FORT BELKNAP COLLEGE
P. O. Box 159
Harlem, MT 59526

Economic Development Efforts

• Fort Belknap College Small Business Center (since 1995), provides education, training and technical assistance to clients who want to start or expand business
  
  
• FBC SBC serves approximately 75 clients per month, 5% are non-native
  
  
• FBC SBC works closely with Fort Belknap Indian Community Council and their Planning staff on activities involved in economic development such as:

* Development of a Uniform Commercial Code

* Planning & Development of a Branch Credit Union

* Planing & Development of a Micro Loan Fund

* Development of an Educational Needs Assessment

* Updating Tribal Government's Strategic Plan

* Collaboration with U. S. and State's Small Business Administration

* Collaboration with Montana Department of Commerce

* Collaboration with U. S. Housing Urban Development

* Collaboration with all Montana Tribal Business Information Centers

• FBC SBC writes proposal to maintain sustainability of Center
  
  
• Twenty-two new businesses developed since 1995
  
  
• FBC SBC was awarded two HUD grants totaling $550,000 to provide education, training and technical assistance in promoting economic development on Fort Belknap Reservation.

Other Fort Belknap College educational programs:

• Indian Education Professional Development program to assist Native Americans in achieving their bachelor's degrees in education and provide induction services during their first year teaching Partnership with MSU-Northern.  Utilized distance education for cohort group in elementary education.  Provides stipends, tuition, books.
  
  
• Tribal College Partnership program to provide courses and support for Head Start faculty and staff in achieving associate's degrees in early childhood education and continued support towards bachelor's degrees.  Provides tuition and books.
  
  
• TCUP-Math planning, research of best practices in teaching and learning of math
  
  
• Minority Science/Engineering Improvement program, implementing math learning by use of computerized program (Academic Systems, Inc).  Program provided math lab with computers
  
  
• Vocational Education program, to provide terminal or transfer skills in Computer Technology Natural Resources, and Allied Health
  
• USDA-Natural Resources, to expand numbers of students trained to use GIS/GPS equipment and software
  
  
• University of Montana Health Careers Opportunities ProgramBto provide incentive to Native Americans to enter fields of mental health