communities.
Our Vision
First Nations Development Institute was founded more than 27 years ago on the seemingly simple belief:
Underlying this belief is the understanding that solutions can be found and built upon many millennia of cultural knowledge and tradition. Basically, what we are saying is that if we, as Native people, just value, trust, and practice what we have been doing for thousands of years, we can affect our own self-sufficiency and our own self-determination.
To learn more about what we do, please visit “About Us” or click here to access a short video presentation about First Nations.
First Nations and NVision are now recruiting for the 2008-2009 Colorado LEAD Apprentice Cohort!
Application Deadline October 22, 2008
First Nations Development Institute’s Leadership & Entrepreneurial Apprentice Development (LEAD) Program is a unique American Indian nonprofit leadership development opportunity for motivated individuals seeking to create a stronger future for tribal or reservation-based nonprofit organizations. The goal of the program is to support the growth of future American Indian nonprofit leaders by educating and training emerging leaders in Native nonprofit management. First Nations has selected NVision, a national nonprofit organization and affiliate project of the Seventh Generation Fund based in Longmont, CO, to serve as the host organization for the Colorado LEAD cohort program. Five to twelve emerging Native professionals who are interested in acquiring the professional development, mentorship and leadership training opportunities provided by the program will be selected for the year-long program in the Denver/Boulder metro area. NVision, in partnership with First Nations Development Institute, will seek to accomplish this goal by offering leadership development opportunities for emerging Native leaders who are either seeking to work in the nonprofit field or are already employed by a Native nonprofit.
To learn more, or to apply to be a Colorado LEAD fellow, download: (Press Release) (App Word) (App PDF)
To learn more about the First Nations Development Institute’s LEAD program, click here.
New Donor Advised Fund
To make a contribution and become a charter donor, or to learn more about the RJNADF, click here.
Now Available! “Borrowing Trouble: Predatory Lending in Native American Communities,”
On March 14th 2008, First Nations Development Institute released “Borrowing Trouble: Predatory Lending in Native American Communities,” a report detailing the predatory practices of lenders that target Native American communities. This landmark report is the result of a research study conducted by First Nations under a grant funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. To learn more about predatory lending in Indian Country or to download the report, click here.
2007 Annual Report Now Available for Download
Since its inception, a significant part of First Nations’ work in Indian Country has been focused on recognizing and supporting Native peoples’ long-standing traditions of giving. As such, the 2007 annual report focuses on the 
importance of philanthropy. Recognizing this importance, First Nations created its “Strengthening Native American Philanthropy” (SNAP) program in 1995 to empower tribes and Native organizations to exercise self-determination by taking control of their financial assets through the creation of Native-controlled grantmaking philanthropic vehicles. Thirteen years later, First Nations continues to be a leader in supporting and strengthening Native American philanthropy and carefully weaves it into each and every one of its programs. To learn more about First Nations and our activities in 2007, click here to download the 2007 annual report.
First Nations Announces FY 2008-2009 Native Youth and Culture Fund Grantees
First Nations Development Institute is pleased to announce that it has awarded 24 tribal organizations and entities with grants under its Native Youth and Culture Fund (NYCF) program. First Nations launched the grant program in 2002, with support from the Kalliopeia Foundation and other generous supporters, to partner with tribes, Native nonprofit organizations and Native community groups working in rural and reservation-based communities seeking ways to preserve, strengthen, and/or renew Native culture and tradition among Native youth. Grants awarded this year ranged from $3,200 to $20,000. To view the list of 2008 – 2009 NYCF grantees, click here.
In late 2007, First Nations produced a report that documents over a quarter-century of work on several key asset-building strategies in Native communities, including financial education, individual development accounts (IDAs), community development financial institutions (CDFIs), entrepreneurship development, and building Native controlled philanthropic foundations and funds. Drawing upon a unique mix of practitioner perspectives and academic research, this report presents data on asset-building programs in Native communities and documents successful models. Click here to read the report.
