Cherokee nation CN a federally recognized tribe with tribal headquarters in tahlequah, oklahoma is seeking a grant award of 75,000 through the office of indian energy andeconomic development oied…

Cherokee nation CN a federally recognized tribe with tribal headquarters in tahlequah, oklahoma is seeking a grant award of 75,000 through the office of indian energy andeconomic development oied through the native american business development institute nabdi of the bureau of indian affairs BIA , an agency of the department of the interior DOI the purpose of the grant funds is to undertake a feasibility study, along with thedevelopment of key elements for a business plan and marketing plan, for a new tribal businessventure cherokee nation meat processing cherokee nation meat processing is a newenterprise for CN, following our investment in the establishment of a meat processing facilitywithin the CN reservation the purpose of this grant proposal is to seek nabdi funding toundertake the development of a feasibility study, in collaboration with an outside firm, unapologetically REZ, LLC, a native owned, women owned and veteran owned consulting firmwith offices in cherokee, NC and skiatook, OK cherokee nation views this enterprise as amechanism to strengthen our outreach of community services, in light of supply chaindisruptions particularly for affordable food which arose during the covid 19 pandemic, andwhich had a tremendous negative affect on our tribal citizens the overall goal of the cherokeenation meat processing enterprise is to contribute to our efforts to address food insecurity amongour tribal citizens within our tribal reservation more, specifically, the objectives of the cherokeenation meat processing project are to allow the CN to 1 offer high quality, safe food I E , meatand other meat products to our tribal citizens and to other discerning retail consumers, 2 createviable employment opportunities for tribal citizens, 3 explore possible vertical integrationlinkages with other CN enterprises located within the reservation, particularly our beef and bisonranching operations, and 4 establish and operate an enterprise which brings a valued service toour tribal citizens and generates revenue for the CN this proposal specifically seeks to securenabdi funds to engage unapologetically REZ, LLC urez to undertake the following proposedwork objectives with these funds 1 to analyze and determine market based food pathwaysviable for products and services which cherokee nation meat processing could offer to localconsumers, particularly our tribal citizens, 2 to undertake the development of a feasibility studyfor the recently developed cherokee nation meat processing tribal enterprise, 3 to develop keyelements of a business plan and a marketing plan for the meat processing facility and retailoperations of cherokee nation meat processing, and 4 to participate in the DOI oiedsponsoredgrantee program an in person, annual 3 day meeting to be held in washington, dcduring the year of the grant award the proposed feasibility study of the cherokee nation meatprocessing project will help facilitate informed decision making by CN regarding the operationof the facility and marketing of its meat and meat products toward the realization of an economicfuture that also achieves tribal food security goals the cherokee nation meat processingfeasibility study will ensure a more successful venture which can contribute to addressingchallenges resulting from the covid 19 pandemic