The following is a brief summary of the action plans developed:
Create a single source of information for small businesses
- Home Organization: Cherokee Chamber of Commerce
- Goal: Create a single source of relevant information for businesses operating on or interested in coming to the Qualla Boundary.
- Activities:
- Partner with advertising firm for review and analysis of proposed content
- Prepare and issue an RFP to a minimum of three web site development resources
- Select a firm to develop the web resources
- Develop hard copy version of online material
- Develop policy to ensure ongoing, timely maintenance of materials
- Resources Required: $50,000 for website development and annual maintenance/upgrade cost of $4000
- Potential funding sources may include:
- $25,000 from Preservation Foundation,
- $20,000 from Tribal Department of Commerce, and
- $5,000 from Cherokee Chamber of Commerce.
- Timeline: April, 2015 – August, 2015.
Strengthen the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce
- Home Organizations: EBCI Commerce Department and Cherokee Chamber of Commerce
- Goal: strengthen Cherokee Chamber of Commerce financially and operationally
- Activities: Develop specific set of services that Chamber can provide to businesses and Tribe that fall within purview of EBCI Commerce Department, and can be funded through its budget
- Resources required: $80,000 per year to attain financial sustainability
- Potential funding sources: EBCI Department of Commerce, Cherokee Preservation Foundation
- Timeline: August, 2014 – August, 2015.
Create Economic Development Coalition
- Home Organizations: EBCI Commerce Department and Cherokee Chamber of Commerce
- Goal: Create an economic coalition to support small business attraction, development and growth
- Activities:
- Create and implement a coordinated plan to attract businesses to locate in Cherokee and the surrounding three counties
- Develop a strategy that encourages entrepreneurial efforts to start businesses in targeted fields
- Coordinate and integrate the efforts of economic development on the Boundary with neighboring interests, including economic development agencies and Chambers in Swain, Jackson and Haywood Counties
- Resources required: $10,000
- Potential funding sources: Cherokee Preservation Foundation, in-kind donations by participating organizations
- Timeline: Spring, 2015 – August, 2015.
Build a More Vibrant Entrepreneurial Culture
- Home Organization: Sequoyah Fund
- Goal: Build a more vibrant entrepreneurial culture and environment on the Qualla Boundary that inspires and creates more business ventures.
- Activities:
- Establish a baseline description of a desirable/optimal small business environment
- Complete research necessary to map the small business environment in Cherokee
- Identify gaps/constraints between Cherokee environment and baseline
- Prioritize the challenges and attack the problems
- Resources required: $30,000
- Potential funding sources: Cherokee Preservation Foundation, in-kind donations by participating organizations
- Timeline: Spring, 2015 – December, 2015.
Expand Individual Businesses on Boundary through 8(a) and Similar Programs
- Home Organization: EBCI Cherokee Enterprise Development and Sequoyah Fund
- Goal: Assist enrolled members to expand their business revenues through sales to public sector
- Activities:
- Identify opportunities for Federal procurement contracts that may be appropriate for businesses owned by Tribal members
- Reach out to business owners to make them aware of Federal procurement opportunities.
- Work with SBA to develop and deliver training programs and resources to support individual entrepreneurs.
- Organize mentoring and coaching opportunities for Tribal members seeking to expand their own business through 8(a) and other programs
- Resources required: staff time
- Potential funding sources: in-kind donations of staff time
- Timeline: August 2014 – July 2015
Expand Sales of Cherokee Art
- Home Organization: Sequoyah Fund
- Expand sales by Cherokee artists, of both traditional and contemporary art.
- Activities – three primary strategies:
- Create web gallery for online sales
- Expand in-person sales off the Boundary by brokering art on behalf of Cherokee artists
- Support individual artists to increase sales off-Boundary by providing micro-loans, training, and support for sales booths
- Resources required: staff time plus $60,000
- Potential funding sources: Cherokee Preservation Foundation plus in-kind donations of staff time
- Timeline: August 2014 – December 2015