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week of 3/6/02 | |
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By Don Hendershot
Representatives of nonprofits from around Western North Carolina gathered in Cherokee last week to hear more about what is likely to become the region’s largest granting agency — The Cherokee Preservation Foundation.
The newly created foundation held a luncheon March 1 at the Holiday Inn in Cherokee to introduce executive director Dr. Susan Jenkins to the community.
Dr. Jenkins, who holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Geor-gia, is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Tribe of Oklahoma. She has served as program officer for the Kel-logg Foundation and as a rural health policy analyst for the Institute of Community and Area Development at the University of Georgia. She comes to the Cherokee Pre-servation Founda-tion from the Hita-chi Foundation in Washington where she was Senior Pro-gram Officer.
Approximately 125 people including state, local and tribal elected officials, plus representatives from state and local agencies and regional non-profits, attended the meeting to learn more about the foundation.
“The mission of the Cherokee Preser-vation Foundation is to enhance the overall well-being of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and strengthen the Western North Carolina region,” according to literature provided at the luncheon.
The foundation was created in November 2000 by an amendment to the State Gaming Compact between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the state of North Carolina. The foundation will be funded at a minimum of $5 million per year or a percentage of gaming revenues from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, whichever is greater, not to exceed $10 million per year. The compact is in effect for the next 30 years.
EBCI Principal Chief Leon Jones told the crowd that tourism was the lifeblood of the tribe and the region. He said the foundation had the potential to move the tribe and the region forward.
“The cream will come to the top. The lady we have selected is the cream,” said Jones.
Myron Coulter, former Chancellor of Western Carolina University and chairman of the board of the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, said Jenkins’ selection was the culmination of a seven-month search. The board reviewed 90 applications from 24 states before deciding on Jenkins. Coulter said Jenkins’ nonprofit background, her Native American heritage and her experience in rural development made her a great fit for the foundation.
Jenkins said she was honored to be founding executive director. She said a foundation was more than simply a place to get money.
“We provide resources. We are venture capitalists who invest in ideas. We provide seed money for ideas people can use to help themselves,” Jenkins said.
She said the foundation was developing a grant making structure and reviewing applications for a financial officer, executive assistant and program director. “It’s like riding a bicycle as you’re building it,” she said.
According to information distributed at the luncheon, there will be four general areas of funding — cultural preservation, economic development, economic opportunities and environmental preservation.
There will be two grant-making periods per year. Grants applications will be accepted from the Qualla Boundary and Cherokee, Graham, Clay, Macon, Swain, Jackson and Haywood counties.
Three different grants will be available: grants from $500 to $20,000 to help build the capacity of an organization; focused grants from $20,000 to $200,000 for specific topics identified by the region as important issues (these grants will include targeted invitations and requests for proposals); and grants for preservation and civic enhancement of $200,000 and up.
“We will work on creating partnerships outside the region in order to bring more resources into the region,” Jenkins said.
“We want to provide an environment for learning and bring people together to converse around ideas, challenges, opportunities and solutions.
“The ultimate outcome will be an ongoing partnership with the region,” said Jenkins.
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