Shakopee Mdewakanton Announce $2 Million in Tribal Grants

Prior Lake, MN – To help other Indian Tribes further develop their economies and better serve their tribal members, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community today announced $2 million in grants to two Indian tribes. Each of the tribes will receive a $1 million grant for economic development and community improvement.

The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation (Wisconsin) will use the majority of their $1 million grant for economic developments projects. Improvements to the tribal marina will use $650,000 while $100,000 will go towards moving their Pow Wow Grounds. Campground improvements and a land purchase will use the remainder of the funds.

The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation is located on the southern shores of Lake Superior, in northwest Wisconsin. It is immediately adjacent to Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The exterior boundaries of the Red Cliff Reservation span approximately 14,093 acres. The tribal enrollment is approximately 6,247 members.

In fiscal year 2008 the SMSC gave the Red Cliff Band a grant for $966,000 which funded debt consolidation and community development. In fy2010 an SMSC $23.5 million loan funded development and upgrades to a new casino, hotel, entertainment, and conference center on the shores of Lake Superior and adjacent to the Apostle Islands.

The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe (South Dakota) $1 million grant will be used for infrastructure, including payroll, accounts payable, financial consultants, and auditors. With approximately 3,000 members and a reservation of 225,000 acres, the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe consists of the members of the Isanti and Ihanktowan divisions of the Great Sioux Nation.

Already in fiscal year 2011 the SMSC has announced more than $14 million in grants , with grants of $1 million each going to the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Indians (Minnesota), the Crow Tribe of Indians of Montana, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe (South Dakota), the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe (South Dakota), the Omaha Tribe (Nebraska), the Rosebud Sioux Tribe (South Dakota), the Santee Sioux Tribe (Nebraska), the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (South Dakota), Spirit Lake Tribe (North Dakota), the White Earth Nation (Minnesota), and Yankton Sioux Tribe (South Dakota). A grant for $325,000 was also awarded to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana.

The SMSC has also made a total of more than $396 million in loans to other tribes for economic development projects. Over the past 15 years, the SMSC has donated more than $215.7 million to charitable organizations and Indian Tribes and Native American organizations.