8 tribal companies receive funds to support their growth

Eight tribally-owned businesses — including an outdoor apparel designer, a pottery studio and a gourmet caterer — are receiving a boost thanks to this year’s grants from the  Regional Development Corporation’s Tribal Economic Diversity Fund. The program is supported by LANL operator Triad National Security LLC. 

The businesses — whose owners are members of Cochiti, Jemez, Ohkay Owingeh, Pojoaque, Santa Clara and Taos Pueblos — received grant funding up to $8,000. Triad supports the economic diversity activities of the RDC with an investment under its Community Commitment Plan. 

The Tribal Economic Diversity Fund helps businesses owned by a federally recognized Indian tribe or by enrolled members of a federally recognized Indian tribe grow their business through grants for critical technical services and equipment. 

Since 2016, RDC has invested $718,466 in tribal enterprises and tribal-member-owned businesses.

The 2024 Tribal Economic Diversity Fund awardees are:

• Jemez Enterprises (Jemez): the operator of the Red Rocks Convenience Store, Walatowa Visitor Center, Hummingbird Cafe and the Red Rocks Hiking Trail
• Okuu Pin Studio (Santa Clara): an art studio specializing in Santa Clara Pueblo pottery and clay tiles using traditional materials and processes and serigraphy (silkscreen process) printing
• Plum Blossom Consulting (Cochiti): a consultancy that provides support to clients navigating affidavits, power of attorneys, wills, contracts, and applications for benefits
• Roadrunner RV Park (Pojoaque):an RV Park serving Los Alamos National Laboratory employees, vacationers and tourists
• Sage Mountainflower (Ohkay Owingeh): an Indigenous fashion brand to be worn outside traditional boundaries
• Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery (Santa Clara): an award-winning traditional Santa Clara Pueblo pottery working in black and red ware
• Snowflower Native Gourmet (Taos): a catering firm that infuses gourmet food with traditional Taos Pueblo ingredients for private dinners, prestigious local events, pop-up take-out, and special orders
• The Uncivilized Outdoorsman (Santa Clara): an outdoors brand, outdoor service provider and Indigenous educator with a line of Indigenous outdoor apparel