The Cherokee Preservation Foundation (CPF) recently awarded 18 new grants totaling over $2.4 million, continuing its mission to improve the quality of life for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the surrounding region.

Some of the grants include:

Cherokee Central Schools: To support improved and expanded Cherokee language instruction at Cherokee Central Schools both during the school year and the Language and Culture Summer School, and the development for a mobile devise application (app).

Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team: To preserve, expand, and utilize river cane on the Robbinsville High School campus and develop an outdoor classroom with interpretive signage about river cane.

EBCI Division of Commerce: This grant will support marketing efforts on behalf of the Greater Cherokee Tourism Council (GCTC) for 2015. The funds will support ad copy creation and media buys, and other advertising such as websites and social media.

Western Region Education Service Alliance: Funding will further the implementation of the STEM-E framework in Cherokee Central as well as western North Carolina school districts.

EBCI Cooperative Extension Center: Funding provides an international indigenous cultural experience for local youth in western North Carolina as part of the Costa Rica Eco-study Tour, an ongoing partnership among CPF, EARTH University and EBCI Cooperative Extension.

Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR): Funding will allow the continuation of the RTCAR initiative and support projects with a focus on enhancing four to six existing projects offering the community and region educational opportunities to continue the goal to preserve and enhance the Cherokee artistic traditions.

Cherokee Youth Council (CYC): The support from this grant will help in the continued enhancement of youth leadership development activities, including youth participation in the 2015 Annual UNITY conference.

Other Cherokee Preservation Foundation Grant Recipients include:

• Birdtown Community Free Labor (BCFL): To support its community service efforts.
• The Cherokee Chamber of Commerce: To support the organization’s development of its sustainability plan, board development, and opening of a fly- fishing museum.

• Haywood County Youth Council (HCYC): To support the continuation of the Haywood County Youth Council.
• Western Carolina University Language Department: To support the Cherokee Language Program as an integral partner in the Cherokee Language Revitalization Initiative.
• Western North Carolina Nonprofit Pathways: To provide training, learning opportunities and resources to nonprofits and community groups across the WNC region.
• Land Trust for the Little Tennessee: To support the expandtion of the Nikwasi to Cowee Cultural Corridor project to capitalize on current opportunities around the environmental and cultural assets of these sites.
• Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership: To support an initiative to enhance cultural tourism, build visitation to Cherokee heritage attractions, and expand greater understanding of Cherokee heritage and culture.
• The Museum of the Cherokee Indian (MOCI): To upgrade the website design, and improve its user-friendly functionality.
• Swain County High School: To support the creation of an interactive Cherokee language curriculum online for second language learners.
• Cowee Pottery School: To highlight the historical significance of ‘unaker’ clay in the programming of the Cowee Pottery School.
• Chattooga Conservancy: To manage recently transplanted river cane and expand planting at the Chattooga Town site in Sumter National Forest.

For every one dollar given by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, it is matched by $1.61, either by secured funds/grants, in-kind or leveraged resources, making CPF’s total contribution to the region $6,308,837.

About the Cherokee Preservation Foundation

Established in 2000 as part of the Second Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact between the EBCI and the state of North Carolina, the Cherokee Preservation Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit foundation funded by the EBCI from gaming revenues generated by the Tribe. The Cherokee Preservation Foundation is not associated with any for-profit gaming entity. The impact in grant distribution on the Qualla Boundary and the western seven counties of the state totals more than $70 million dollars, with every dollar of support matched by $1.55 in other funding or in-kind resources, making the total impact of the Cherokee Preservation Foundation and its partners in the region more than $156.5 million. With a core mission to improve the quality of life for the EBCI, the key areas addressed include cultural preservation, economic development and job creation and environmental sustainability.