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IEED

Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development

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2022 Tribal Tourism Grant Program (TTGP) Awards

The Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED) and Division of Economic Development (DED) manage Tribal Tourism Grant Program (TTGP) awards. TTGP grants are awarded to conduct Tribal tourism feasibility studies or develop Tribal tourism business plans.

2022 TTGP Awards

Haida Corporation: Hydaburg Tourism Feasibility Study, $150,000. The Hydaburg Tourism Feasibility Study will provide a roadmap for Haida Corporation to follow toward its goal of mindfully developing tourism.

Hualapai Tribal Council: Developing a Tribal Tourism Plan for the Hualapai Reservation, $150,000. The Tribe will develop a comprehensive 10-year tourism plan, starting with the historic Route 66 to the opening of the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Muscogee Creek Nation: MCN Tribal Tourism Feasibility and Business Development Plan Project, $149,423. Muscogee Creek Nation will utilize the funding to perform a tourism project/market assessment and feasibility study and develop a tourism five-year business plan.

Village of Kaktovik: Polar Bear Tourism Feasibility Study, $149,270. Funding through the Tribal Tourism Grant Program will allow the Native Village of Kaktovik to conduct a feasibility study.

Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation: A Business Plan for Mesa Grande’s Agritourism Business, $149,212. The Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation (BDC) will be producing a comprehensive business plan for the operation and marketing of the tribe’s Golden Eagle Farm.

Penobscot Indian Nation: Penobscot Indian Nation Tourism Development Initiative, $149,010. The Penobscot Nation is advancing the Penobscot Indian Nation Tourism Development Initiative.

Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana: Blackfeet Tourism Business Plan, $125,388. The 2020 Tourism Feasibility Assessment produced by Virginia Tech supports development of the Blackfeet Heritage Visitor Center, which would serve as a tourism hub for visitors.

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma: Choctaw Country Destination Management Plan, $125,000. The grant will allow for a contracted plan that will identify key stakeholders for the future of the Native American-based tourism industry in southeastern Oklahoma.

Spirit Lake Tribe: 2022 Spirit Lake Tribal Tourism Feasibility Study Project, $125.000. The Bay Mills Indian Community will perform a Feasibility Study to assess tourism diversification opportunities within our area.

Bay Mills Indian Community: BMIC Feasibility Study to Assess Tourism, $125,000. The Bay Mills Indian Community will perform a Feasibility Study to assess tourism diversification opportunities within our area.

The Chickasaw Nation: The Chickasaw Nation’s Exhibit C Gallery Project, $124,122. With the Tribal Tourism Grant Program, the Chickasaw Nation will develop a business plan to ensure local, regional and international tourism success.

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas: Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Travel and Tourism Planning, $120,291. The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas proposes the Planning and Prioritization of Tourism for the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas project as a tourism assessment, feasibility and planning project.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Inc: IPCC Cultural Tourism Feasibility Study to Serve Pueblos and Larger State of New Mexico Economy, $113,251. The research and analysis will empower the IPCC with actionable data and analysis to make data informed decisions on potential tourism-oriented projects.

Crow Tribe of Montana: Apsaalooke Tourism Action Project, $112,771. The grant award will fund the establishment and development of the Apsaalooke Tourism Action Project (ATAP).

Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness: Wabanaki Ways Feasibility Study, $105,000. The Wabanaki will be conducting a feasibility study for the Wabanaki Way, an inter-connected Indigenous cultural tourism experience.

Leech Lake Reservation Business Community, Inc: The Creation of a Tourism Development Plan for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, $104,515. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tourism Feasibility Study will identify the viability of investing in a tourism program for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Burns Paiute Tribe: Foley Field Destination Resort Feasibility Study and Business Plan, $102,300. The Tourism-focused project will explore the potential for a destination resort facility for tourists.

