Supports reservation's initiatives to reduce deep poverty
The Northwest Area Foundation has made a $2.46 million grant to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Ventures organization to support its 10-year strategic plan to reduce its 46 percent poverty rate on the reservation in central South Dakota. This is the Foundation's second grant to Tribal Ventures in support of this initiative.

"This grant speaks to the progress the Cheyenne River Tribal Ventures has made in reaching its poverty reduction goals," said Tony Genia, senior program officer at Northwest Area Foundation who works with Native American tribes. "The Cheyenne River Tribal Ventures program is unique, not just because it is a reservation-based poverty reduction program, but also because it relies primarily on working through collaborative partnerships with proven or promising organizations to implement strategies."

The Foundation's initial $2.5 million grant to Cheyenne River Tribal
Ventures in March 2006 funded the following strategies: individual, family and community development; community capacity building; and, economic development.

To listen to a podcast featuring Tanya Fiddler and Tony Genia speaking more about the Cheyenne River Tribal Ventures accomplishments, visit:programs.nwaf.org