WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Indian Affairs Office of Indian Economic Development has awarded more than $3 million in Tribal Tourism Grant Program funding to 30 federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations. The grants, which range in value from $30,000 to $150,000, are funded for one year.
“Empowering tribal nations to build their economies through the Tribal Tourism Grant Program is part of Indian Affairs’ mission to support tribal self-determination and sovereignty,” said Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland. “Revitalizing tribal economies is key to our goal of making lives better for people in tribal communities as we work to undo the harms caused by policies of the past.”
The Tribal Tourism Grant Program supports tribal economic development and fulfills the mission of the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act, also known as the NATIVE Act, by providing funding for tribes to conduct feasibility studies to help them make informed decisions about potential tourism projects. The program also provides financial support for tribes to develop business plans for already completed tourism feasibility studies or for tribal tourism businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feasibility studies and business plans empower tribes and tribal organizations to make informed decisions on potential tourism projects and businesses.
| Tribe or Tribal Organization | City | State | |
| Haida Corporation | Hydaburg | Alaska | $150,000 |
| Hualapai Tribal Council | Peach Springs | Arizona | $150,000 |
| Muscogee (Creek) Nation | Okmulgee | Oklahoma | $149,423 |
| Village of Kaktovik (AKA Barter Island) | Kaktovik | Alaska | $149,270 |
| Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation | Ramona | California | $149,212 |
| Penobscot Indian Nation | Indian Island | Maine | $149,010 |
| Blackfeet Tribe | Browning | Montana | $125,388 |
| Bay Mills Indian Community | Brimley | Michigan | $125,000 |
| Spirit Lake Tribe | Fort Totten | North Dakota | $125,000 |
| Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma | Durant | Oklahoma | $125,000 |
| The Chickasaw Nation | Ada | Oklahoma | $124,122 |
| Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas | Livingston | Texas | $120,291 |
| Indian Pueblo Cultural Center | Albuquerque | New Mexico | $113,251 |
| Crow Tribe of Indians | Crow Agency | Montana | $112,771 |
| Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness | Bangor | Maine | $105,000 |
| Leech Lake Reservation Business Committee, Inc. | Cass Lake | Minnesota | $104,515 |
| Burns Paiute Tribe | Burns | Oregon | $102,300 |
| Oneida Indian Nation | Oneida | New York | $101,762 |
| Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation | Mayetta | Kansas | $82,764 |
| Northern Arapaho Tribe | Ethete | Wyoming | $78,701 |
| Rosebud Sioux Tribe | Rosebud | South Dakota | $75,190 |
| Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana | Elton | Louisiana | $72,672 |
| Nansemond Indian Nation | Suffolk | Virginia | $71,720 |
| Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians | Hayward | Wisconsin | $63,000 |
| Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California | Oroville | California | $55,066 |
| Sitka Tribe of Alaska | Sitka | Alaska | $54,708 |
| Nez Perce Tribe | Lapwai | Idaho | $49,408 |
| Elk Valley Rancheria, California | Crescent City | California | $48,600 |
| Chippewa Cree Tribe | Box Elder | Montana | $45,755 |
| Native Village of Chenega | Anchorage | Alaska | $30,916 |
The Office of Indian Economic Development administers the Tribal Tourism Grant Program, which is a competitive discretionary program, through its Division of Economic Development.