Oneida Indian Nation: Oneida Indian Nation Tribal Tourism Feasibility Study, $101,762. The proposed Oneida National Tribal Tourism Feasibility Study will explore the possibility of adding motocross track facilities to Nation lands in Central New York.

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation: Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Shabbona Reservation Analysis, $82,764.The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation will complete a feasibility study for the development on the Shabbona Reservation consisting of a Cultural Center, lodging, dining and retail spaces.

Northern Arapaho Tribe: Casino Amenity Market Assessment Feasibility Study, $78,701. The Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming will conduct a Tribal Tourism Feasibility study to determine the optimal development location for a Casino Resort Development.

Rosebud Sioux Tribe: Rosebud Sioux Tribe Cultural Heritage Feasibility Study, $75,190. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe (RST) Sicangu Resource Development Office is conducting a comprehensive Feasibility Study Project on Cultural Heritage Tourism.

Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana: South Toledo Bend Park Feasibility Study, $72,672. The Coushatta Tribe is interested in negotiating ownership of the South Toledo Bend State Park.

Nansemond Indian Nation: Mattanock Town Ecotourism Center Feasibility Study and Business Plan, $72,720. The Mattanock Town Ecotourism Center Feasibility Study and Business Plan Tribal Tourism Grant Program study will enable the Tribe to identify possible ecotourism activities.

Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians: Lac Courte Oreilles B&K Intersection/Tribal Plaza Tourism Project, $63,000. The feasibility study and business plan will allow the tribe to increase the tribe’s presence in the economy of the local area.

Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California: The Enterprise Rancheria Sports & Entertainment Tourism Development Project, $55,066. The Enterprise Rancheria Maidu Tribe of California will be conducting a feasibility study for exploring a tourism designation for tourism economic development.

Sitka Tribe of Alaska: Moving Sitka Tribal Tours into the Future Business Planning Project, $54,708. STA hopes to utilize the business plan and the recommendations to transition the business model of Tribal Tours in to a more self-sustaining, revenue generating social enterprise.

Nez Perce Tribes: Development of the Nez Perce Tribal Tourism Business Plan, $49,408. The TTGP funding will enable the Nez Perce Tribe to conduct a comprehensive Tribal Tourism Business Plan over the next year.

Elk Valley Rancheria, California: Elk Valley Rancheria RV Park Feasibility Study Project, $48,600. The Elk Valley Rancheria will complete an economic Feasibility Study for development of an RV Park on reservation trust land.

Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation, Montana: Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation, Montana, $30,916. This plan will analyze the independent traveler market with a “do it yourself” focus, as opposed to a full-service lodge.

Additional Information

Related Pages

Contact Us

Division of Economic Development
1849 C Street, N.W., Room 4152
Washington, DC 20240
DEDGrants@bia.gov
(505) 917-3235

Marketing for Artists and Artisans

There is significant demand for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) artwork, but many tribal artists struggle to make their offerings known in the marketplace.

In the past, art objects were integrated into everyday life and often served a ceremonial purpose in tribal societies. Today, these objects are being created and preserved to not only pass down traditions, but also to empower AI/AN individuals who can make a living from a profitable art business.

To succeed, artists and artisans must understand how to reach costumers.

Market Research

Marketing is any activity that is used to attract customers to buy a product.

Before you start the activity of marketing, you need information to help you determine the type of strategies you should use to reach potential customers.

Market research is the systematic process of collecting and analyzing information about your target customers, industry and competitors. This process helps you make well-informed marketing decisions because it allows you to evaluate how viable and successful your product could be in the marketplace.

The Four Ps of Marketing

By focusing on the Four Ps of Marketing—also known as the marketing mix—artists and artisans can develop and refine their marketing strategies.

The four Ps are “product,” “place,” “price,” and “promotion.”

Here are some questions that you can ask yourself for each category in the marketing mix.

Product

  • What are you selling?
  • If you are selling beadwork, for instance, what makes your beadwork better than another person’s beadwork?
  • What is special about your beadwork?
  • Are there specific items that would be more likely to sell when bundled together instead of being sold individually?

