This session explores specific topics as they relate to Native traditional concepts of the Medicine Wheel and the Moccasin. The session includes information, interactive activities, background information, and recommended resources. Participants will receive an electronic version of the lessons learned and will make a moccasin as it relates to the lessons learned. Topics covered include: Medicine Wheel: A Model Of Balance, Goal Setting, Self-Esteem, Communication, Anger Management, “What did you say?” and “Video Monster Don’t Let It Get You.”


This session will continue the curriculum from Family Wellness and Youth In Distress. Session topics that are related to traditional Native concepts related to the Medicine Wheel and the Moccasin. Participants will receive an electronic version of the curriculum covered in this session. The session includes information, interactive activities, background information, and recommended resources. Topics covered include: Building Healthy Relationships, No Bullies Allowed, Decision Making, Risky Behavior, Responsibility, Refusal Skills, Self-Advocacy, Visionaries, Resources, Ice-breakers, as well as Reviews and Feedback.

This two-day workshop is for any employer/employee seeking effective tools for health promotion inside tribal organizations. Participants will acquire tools to revitalize culture and improve the overall health and productivity of the workplace/Tribal government. There is a significant relationship between our connection with traditional Tribal values/cultural heritage and the overall health and well being of Tribal organizations. Indeed, research suggests that being disconnected from cultural traditions is a significant determinant of health and mental health issues in Tribal youth and adults (UC Davis Health Systems, 2004). Over the past decade, there has been a significant growth in workplace health promotion programs (see Society for Human Resource Management). Unfortunately, there has not been a method for culture-based adaptations of health promotion in Native American workplace contexts. This workshop is based on the presenters experience with the Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde and provides a direct experience of an evidence-based program called “Team Awareness,” and gives participants skills for transferring concepts from training back into their Tribal/workplace environment. This is a single course that takes place over 2-days; attendance at both days is required for pre-certification as a Team Awareness facilitator.Because material reviewed on Day 2 builds on Day 1 experience, participants are strongly encouraged to attend both days.

With the implementation of EMIS, HUD’s new online Environmental Management Information System, tribes will be expected to place their environmental review on the web for all to see. Expectations regarding the level and professionalism of reviews will be raised. There are many online tools and data systems that can aid the practitioner in the performance of an environmental review. USEPA’s NEPAssist and HUD’s ATEC will be featured, but other online resources (e.g. FEMA’s map store and the US Fish & Wildlife Services Wetland Mapper) will also be covered.

The required federal environmental review looks at not just NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act), but also 17 separate federal authorities. This session briefly outlines what is expected in each area.

We will discuss each renewable sector and what jobs exist. We will discuss the potential income stream for each and the risk.

This course will detail the financial benefits and options available to Indian Country for financing renewable energy. Various types of financing options and renewable energies will be discussed.

There are many factors to consider when looking at tribal land use for renewable energy in Indian Country. Examples of projects from around Indian Country will be used.

Course will explore the influence that language restriction and legitimization has had on the individual view of culture and identity of Native people. Interactive discussion will seek to expand ideas on what culture and identity are from the indigenous perspective.

This course will empower participants to schedule and run effective meetings. Rules of Order will be discussed to further equip participants to understand their importance, use, and application.

This course is designed to provide participants with a better understanding of the Federal – Tribal relationship. Strategies for improving and strengthening Federal – Tribal relationships will be discussed.

This course is designed to provide participants with a basic knowledge of Tribal constitutions. Against a historical backdrop, participants will learn new strategies for updating antiquated provisions and structures.

The session will focus on promoting individual and community gardens as a way of honoring the connectedness that our ancestors had to the Earth. The presentation will include success stories on reservation communities where gardens have had an impact with health, nutrition, fighting obesity, and bringing families and communities closer together.

The session focuses on the essentials of creating an Emergency Preparedness Plan that goes beyond weather related disasters. This session will offer practical suggestions on preparing for potential man-made disasters and threats including terrorist attacks, chemical leaks, epidemics/pandemics, cyber-attacks, etc. The presenter will also demonstrate Native American cultural approaches in preparedness and survival. Participants will be encouraged to share experiences and initiate discussions.

In today’s economic environment, tribal governments are seeking ways to jump-start their local economies in order to promote opportunities for their citizens. Tribal enterprises have helped to give rise to revenue and jobs for Tribal communities. However, a growing number of Tribal leaders are focusing on private sector development and trying to create an environment conducive to Tribal citizen-owned businesses and homeownership opportunities. A new strategy that has successfully stimulated many Tribal economies is the creation of a Native community development financial institution (CDFI). Native CDFIs support microenterprises, small business, homeownership, energy efficiency, financial capability, and much more. This interactive session will discuss how to start and sustain a Native CDFI and will share examples of how Tribal leaders have contributed to the prosperity of their Native communities.

