FORT BELKNAP COLLEGE
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