Place

  • Where do you plan to sell your product?
  • Do you have a brick-and-mortar store?
  • Do you have a website?
  • Are you on social media?
  • Do you plan to sell your product at events such as powwows or art markets?

Price

  • How much do the materials cost to make for each individual product?
  • How much time does it take to make the product?
  • How much is one hour of your time worth?
  • What is the level of quality of the product? You should think both in terms of the quality of materials and the quality of the artisanship.

Promotion

  • What types of promotional activities (e.g., online, television, or radio advertisement) are needed to sell your product?
  • In addition to having a vendor booth at a powwow or other event, do you also plan to have employees walk around and try to make individual sales?
  • Do you plan to run specials during major purchasing holidays such as Christmas or Mother’s Day?
  • Do you plan to raffle or donate products to increase exposure of your business?

Branding

Branding is a marketing practice in which a business creates a name, logo and slogan that is easily identifiable to customers and consumers. This identity distinguishes it from products offered by competitors.

Effective branding encourages customers to develop positive associations with your product. Nike is one well-known example. Whenever people see Nike's swoosh sign logo, they automatically associate it with high-quality sports gear products. Nike also has a memorable catch phrase, "Just Do It," which resonates with customers.

Strategies to Attract Customers

Storytelling

It is important to convey to the customer the significance of the product you are selling.

One way to do so is by writing a compelling mission statement that explains what a customer’s purchase will help support. For example, you can talk about how your business is family owned and how purchases will support tribal economic development and prosperity for future generations of tribes.

Sales can increase when customers know their purchase is making a positive social impact. In addition, connecting a story to your product may allow you to increase your potential selling price. Customers may be more likely to purchase an item after hearing or reading a story about it.

Tourism

If you have a physical location (e.g., a store or vendor booth at an art market) where you sell your items, you should think about how you can attract customers to visit. You can contact and consult with your state’s tourism office to see if there are any tours suggested for visitors that come to your area and whether your business can be listed as a stop on their agenda. One way to attract tourists to your shop is by hosting open studio days where they can witness an artist at work (e.g., creating a painting or a particular object) and then offering them the option to purchase that product or others in the store following the demonstration.

Web Presence: Websites, Social Media and Online Advertising

The internet can be a low-cost way to reach a wide customer base around the world.

When creating a web presence, there are many online payment mechanisms that you can offer on an e-commerce website that will allow visitors across the globe to become instant customers. Your site can include information about your brand, mission statement, yourself (e.g., artist biographies) along with multimedia features.

You could post a video where you talk about yourself and your work to provide a human connection, which may make customers more likely to purchase your product. Potential customers may also be fascinated by videos where you show how you create your designs and artwork using a particular stitch or technique.

If you are selling paintings or drawings, you will want to make sure that online images of your items are presented in a low enough resolution (e.g., thumbnail-sized images) to avoid them becoming targets of unauthorized downloading and printing. To make up for a low-resolution photograph, you can include a written description of the item next to the image.

An online presence on popular social media platforms can also help you reach a broader customer base because of the large number of people on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also invest in paid social media advertising direct people your e-commerce store or physical stores at a potentially lower cost than traditional advertising. Many platforms allow for highly customized targeting options to help you craft the right message for the right person.

COVID-19 Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic is threatening the economic livelihoods of tribal artists throughout the United States due to temporary closures of brick-and-mortar art galleries and businesses, the postponement and cancellation of art markets and the current halt to indigenous tourism.

The Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB), an agency within the Department of Interior that promotes the economic development of AI/AN communities through the expansion of the tribal arts and crafts market, is encouraging consumers to buy authentic tribal art and craftwork through the internet and by telephone during this critical time.

For AI/AN artists, IACB is posting helpful information on its COVID-19 resources webpage as it becomes available.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) also established the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program to provide emergency assistance for eligible venues affected by the COVID pandemic.

