Prior Lake, MN - Grants from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community will help fund events and activities as diverse as a treaty exhibit at a national museum to a local youth center. A total of $700,000 will go to six organizations which focus on Native Americans.

The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) of Washington, D.C., received $250,000 for part two of a two-year $500,000 grant for an exhibit on treaties. The NMAI, part of the Smithsonian Institution, will use the grant for an exhibition on a comprehensive history of treaties signed by the United States government and Indian tribes and tribal relations with the United States. It will include how the United States walked away from its responsibilities and treaty obligations, how Indian Nations have resisted violations of their treaty rights, and how the abandonment of the treaty relationship resulted in overbearing federal supervision of tribal affairs, and more.

“It is important for the United States to tell the true history of relations with Indian Nations,” said SMSC Chairman Stanley R. Crooks. “So much has been left out of the history books and what is taught in the educational system is insufficient. The result is that public knowledge on this subject is sadly lacking. People don’t realize that the 564 federally recognized Indian Tribes are sovereign nations which are not beholden to states or other subdivisions of local governments. We are each an independent nation with direct government to government relations with the federal government. We have retained rights which we had before the Europeans and others came to this continent, rights which are guaranteed us under the United States Constitution. We are not a special interest group. We hope that this exhibit will help correct these types of misperceptions which are often at the root of important issues which impact our people today, like having tribal land protected through the trust process.”

The Upper Midwest American Indian Center (UMAIC) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, received $150,000 to support agency programs. Specifically, $100,000 of the donated funds will be used for building needs, computer upgrades, Early Head Start, and Elder Programming. The remaining $50,000 will go for general operating expenses.

“We appreciate the past support of the Shakopee Sioux Community and the leadership you have shown in supporting projects that help Indian people as well as the larger Minnesota community,” wrote UMAIC Chairperson of the Board of Directors Faron Jackson.

The Upper Midwest American Indian Center was established in 1937 to meet the employment needs of American Indians moving to the Twin Cities. In 1961 it became incorporated making it possible to seek federal and local program funding. Its mission is “to promote the social, cultural, educational, and economic advancement of American Indians through self-determination and human service programs.” In its history, the UMAIC has provided a wide range of programming designed to enhance the quality of life for American Indians in the urban community. UMAIC programs serve all ages from prenatal to elders, including: Early Head Start, after school tutoring, parenting support, foster care and adoption, mental health services, HIV and substance abuse prevention, elderly support, and emergency assistance.

To help protect Native American rights and sovereignty, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community announces a donation of $100,000 to the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) of Boulder, Colorado, for general support. For 36 years the NARF has worked with religious, civil rights, and other Native American organizations to shape the laws that will help assure the civil and religious rights of all Native Americans. NARF is a non-profit organization that provides legal representation and technical assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide – a constituency that often lacks access to the justice system. NARF focuses on applying existing laws and treaties to guarantee that national and state governments live up to their legal obligations.

The Division of Indian Work of Minneapolis, Minnesota, received $100,000 for Healing Spirit, Youth Leadership Development, Horizons Unlimited (food shelf), and Strengthening Family Circles programs.

For more than 50 years the Division of Indian Work, in partnership with the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, has offered a variety of services for Native American families. Some of their services include parenting and youth mentorship programs, a food shelf, emergency assistance, a group home for boys, daily summer activities for children, after school tutoring, cultural activities, holiday meal baskets, foster parents’ licensing, and cooking classes.

The American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) of Duluth, Minnesota, received $50,000 for part two of a $100,000 grant over two years. The donation will be used for 29 units of permanent supportive housing and an American Indian cultural and community resource center. Gimaaji Mino-Bimaadiziyaan is the name for the housing project that means “together we are beginning a good life” in the Ojibwe Language.

AICHO is a non-profit, community based social service and housing development organization committed to improving the lives of Native American families in Northeastern Minnesota.  Since its inception in 1994, AICHO has provided supportive housing, emergency shelter, advocacy, and culturally appropriate services to over 1,800 women and children in need.

The National Congress of American Indians received $100,000 for their Embassy of Tribal Nations project in Washington, D.C. SMSC Secretary/Treasurer Keith B. Anderson presented the check in mid-October 2009 at the NCAI Annual Conference in Palm Springs, California.

“On behalf of the community and its people, I would like to present NCAI a check for $100,000,” he said. “We want to commend NCAI for its tireless work. I know the issues never end and all are equally important and it’s a tireless job. ”

The Embassy is a permanent presence for the NCAI and other tribal organizations. The National Congress of American Indians is the oldest and largest tribal government organization in the United States. NCAI serves as a forum for consensus-based policy development among its membership of over 250 tribal governments from every region of the country. NCAI’s mission is to inform the public and the federal government on tribal self-government, treaty rights, and a broad range of federal policy issues affecting tribal governments.

The SMSC donated $50,000 to Little Earth of United Tribes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for its Youth Development Center. The Center offers academic tutoring, computers, and activities in a culturally sensitive, safe environment. Little Earth’s Youth Development Center (YDC) is a holistic educational center for students available in off-school hours. The YDC provides access to computer technology, mentoring services, financial literacy programs, and educational programs for residents. The aim is to improve educational outcomes while promoting cultural and linguistic development.

Little Earth was founded in 1973 to create affordable housing for the growing urban American Indian community in Minneapolis. It is the only urban American Indian owned, subsidized housing complex in the United States with American Indian preference. Located in the East Phillips neighborhood, Little Earth spans a multi-block area with 212 housing units home to more than 900 residents. Almost half of Little Earth residents are under the age of twelve.

“As you know, we at Little Earth are working tirelessly to lead residents to better school performance, permanent housing, gainful employment, and to end the generational cycle of poverty. Ultimately, we are committed to creating a higher quality of life in the American Indian community through self-determination. Exciting things are happening at Little Earth, and with the support of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and the Tribal Council, we are one step closer to achieving our long-term goals. Thanks again for partnering with us in our efforts,” wrote Little Earth President/CEO Bill Ziegler.