April 26, 2012

Federal Reserve to host conference on ways to encourage economic growth in Native American communities

For immediate release

The Federal Reserve Board, along with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, will sponsor a nationwide conference next week to explore ways to encourage economic growth in Native American communities.

"Growing Economies in Indian Country: A National Summit," will be held May 1 in Washington, D.C. The summit is an outgrowth of a series of forums organized in partnership with the Interagency Working Group for Indian Affairs' Committee on Economic Development, a group of federal agency representatives who work with tribal governments.

Even as the national economy shows signs of improvement, communities in rural areas of the United States--particularly on tribal lands--still face considerable obstacles in attracting investment, accessing financial services, and supporting entrepreneurship. The summit will provide a venue for tribal leaders, policymakers, financial industry professionals, and community development service providers to discuss:

  • challenges to economic development in Indian country
  • opportunities to strengthen Tribal enterprise development
  • opportunities to expand Native American entrepreneurship and access to small business capital
  • opportunities to strengthen governance and legal structures

For more information, visit the conference website at: www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/conferences/growing-economies-indian-country.htm. Live online video will be available at 9:15 a.m. EDT on May 1 at: www.ustream.tv/federalreserve.

For media inquiries, call 202-452-2955.

Last Update: April 26, 2012