November 18, 2009

Shakopee Mdewakanton Announce $5 Million in Tribal Grants

Prior Lake, Minnesota - The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community announces their first round of fiscal year 2010 tribal grants totaling $5,000,000 to seven American Indian Tribes. Donations of $1 million each will go to the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and Yankton Sioux Tribe all of South Dakota; the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa of Minnesota; and the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe of North Dakota.

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Flandreau, South Dakota, will use their $1 million grant for construction of a Senior Independent Living Project. In previous years the SMSC has helped fund this project, which is desperately needed to give tribal elders a safe and comfortable place to live on the reservation. It will also help provide more and better jobs for tribal members.

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe will use their $1 million grant for their Turtle Creek Crossing Grocery Store. The new grocery store, which opened in 2009, has a deli, bakery, pharmacy, and, most importantly, healthy foods to help combat the diabetes epidemic on the reservation. The SMSC helped fund this project with $2.4 million in loans and $2 million in grants in previous fiscal years.

The Yankton Sioux Tribe will use their $1 million grant for energy assistance for members and for the Marty Community Center, to complete the community center in Lake Andes, building insulation for the Marty Community Center, and pre-construction design for a new tribal administration building.

The Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Indians will use their $1 million grant for construction of a new 47,000 square foot administration building in Nett Lake, Minnesota. An $8 million loan from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for the same project was announced in August 2009. The new building will house the Tribe’s administration and finance offices; its leasing, grant administration, and language preservation programs; planning, fuel assistance, information technology, a registrar, and the tribal council chambers. The previous building was destroyed by fire.

The Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe will use their $1 million grant for community improvement programs and infrastructure development, including replacement of the heating and cooling systems and for maintenance equipment at the tribal headquarters community building; equipment for the fire department, KABU radio station, utilities, and refuse control; and for the tribal housing program, emergency management funds for recovery from floods, and for youth recreation centers.