Additional Information

Related Pages

Contact Us

Division of Economic Development
1849 C Street, N.W., Room 4152
Washington, DC 20240
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday–Friday
(202) 219-0740

Procurement Opportunities for Tribes

The federal government is the largest purchaser in the world. It buys (or “procures”) hundreds of billions of products and services.

For this reason, procurement can be profitable for contractors selected to meet the government’s needs. When a tribal business is the designated contractor, the revenues it earns may enable it to expand its operations and increase hiring in their tribal community.

Finding Contracting Opportunities

Federal contracting opportunities are listed online on SAM.gov.

This government-wide website identifies federal procurement contract opportunities with a value of over $25,000 and provides information about awarded contracts.

Some small businesses also subscribe to bid-matching services that give leads on potential procurement contract opportunities that match a company’s qualifications.

These subscriptions can often be obtained for free through your local American Indian Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). PTACs have cooperative agreements with the Department of Defense (DoD) to offer free services to help potential clients who are interested in federal procurement opportunities.

Learn more about PTACs.

Required Application Documents

To compete for federal contracts, a federally recognized tribe or Native-owned firm must obtain various kinds of certifications and identities including a DUNS number, CAGE Code, System for Award Management registration, and NAICS codes. It should also have an up-to-date capability statement.

For assistance with this required documentation, you can consult with your local or American Indian PTAC.

Buy Indian Act

The Buy Indian Act is a law that authorizes the Department of the Interior, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the offices of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, to purchase supplies, services, and certain kinds of construction from qualified tribal vendors. The law requires Indian Affairs to use the Buy Indian Act authority to give preference to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) whenever authorized and feasible.

For more information on the Buy Indian Act, visit the Buy Indian Act Information and Tools webpage, provided by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

Technical Assistance Centers

American Indian PTACs provide technical assistance—usually free of charge—to tribally owned businesses that carry out or seek to carry out federal, state and local government or private sector procurement contracts.

The DoD Defense Logistics Agency has designated tribal government procurements as eligible for PTAC guidance. DoD administers all PTACs, both Native and non-Native.

American Indian PTACs serve as a bridge between federal buyers and suppliers. They are staffed by counselors familiar with federal contracting as well as government contracting at state and local levels.

They can help your business identify contract opportunities, understand contracting requirements, and prepare and submit bids. They can also help your business with the certifications required to do business in the federal marketplace, prepare your capability statement, and provide training to get your business ready for government procurement.

Find your nearest PTAC.

DED Technical Assistance

To develop contracting opportunities for Native businesses, DED collaborates with American Indian PTACs and tribal organizations to host Regional Economic Development and Procurement Conferences at key Indian Country locations. These conferences provide matchmaking and business training sessions that bring together tribal business owners with potential government and commercial customers.

DED has also hosted Industry Days events across the country. These events focus on industries like aerospace, cyber-security, and indigenous food production and are another opportunity for tribal businesses to connect with corporate and government buyers. These gatherings have resulted in millions of dollars in new and expanded contracts for Native-owned firms.

Eligibility

All tribes and Native-owned firms are eligible to participate in the Regional Economic Development and Matchmaking Conferences.

For an Industry Days event, federal procurement officers and prime contractors are only interested in meeting with tribes and tribally owned businesses that have the expertise, capacity, and background to meet their specific needs.

American Indian PTACs are responsible for identifying the businesses qualified to take part in these events based on their capability statements. You should contact your local American Indian PTAC if your firm is interested in the matchmaking opportunities provided by Industry Days.

Additional Information

Related Pages

Related Documents

Contact Us

Division of Economic Development
1849 C Street, N.W., Room 4152
Washington, DC 20240
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday–Friday
(202) 219-0740

Starting a Business

The Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED) can help tribes fund feasibility studies to test potential business ideas, build the legal infrastructure to encourage investment, and take advantage of procurement opportunities.

