PILOT PROJECT: TRIBAL COLLEGE – COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL (CDFI) COLLABORATION PROJECT

PARTNERS FIRST NATIONS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF MENOMINEE NATION NIIJII CAPITAL PARTNERS, INC. FIRST AMERICAN CAPITAL CORPORATION

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Purpose: This project will link business and entrepreneur training provided by tribal colleges, with business start-up loans and business support offered by CDFIs. We recognize the value of creating opportunities for tribal members and non-tribal community members to meaningfully participate in the development of the tribal economy.

Upon completion of the training, participants will be encouraged to apply for and potentially be eligible for business start-up and/or expansion loans from NIICAP and FACC. FIRST AMERICAN CAPITAL CORPORATION NiiCaP CAPITAL PARTNERS INC.

Brian leads the development and delivery of all non-credit and outreach based activities. Programs include Native American Vocational Rehabilitation Program, 1994 Land Grant Extension, Community Outreach, Youth Programs, and Language Revitalization Project. Brian also overseas over one million dollars in grant/contract funding that supplies training and programming for surrounding communities and the college. He is responsible for completing reports and submitting them along with building community partnerships with a diverse network of community based agencies. College of Menominee Nation – 6 Years B.S. Degree – UW Stevens Point BRIAN KOWALKOWSKI DEAN –DEPARTMENT OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

Renee is responsible for designing and coordinating training programs based on organizational and employee needs. Her role is to conduct training courses which interface with the internal and external clients on behalf of the organization. She also develops training resources by preparing notes and visual displays in coordination with training needs and specific departmental needs. Renee is an American Heart Association certified instructor in CPR and Basic Life Support. College of Menominee Nation – 13 Years B.A. Degree – UW Green Bay RENEE OKIMOSH OUTREACH BASED TRAINING SPECIALIST

ANNETTE MILLER JOB BASED TRAINING SPECIALIST The primary duties of the Job Based Training Specialist are to assist in the development and delivery of training programs that will meet the employment based needs of current employees, potential employees, as well as employers. Activities and training programs will focus on strengthening the work force with emphasis on economic development of the College of Menominee Nation service community.

SUE DELROW WEBMASTER Sue has been working in the Internet Marketing and Communications field for over 17 years, creating and coding websites, graphic design, social media, computer analyst, consultant, and more. She has spent 14 years with EAA in Oshkosh, WI, as a Senior Webmaster and Website Content Administrator. Sue currently manages the College of Menominee Nation website and other College-related websites, as well as manage all the social media tools and digital signage for the College.

MWATA CHISHA PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION & BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Professor Mwata Chisha is a member of the faculty in the College of Menominee Nations Business Administration and Public Administration programs. A doctoral degree candidate at Northcentral University, he holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in agriculture and a Master of Arts in economics from New Mexico State University. He brings an international perspective and substantial teaching experience to his work at CMN, and specialized knowledge on sustainable economic development gained from research in his field.

BHASKAR SINGH PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Bhaskar is a full time faculty at the College of Menominee Nation and the Department Chair for Business and Public Administration Department. He has twenty plus years of industry, state and federal government experience. He has more than nine years of college teaching experience in traditional and adult learning programs. Bhaskar has a B.Sc. in electrical engineering from UFPB, Brazil and M.Sc. in electrical engineering from University of Wisconsin – Madison. He received his MBA from University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in Finance and Global Strategy. He also completed e-learning graduate certificate at UW-Stout in Bhaskar currently teaches in the business program and helps in teaching math, computer science and related topics. His primary teaching areas are management, accounting, finance, public policy and math.

