CHEROKEE, NC, September 29, 2003—The Cherokee Preservation Foundation announced today that it has awarded 25 new grants totaling $3,246,045 that community and other nonprofit groups associated with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the surrounding region will use in connection with cultural preservation, economic development, job creation and environmental preservation endeavors.
Some of the grants will help fund:
- A televised Cherokee language outreach program that will increase the number of adult Cherokee speakers and reinforce the efforts of the schools’ Cherokee Language programs.
- A Heartbeat Journeys Radio Project that will introduce Cherokee youth to career development opportunities in Native American Radio.
- A collaborative marketing effort between Cherokee Tribal Travel and Promotion, the Cherokee Historical Association, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual to attract more visitors from North Carolina and surrounding states.
“Through its first three grant cycles, the Cherokee Preservation Foundation has funded 124 proposals -- 56% of those submitted -- for a total of $5,890,147. Of the total money awarded, 92% went to EBCI institutions and projects, and 8% went to regional collaborative projects involving the EBCI, ” said Susan Jenkins, Executive Director. “Sixty-six percent of the grants have funded cultural preservation efforts, 23% have supported economic development/employment opportunities, and 11% have gone to environmental preservation projects.
“With a sound grantmaking infrastructure in place, now the Foundation staff will explore how the Cherokee Preservation Foundation can act strategically as an agent of change that can further enhance the quality of life of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and strengthen western North Carolina,” Jenkins said. “The Foundation’s staff will be working with the EBCI and others in the region to explore opportunities for creating new grantmaking strategies.”
A DESCRIPTION OF FALL 2003 GRANTS
Cultural Preservation Grants
Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, Sylva, to produce Cherokee Little Theater’s written script into a live performance and conduct two drama workshops that will increase knowledge of and appreciation for Cherokee culture and lore. Amy Garza 828/631-4587
Elawodi Southeastern School of Arts and Cultural Studies Steering Committee, Cherokee, to complete a feasibility study for the establishment of a degree-oriented Native American arts and cultural institute on the Qualla Boundary. Glenda Chiltoskie 828/497-1791
Cherokee Center for Family Services, Cherokee, to complete the Snowbird Natural Learning Project, an outdoor natural learning environment for the Snowbird Child Development Center. The Foundation funded the initial phase of this project in Fall 2002. Stan Bienick 828/497-5001
Cherokee Historical Association, Cherokee, to work in collaboration with Cherokee Tribal Travel and Promotion, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, and Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual to develop and execute a comprehensive marketing campaign to increase visibility and visitation to Cherokee, with a focus on tourists within North Carolina and surrounding states. Barry Hipps 828/497-2111
Cherokee Seven Clans Art Guild, Cherokee, to include Cherokee performing and visual arts as part of the program for the annual Talking Trees Children’s Trout Derby and the Thanksgiving Festival and Art Celebration. Janean Hornbuckle 828/497-3872
Heartbeat Journeys Radio Project, Cherokee, to implement a radio broadcasting program for youth. Jackie Stringer 828/479-3044
Heartbeat Journeys Radio Project, Cherokee, to educate and train the Cherokee Youth Center’s staff and project volunteers in radio broadcast technology and Native American Radio for the Heartbeat Journeys Radio Project. Jackie Stringer 828/479-3044
Cherokee Youth Center, Cherokee, to support the Cherokee Youth Center Pow Wow that is held in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. Incorporating traditional Cherokee dances into the Pow Wow will enhance young people’s pride in their Cherokee heritage. Denise Ballard 828/497-3119
EBCI Cultural Resources Department, Cherokee, to implement a televised Cherokee language outreach program that will increase the number of adult Cherokee speakers and reinforce the efforts of the schools’ Cherokee Language programs. Myrtle Driver 828/497-1584
EBCI Cultural Resources Department, Cherokee, to document, uniformly mark, and restore the gravesites of deceased chiefs of the EBCI and their spouses. David Bushyhead 828/497-1594
EBCI Junaluska Memorial Site and Museum, Robbinsville, to augment the Cherokee historical resources of the Junaluska Museum by identifying and accumulating new materials relating to Cherokee leader Junaluska and Cherokee history in Graham and Cherokee counties. Thomas J. Holland 828/479-4827
Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Cherokee, to expand the Museum’s facilities to include an education and research center. Ken Blankenship 828/497-3481
Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc., Cherokee, to develop a business and marketing plan to increase the capability to nurture growth through increased membership and promotion of quality arts and crafts. Vicki Ledford 828/497-3103
Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, Vonore, TN, to support the museum’s cultural education and fundraising programs. Charlie Rhodarmer 423/884-6246
Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, Vonore, TN, to implement the construction for an amphitheater for the museum. Maxwell Ramsey 865/922-2474
Smoky Mountain Host, Franklin, to plan the development of a pilot program that promotes the culture and heritage of the far western counties of North Carolina (Swain, Haywood, Cherokee, Graham, Jackson, Clay and Macon). David Huskins 828/369-9606
3,200 Acre Tract Community Club, Cherokee, to revitalize membership and increase participation in community activities. Susan Leadingfox 828/497-2088
Unicoi Council, Murphy, to plan for the establishment of a Native American museum that will serve as an educational research center for Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties. Howard Lovingood 828/837-1140
Economic Development Grants
Art for Indigenous Survival, Durham, to conduct a month-long series of workshops on the Qualla Boundary to teach Cherokee elders, adults and youth the skills and techniques for creating soft sculpture art for sale. Shirley McConahay 919/942-5030
Western Carolina University-Cherokee Center, Cherokee, to implement the Qualla Financial Freedom financial literacy programs for area youth and adults. Roseanna Belt 828/497-7920
Cherokee Enhancement Association, Cherokee, to implement the “Decorate Cherokee Phase II” project in order to attract more visitors to Cherokee during the off-season and extend seasonal employment. Dave Matheson 828/631-9626
EBCI Tribal Travel and Promotion, Cherokee, to create a promotional program that unifies all cultural sites and attractions in Cherokee under one theme. Chrissy Arch 828/497-1051
Richard (Yogi) Crowe Memorial Scholarship Fund, Cherokee, to train board members of all scholarship fund programs located on the Qualla Boundary in nonprofit management, networking, developing current and future leadership, fundraising, and investing in endowments. Amy Walker 828/497-9156
Employment Opportunity Grants
Cherokee Boys Club, Cherokee, to provide the Cherokee Central Schools with a state-of-the-art automotive technology program. Frank Cooper 828/497-9101
Environmental Preservation Grants
Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, Inc., Franklin, to establish management strategies designed to restore and propagate river-cane breaks in the bottom lands along the Little Tennessee River that are resources for Cherokee artisans. Paul Carson 828/524-2711
About the Cherokee Preservation Foundation
The Cherokee Preservation Foundation was established on November 14, 2000, as part of the Second Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact between the EBCI and the State of North Carolina. It is an independent nonprofit foundation funded by the EBCI from gaming revenues generated by the Tribe. The Cherokee Preservation Foundation is not part of or associated with any for-profit gaming entity.
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