Launched in January 2023, Invest Native Grants are part of a $20 million philanthropic initiative by Wells Fargo across six states – Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming – to support a more equitable and prosperous future for Native Americans.
“We are grateful to Wells Fargo for its generous support of the Indian Pueblo Entrepreneur Complex, which is part of our mission to provide economic opportunities to Pueblo and local communities,” said Monique Fragua, Chief Operating Officer of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and Indian Pueblos Marketing Inc. (IPCC/IPMI). “This grant will help make our vision a reality by supporting our effort to help Native entrepreneurs pursue and achieve economic self-sufficiency and stability. We are excited to build this innovative community space where entrepreneurs can create in a way that is inspirational, educational and sustainable.”
Twenty-eight Native-led organizations in total received nearly $11 million in grants to advance work in Invest Native’s four pillars: housing access and affordability, small business growth, financial health, and sustainability and climate resilience.
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center aims to support small business growth with the construction of the Indian Pueblo Entrepreneur Complex (EC). Last fall, the IPCC broke ground on this multi-faceted, 7,500-square-foot community space that will support primarily Native entrepreneurs in the food and agricultural industries in central New Mexico. The complex will provide new ways to fortify the local food system and address food insecurity in our community. It will include:
- Commercial and test kitchens
- High-volume fresh produce processing areas
- Cold and dry storage
- Delivery vehicles
- General business support services
Until the complex is fully operational in 2024, EC staff have been traveling to Pueblo and other Native communities to facilitate their agricultural businesses with cold/storage transport and delivery. Over the grant period, EC staff will provide services to several additional Pueblos in rural or near-rural areas by transporting fresh produce to their onsite community centers for distribution.
“Invest Native is about empowering Native-led organizations and enabling them to build more resilient communities for future generations,” said Otis Rolley, president of the Wells Fargo Foundation. “We are excited to announce this latest round of grant-making as part of our long-term commitment to helping Native communities build economic stability and independence.”
Invest Native supports Native-led and Native-serving organizations, including community development financial institutions (CDFIs), nonprofits, Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs), and Native collaboratives including two or more organizations working together to achieve common goals within the six-state territory.