NRDP-Treasury Partnerships
Here are some of the successful partnerships that State Councils have had
with the Department of Treasury. For more information, please contact
Rick Wetherill in the Office of
Community Development.
Idaho Rural Partnership was uccessful in advocating use of the One Plan model to create a web site to assist prospective and existing business owners who face a daunting array of government regulations and business assistance sources. The Internet makes a virtual one-stop customer-oriented center possible, eliminating the need for current or potential business owners to physically visit an office to fill out forms. This enhances owners' understanding of government regulations that will impact their businesses and guides them to resources that can help them overcome barriers to business growth. On December 15, 2000, Governor Dirk Kempthorne publicly launched the Idaho Small Business Solutions web site. Development of the site required the collaborative, hands-on effort of over 20 organizations. IRP, in addition to catalyzing this effort, identified and secured partners and funding, facilitated the project, and contributed to model design. USDA-Rural Development funded this project with a Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) grant.
The first North Dakota workshop dedicated to a review of Indian Reservation lending from the standpoint of tribal sovereignty was held in Bismarck in October 2000. The Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank contacted the North Dakota Rural Development Council requesting assistance in scheduling the special-emphasis forum. The event was held to address a number of shared misconceptions about lending on American Indian Reservations. There is a strong perception among lending organizations that tribal sovereignty is an inhibiting factor in the security of loans and the recuperation of debt. The goals of the workshop were to improve understanding of regulations governing tribal lending, open the doors of communication between the tribes and lending institutions, and ultimately improve mutual borrowing and lending access for tribal members and the financial community. As a result of the workshop, an Interagency Working Group on Reservation Lending, including the NDRDC, has been established. SBA, FDIC, CDFI, and the IRS all participated in the forum and now are represented on the Interagency Working Group. The Spirit Lake Sioux Nation of North Dakota agreed to pilot a focus project on their reservation, with emphasis on developing a uniform commercial code for the tribe. A mutually acceptable plan of action has been drafted, and regular progress reporting will occur throughout the pilot project. The goal of the pilot project is to develop best practices that will apply to other states, tribal governments, and lending institutions.