According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, Native American-owned businesses contribute over $33 billion to the U.S. economy every year and employ over 200,000 people.

The number of tribal firms continues to grow as Native Americans see business ownership as a pathway out of poverty. U.S. Census Bureau data also shows that American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest poverty rate among all racial and ethnic groups.

With the support of OIED, many Tribes and Tribal members have gained a sense of economic empowerment.

OIED Funding Success Story

OIED Funding Success Story
For an example of our funding success in support of business creation, visit our Success Story featuring Strongbow Strategies and their Wool Mill.

What Would You Like to Do?

Top Tasks

Apply for a NABDI Grant
Apply for a National Tribal Broadband Grant (NTBG)
Learn about the Indian Loan Guarantee and Insurance Program (ILGP)

All Other Tasks

Apply for the Living Languages Grant Program (LLGP)
Apply for an EMDP Grant
Apply for a TEDC Grant

What You Need to Know

Why Feasibility Studies are Important
Finding the Best Economic Development Strategy
How to Avoid Getting Scammed
Choosing a Tribal Business Structure
How to Finance a Tribal Business
How Public Law 102-477 Can Create Economic Opportunities
How Tribes Can Develop Their Land
Why Business Codes Are Important for Tribal Economic Development

Additional Information

Related Services

Contact Us

Division of Economic Development
Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240
DEDGrants@bia.gov
(505) 917-3235

Community Planning

Tribal governments and their citizens may engage in comprehensive community planning to evaluate where their community has been, where it is now, and where it should be for future generations.

The planning process provides a forum for all the voices of the tribal community. A successful plan enjoys the support of all segments of a tribe’s society, including its elected officials, traditional leaders, spiritual leaders, elders, adults, and youth.

By conducting feasibility studies, tribes can make informed decisions about the future economic direction of their community and distinguish real economic opportunities from investments that could fail.

With the assistance of a qualified professional or consultant with no financial or personal stake in the outcome of the study, tribes can examine the potential risks of a business project to determine whether they’re worth taking

We fund various types of feasibility studies through our grant programs.

What Would You Like to Do?

Top Tasks

Apply for a NABDI Grant
Apply for a National Tribal Broadband Grant (NTBG)
Learn about the Indian Loan Guarantee and Insurance Program (ILGP)

All Other Tasks

Apply for the Living Languages Grant Program (LLGP)
Apply for an EMDP Grant
Apply for a TEDC Grant

What You Need to Know

How Comprehensive Community Planning Helps Tribes
Opportunity Zones, HUBZones, and Foreign Trade Zones
Advice for Tribal Economic Development Directors
Benefits of Trust Land Acquisition (Fee to Trust)

Additional Information

Related Services

Contact Us

Division of Economic Development
1849 C Street, N.W., Room 4152
Washington, DC 20240
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday–Friday
DEDGrants@bia.gov
(505) 917-3235

Reservation Economic Summit (RES) Conference Presentation

Materials & Resources

The OIED RES Conference (07/22/2021) presentation is available for download. The presentation provides an overview of the OIED grant programs, the Indian Loan and guarantee program, frequently asked questions, and examples of program success stories.

Download the OIED RES Conference Presentation

Additional Information

Additional Resources

Contact Us

Indian Economic Development
1849 C Street, N.W., Room 4152
Washington, DC 20240
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday–Friday
(202) 219-0740

Apply for a TTGP Grant

The Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED) supports a Tribe’s capacity to plan, develop and manage tourism and related infrastructure in support of economic development and the NATIVE Act (Pub. L. 114-221). The TTGP grant funding strives to achieve substantial community benefits by supporting infrastructure development and increased tourism capacity to elevate the living standards of the community.

The OIED expects to award 10-15 Tribal tourism implementation projects through grants awarded in FY 2025. The one-time awarded TTGP grants will range in value from $75,000, but will not exceed $150,000, for a 24-month period of performance.

