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Burns Paiute Tribe to Provide Resources for Small Business Development with Support of USDA Grant

Name
Erin McDuff
City
Burns
Release Date

The Burns Paiute Tribe in eastern Oregon is taking steps to improve the local economy by providing business training and initiating the development of a small business incubator with the help of a $37,716 grant from USDA Rural Development, announced State Director Vicki Walker during a visit today to Burns. This project will support the Burns Paiute Tribe Community and Economic Development Strategic Plan by helping to implement entrepreneurial development, increase cultural tourism, and further downtown development.

“The Burns Paiute Tribe is actively working to foster an environment of entrepreneurship that will improve the economy in this remote, rural area,” said Walker. “By providing business training and a venue to showcase and sell the goods and services produced by local entrepreneurs, the Tribe is helping to create additional businesses and expand employment opportunities.”

This funding is being provided through USDA’s Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program and is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the grant agreement. 

With this funding from USDA, the Burns Paiute Tribe will offer business training to tribal members and other current or emerging entrepreneurs in Harney County utilizing the curriculum provided by the Oregon Native American Business and Entrepreneurial Network (ONABEN) Indianpreneurship Program. In addition, the Tribe currently owns a historic building in downtown Burns, which they plan to retrofit for use as a small business incubator that will showcase the history and culture of the Tribe while allowing artisans to sell their merchandise in a location with high visibility. Today’s grant will help the Tribe conduct an architectural analysis of the building to assess its current condition and to make recommendations for interior modifications to facilitate its future use as an incubator, as well as to develop marketing materials for a fundraising campaign for the building modifications.

Within the first three months, it is anticipated that a minimum of two business training courses will be offered with enrollment space for up to 36 entrepreneurs, resulting in the creation of a minimum of five new jobs.