Financial education programs in Native communities strengthen local economies one individual at a time. By teaching Native community members how to manage their assets, save towards financial goals, take advantage of resources, and avoid predatory lenders, financial education programs contribute to the development of sustainable economies and healthy communities. Every Native community is different, and there is no “one size fits all” model to describe the market conditions in Native economies, whether they are in a large reservation in rural South Dakota, a small village in Alaska, or a Native Hawaiian Homelands community. However, currently we have no set standard for the measurement of the impact of these financial resources we are offering our Native communities. This class will take an in-depth look at a new evaluation model created to gather meaningful data throughout Native communities. We will look at the evaluation tool and how it will assist to measure increase in banked community members, increase in credit scores, decrease in predatory lending, and an overall increase in asset creation.

Individual Development Accounts (IDA) are matched savings accounts, which are commonly used for investing in personal asset building such as homeownership, postsecondary education, business development, and other opportunities. Native communities have benefited greatly from the use of IDA programs since the inception. The world of IDA’s has grown and is evolving based on participant needs, funding, and policies. This session will offer participants with information needed to design an IDA program in their community. The resources shared will provide insight into program design, implementation practices, current national funding sources that are available to Native communities, and a variety of other products and services that will allow participants to start an IDA program in their community. The course will use a variety of curriculum and discuss best practices and new innovative ways to create IDA programs that meet the needs of your savers.

This course will prepare stakeholders about how to effectively develop a written history for tribal youth. The presenter incorporates his past Cheyenne and Arapaho Book Project initiative and contemporary research to capture Native oral traditions into an academic curriculum for Native teachers and students. Participants will learn how to effectively articulate a vision for curriculum development and therefore, fully exercise a plan of action for their State Education Agency (SEAs) or Local Education Agency (LEA’s).

Native youth are often portrayed as disconnected to their cultural heritage, yet research shows Native youth strongly desire to strengthen their knowledge of their cultural backgrounds and their Native language skills. This course will dispel the misunderstandings and myths about Native youth. Participants will learn about current research that demonstrates the complex and fluid identities of Native youth, and learn how Native youth and adults can be inspired to commit to their communities through consciousness-raising and through connections to and creative expressions of cultural identity. Native youth are the key to our cultural continuity. This course will raise awareness of the issues affecting Native youth today, and will provide ways to work with Native youth to motivate and guide their development toward securing Native Nations’ self-determined futures. Participants will engage in group discussions, role playing, multi-media, and hands-on activities to raise understanding of the issues across Tribal communities or organizations along with those issues that affect Native youth and people across the United States and beyond.

This course is designed for program managers and finance personnel to administer and manage federal grants in accordance with federal regulations and laws. Participants will learn to achieve grant compliance and avoid program federal findings in the OMB A-133 Single Audit Report.

Who Moved My Cheese deals with change and adaptation. It also helps people see change differently and gives people an opportunity to understand what’s changing and why. It includes a movie version of the story, which includes four characters, two little mice Sniff and Scurry along with two little people Hem and Haw. We will also discuss some primary roadblocks a lot of people/co-workers often encounter when dealing with change. This also affects Native American communities by being socially inclined and culturally inclined. Dealing with change within us first will then create a ripple effect within our community and help our Tribal community or business.

Companies don’t change, people do. When you give everyone in your organization the tools to change, your whole organization can move faster than ever before. In a world of ever accelerating change, your ability to change can turn into a competitive advantage.

The Change Element is based on decades of work helping organizations, large and small, change successfully. It provides practical tools, like the Change Model™, to help people understand what exactly happens during change, where they are in the process, and what they should do next.

Help your people:
• Use the Change Model to navigate change and turn it to their advantage.
• Predict change and prepare for it
• Beat the barriers that get in the way of changing
• Adjust to the change and prioritize your efforts
• Create lasting innovations

Implementing your strategy means that your leaders and managers need to understand how to get people to do things differently. This full-day work session focuses on the strategies and ideas that your leaders need to make it happen.

A Journey Toward Financial Empowerment is one of a series of free instructional training documents produced by First Nations Development Institute. In this general session, facilitators will talk about financial empowerment, financial abuse, identity theft, and the effects of abuse and financial empowerment to the individual and their community. Facilitators will guide the audience through a 16-page booklet that includes discovering family financial dynamics, setting financial boundaries and access to resources and aids. Participants will be encouraged to implement the curriculum at the individual, Tribal or community level.
First Nations’ expertise lies in providing training, technical assistance, and financial assistance to promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities in Indian Country. A Native American-led organization, First Nations Development Institute specializes in Native American development where all of our trainings and materials are offered in a culturally appropriate manner and in ways that are consistent with diverse Native American cultures. First Nations comes to their partners with an understanding of the complexities of Native America.

Individuals often have concerns with others short changing them. Rather it is in our professional or personal lives, we must understand that we are truly the concern in short changing ourselves. As individuals we also need to examine if we are going to be available or usable in our efforts in making a difference in our daily lives, home, at work, or in outreach to service our cause. It is up to a person if he or she is going to get out of their comfort zone.

Ramona has received every grant she has written for herself because of the power of Storytelling. In this course, little known secrets of using Storytelling will be shared to get more grants. Every grant application has a narrative section that when effectively written through the use of good Storytelling will insure that the grant panel will look more favorably at your application. Why is that the case – because you have touched their heart through the story. In this course, participants will learn how to write a good story for their grant application narrative section that will make your application irresistible.