Native America Issues
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Unemployment rates exceed 40 percent in both the Hopi and Navajo communities.
The Hopi and Navajo nations, while rich in natural and cultural resources, struggle to create a diversified economy that is on par with modern America.
During the twentieth century, most federal economic proposals on reservations promoted natural resource development as an economic engine. Even today, the Hopi and Navajo governments receive more than one-third of their revenues from natural resource extraction.
Private enterprise has also presented many potential business proposals to the Nations but they fail for a variety of reasons, including a lack of experience and/or desire to work within Navajo and Hopi guidelines. Several economic opportunities, such as culturally appropriate businesses related to traditional agriculture and shepherding, have never been pursued. Retail and service business opportunities exist in areas such as small renewable energy system sales, installation and maintenance as more than 18,000 homes lack electricity on the Navajo Nation. Tourism has been studied by tribal economists who determined that the Navajo Nation captures less than 7 percent of an industry with a $1.4 billion potential. In addition, estimates indicate that more than 71 percent of the income earned on tribal lands is spent off- reservation. Finding methods to capture some of the lost income could go a long way towards increasing the economic development potential on Native lands.
Over the past 6 years, the Trust has worked to help area tribal nations diversify their economies. At this time, we’re working with Shonto, Leupp Family Farms, and the Navajo Nation Green Economy Coalition and Commission to develop alternative sustainable economies.
Your donations and membership dues make our work with the Navajo and Hopi Tribes possible.