TTGP grants are discretionary and go through a competitive evaluation process. They are not self-determination/638 contracts that are awarded through the Public Law 93-638 process and give a tribe authority over programs operated by the federal government for the tribe’s benefit.

The OIED anticipates another possible solicitation period in the Spring of 2025. Please check this webpage for updated information or on Grants.gov

What You Need

  • All TTGP proposals must meet eligibility requirements and include all documents/mandatory components listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). All applicants must submit a complete application that includes required forms listed under the “package” tab located on the TTGP Announcement Page on Grants.gov. Only complete grant applications will be accepted.
  • Please thoroughly read the NOFO in the “related items” tab on Grants.gov to understand the application process and what is required.
  • Any information submitted to TTGP becomes part of government records and may be subject to disclosure to third parties.

Fees

There is no cost to apply, but the Department of the Interior and Indian Affairs are not responsible for application preparation costs.

How to Apply

Submit Online

The required method of submitting proposals is through the official TTGP announcement page on Grants.gov.

Next Steps

After we receive your application, we will evaluate the applications for eligibility and completeness. All ineligible entities or incomplete applications will be notified within 30 calendar days. The results of the competitive ranking will be released within 90 days.

Tribal Energy and Mineral Data

Topic

The Division maintains a national database and warehouse of Indian energy and mineral data consisting of hardcopy report files, maps, logs, cross-sections, and digital data pertaining to the evaluation and assessment of undiscovered energy and mineral resources.

This data is a valuable resource as it can be used by both Tribes and Tribal business partners to evaluate and develop new energy and mineral resources on Tribal and allotted lands.

What is the Tribal Tourism Grant Program (TTGP)?

The Office of Indian Economic Development's Tribal Tourism Grant Program (TTGP) aims to support tribal economic development and fulfill the mission of the NATIVE Act by providing funds to Tribes striving to achieve substantial community benefits by supporting infrastructure development and increased tourism capacity to elevate the living standards of the community.

The OIED offered FY 2021 and FY 2023 TTGP grant opportunities that focused on funding
Tribes to obtain valuable planning documents (i.e. Feasibility Studies, Business Plans).
For FY 2024, the OIED is testing a pilot grant cohort that moves to the next step in
tourism development by funding Tribal tourism implementation projects. Please see our
solicitation on grants.gov that closes October 25, 2024!

Application Process

Interested in applying? Learn how.

Evaluation Criteria

A comprehensive TTGP proposal will describe how the potential tourism project will center around the community needs that further the Tribe’s culturally driven tourism program. Each grant solicitation has application parameters and criteria that an objective review panel will use to evaluate and score TTGP proposals. The evaluation criterion is described in the TTGP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Need Technical Assistance?

In addition to our grants, many of our in-house technical capabilities and expert services are available for FREE to tribes. We’re committed to offering the technical support needed to help tribes meet their long-term goals to support their people. For further assistance, please contact us by the provided information below.

Additional Information

Related Pages

Contact Us

Division of Economic Development
1849 C Street, N.W., Room 4152
Washington, DC 20240
DEDGrants@bia.gov
(505) 917-3235

Running a Business

Through our Division of Economic Development (DED), we provide technical assistance, training and funding to help American Indian and Alaska Native communities and individuals to sustain their businesses.

What Would You Like to Do?

Top Tasks

Apply for a NABDI Grant
Apply for a National Tribal Broadband Grant (NTBG)
Learn about the Indian Loan Guarantee and Insurance Program (ILGP)

What You Need to Know

Marketing for Artists and Artisans
Product Differentiation and Place Branding
Procurement Opportunities for Tribes
How to Make an Effective Business Presentation
Why are Secured Transactions Important

News

More News

Additional Information

Related Services

Contact Us

Division of Economic Development
1849 C Street, N.W., Room 4152
Washington, DC 20240
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday–Friday
DEDGrants@bia.gov
(505) 917-3235

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