Tribal Partners

Tribal initiatives are designed in Michigan to create greater awareness and leverage resources, generate contracting opportunities, facilitate tribal participation in emerging/growth sectors of Michigan’s economy, promote entrepreneurship and develop strategic partnerships.

Tribal Business Development

The State of Michigan is home to 12 federally recognized Indian tribes each with unique historical, cultural and political structures. MEDC’s Tribal Business Development Strategy, initiated in 2010, is to be a resource to Michigan’s federally recognized tribes in achieving sustainable tribal economies through business diversification, and to build state-tribal relationships that foster business development beyond gaming.

Specific initiatives within the strategy are designed to create greater awareness and leveraging of resources, generate contracting opportunities, facilitate tribal participation in emerging/growth sectors of Michigan’s economy, promote entrepreneurship in Indian country and develop strategic partnerships.

Please contact Tom Durkee, Project Manager, Tribal Business Development, for more information.

Michigan's Federally Recognized Tribes

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News & Success Stories

The 12 Sovereign Tribes Building Economic Success with Community

To preserve their culture and create jobs in their communities, Michigan's Tribes are expanding and diversifying their economic opportunities. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is proud to support these efforts to build up Tribal communities, which also supports the state’s push for stronger manufacturing and regional development.

The Michigan Opportunity Podcast

Michigan's rich history and heritage of Native American communities are honored and highlighted in several episodes of the The Michigan Opportunity Podcast. Now it its third season, host Ed Clemente has been joined by several guests specializing in Tribal economic relationships. Click on the episode links to the right and listen to insightful conversations and hear about Michigan Tribal economic successes.

Michigan Tribal Partner Episodes:

Grant and Funding Opportunities

Planning Program and Local Technical Assistance Program

Under the Planning program, EDA assists eligible recipients in creating regional economic development plans designed to stimulate and guide the economic development efforts of a community or region. As part of this program, EDA supports Partnership Planning investments to facilitate the development, implementation, revision, or replacement of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), which articulate and prioritize the strategic economic goals of recipients' respective regions. EDA provides Partnership Planning grants to Indian Tribes to help develop and implement CEDS and associated economic development activities. The Local Technical Assistance program strengthens the capacity of local or State organizations, institutions of higher education and other eligible recipients to undertake and promote effective economic development programs through projects such as feasibility analyses and impact studies.

Applications are accepted on a continuing basis and processed as received. This Planning and Local Technical Assistance opportunity will remain in effect until superseded by a future announcement. Award ceiling is $100,000.