First Nations & NUIFC Receive Additional $50,000 Comcast Foundation Grant to Supplement Urban Indian Capacity-Building Project

LONGMONT, Colo. and SEATTLE, Aug. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) and the National Urban Indian Family Coalition (NUIFC) today announced they have received a second $50,000 grant from the Comcast Foundation to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of American Indian nonprofit organizations in urban areas and to provide training and technical assistance services.

The two $50,000 Comcast Foundation grants – one made in late 2013 and the newly announced 2014 gift – supplement a 2013 grant of $1.1 million from The Kresge Foundation.  First Nations and NUIFC are partners in what is known as the "National Urban Indian Project." The Comcast Foundation grants are funding several meetings that bring together all parties involved in the project to increase and broaden their impact across Indian Country.

Under the project, First Nations and NUIFC are working directly with selected urban Native American nonprofits to help them improve their management and leadership skills and boost their organizational effectiveness, provide customized assistance and training, host capacity-building conferences, and document best practices and potential for replication. The project aims to help organizations that work with some of the estimated 78 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives who live off reservations or away from tribal villages, and who reflect some of the most disproportionately low social and economic standards in the urban areas in which they reside. Urban Indian organizations are an important support and resource to Native families and individuals, providing cultural linkages as well as being a hub for accessing essential services.

"Comcast and the Comcast Foundation are committed to making a positive difference in the communities we serve," said Bill Black, Vice President of the Comcast Foundation. "We are proud to support the efforts of First Nations and NUIFC and look forward to our continued work together to make positive change happen."

Since its founding in 1999, the Comcast Foundation has distributed more than $145 million in cash support of programs implemented locally in Comcast communities. Comcast is a year-round supporter of both First Nations and NUIFC.

PROGRAM CONTACTS:
Montoya Whiteman, First Nations Senior Program Officer
(303) 774-7836 or [email protected]

Janeen Comenote, NUIFC Executive Director
(206) 551-9933 or [email protected]

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Randy Blauvelt, First Nations Senior Communications Officer
(303) 774-7836 or [email protected]

Katie Lubenow, Director, Corporate Communications, Comcast Corporation
(215) 286-5691 or [email protected]

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SOURCE First Nations Development Institute