ANN WALENSKI BUSINESS & PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Ann accepted a faculty position at College of Menominee Nation (CMN) in 2012, following a 20-year career in business, marketing and K- 12 education. Ann teaches Business, Public Administration and Technology courses at CMN, and her academic and professional experience encompasses business management, sales, municipal planning, and community relations within an educational and business environment. Education: BA Degree in Business Administration Masters Degree in Curriculum Planning and Instruction

JEFF BOWMAN - PRESIDENT FIRST AMERICAN CAPITAL CORPORATION First American Capital Corporation (FACC), is the business financing arm of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin. FACC was created to enhance the capacity of all American Indian entrepreneurs who reside in the State of Wisconsin through access, control, creation, leverage, utilization and retention of financial assets, by providing appropriate financial capital for Native development efforts, and capacity- building business management and technical assistance. or

GARY MEJCHAR PROGRAM MANAGER - AICCW Gary has over 25 years of work experience in Wisconsins Indian Country. Gary formed and managed for 5 years the UW systems very first Native American Small Business Development Center (SBDC) out of UW- Stevens Point. Gary has worked as a consultant for Wisconsin tribes, AICCW, Wisconsin Department of Transportation and other clients. Gary has an excellent knowledge of the various minority business certifications available through the State of WI agencies. Gary also administers the various training programs and seminars offered by AICCW and FACC.

PAM BOIVIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - NIICAP NiiJii Capital Partners, Inc. (NiiCaP) is a not-for-profit (501c3) corporation, chartered by the State of Wisconsin. We are a cash-flow lender, assisting entrepreneurs in the economically depressed geographical area and target market (the Lac du Flambeau, Sokaogon Chippewa, and the Menominee Reservations of Wisconsin) with start-up and /or expansion funds, and the technical assistance required to nurture and develop viable business opportunities.

NATIVE ENTREPRENEUR INTRODUCTION Location: CMN Campus, Oneida Campus, Lac Du Flambeau Reservation, on-line live and recorded on CMN website Description: This workshop will lay the groundwork for the entire program. Participants will learn how to access webinars, online videos and what the program is, how it is funded and what the goals and objectives are. This session will also provide locations and times to meet your schedule.

BUSINESS START UPS Location: CMN Campus, Oneida Campus, Lac Du Flambeau Reservation, on-line live and recorded on CMN website Description: This workshop will be geared toward community members or business students who might be interested in learning how to start a business based on an idea or skill they may have. It will include the legalities of starting the business, how to prepare a business plan and what some of the obstacles may be.

MICROSOFT OFFICE Location: TBA, online live and recorded on website Description: This course will provide participants with not a lot of computer experience, the skills they will need to start tracking their business by utilizing a data base and spreadsheets. Excel spreadsheets will be set up prior to the course and participants will be asked to bring in their financial information to allow actual numbers for their business in training.

BUDGETING Location: TBA, online live and recorded on website Description: Building Native Communities curriculum will be utilized. It is important for small business owners to realize that in order to be successful, they need to keep their personal finances separate from their business. It is also important that their personal finances are in order when it comes time to obtain capital from a lending agency.

QUICKBOOKS Location: TBA, online live and recorded on website Description: This course provides an overview of accounting with the utilization of computerized software to aid in managing a small business. Participants will learn how to lay out their business accounting, such as what a chart of accounts is and how do they set it up.

MARKETING Location: TBA, online live and recorded on website Description: Participants will learn basic terminology of marketing as well as hands on skills in research and marketing presentations, both traditional and now utilizing social media.

BUSINESS TAXES Location: CMN Campus, Oneida Campus, Lac Du Flambeau Reservation, on-line live and recorded on CMN website Description: What are the tax requirements for a small business, what steps can be taken to help a small business with its tax needs and what resources are available to assist.

IN ADDITION In addition to the above mentioned courses, technical assistance will be available throughout the project as well as guest speakers, (Bankers, Lawyers, established Native Small Business Owners and Small Business Administration experts) to provide additional background on making businesses successful.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Brian Kowalkowski: Dean – Department of Continuing Education College of Menominee or ext 3007 Renee OKimosh: Outreach Based Training Specialist College of Menominee Nation or ext 3075 Annette Miller: Job Based Training Specialist College of Menominee nation or ext 3097 Susan Delrow: Webmaster College of Menominee Nation or Mwata Chisha: Public / Business Administration College of Menominee Nation or ext 3132 Bhaskar Singh: Public Administration College of Menominee nation or ext 3123 Ann Walenski: Business / Public Administration College of Menominee Nation or ext3225 Jeff Bowman: First American Capital Corporation or Gary Mejchar: American Indian Chamber of Commerce Pam Boivin: NiiCAP

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