In August 2023, UNM Rainforest Innovations’ NM Tribal Entrepreneurship Enhancement Program (NMTEEP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the NMEDD JEDI Office agreeing to work together to bring more justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion into New Mexico’s small business and startup ecosystem. This effort included the sharing of information collected by NMTEEP’s tribal liaisons regarding barriers and needs that exist for Native American entrepreneurs in New Mexico both on and off tribal land. This collaboration is starting to see the fruits of its labor, improving support to New Mexico’s underserved populations of small business owners and entrepreneurs.
In December 2023, in addition to the MOU, UNM Rainforest Innovations received $5K in funding from the NMEDD JEDI Office to administer technical assistance trainings in various tribal and Native American-serving communities. The technical assistance topics were based on the discovery previously reported to UNMRI and NMEDD by NMTEEP’s tribal liaisons. The topics and trainings included the following:
- “Finance & Frybread,” held at UNM-Gallup on March 21, 2024, presented by Mytegia Lee
- “Navigating Business Finances: A Guide to Bookkeeping and Compliance,” online via Zoom on June 6, 2024, presented by Amber Hillis Parker, CPA
- “Trademarks and Branding at Jemez Pueblo,” on June 18, 2024, presented by Seth Gardenswartz
- “Access to Capital at the Lobo Rainforest Building,” on June 20, 2024, presented by Drew Tulchin
- “Small Business Meet & Greet,” in Dulce, NM on June 28, 2024, presented in collaboration with WESST
These events sponsored by NMEDD JEDI and administered by UNMRI NMTEEP have catalyzed additional efforts and events supporting the rural communities in which the technical assistance events were held. Through connecting with UNM-Gallup via UNMRI and NMEDD, tribal liaison, Mytegia Lee has been able to host additional financial literacy events at UNM-Gallup through her organization Southwest Native Assets Coalition (SNAC). These events are now funded through SNAC’s various grants, but the initial event and connection between SNAC and UNM-Gallup was made through NMEDD JEDI and NMTEEP’s efforts. Additionally, using information collected during the “Small Business Meet & Greet” in Dulce, NM, WESST is now planning eight additional workshops in-person in Dulce on topics expressed as needs and of interest by the local community. Lastly there have been recent discussions between UNMRI and Jemez Enterprises to create additional programming for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Jemez Pueblo. This conversation was spurred by the “Trademarks and Branding” event held at the Pueblo in June.
The pipeline metrics above show the importance of in-person technical assistance events in rural and tribal communities and how hosting a single event can catalyze additional impact, actions, and technical assistance led by the local community. This also show the importance of navigator roles such as the tribal liaisons and programming such as NMTEEP in the discovery of needs and barriers faced by entrepreneur in underserved communities.
This success story highlights some of the impact that NMEDD JEDI has had in working in partnership with organizations such as UNM Rainforest Innovations to help better support underserved populations of small business owners and entrepreneurs.
One last highlight includes NMEDD JEDI’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Technical Assistance Program. The services provided are a direct result of the discovery done by NMEDD JEDI and partners. The program will offer workshops and direct assistance to qualifying Very Small Businesses (VSB) and Socially Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI) owned businesses through financial, legal, venture capital, and emerging fund manager advisory assistance. The department has also issued an RFP for accounting advisory services.
“I was happy to see the needs identified by our discovery efforts from NMTEEP being considered and turned into something tangible that our Native American, rural, and tribal businesses can utilize. The services such as accounting, financial topics, and legal help have consistently been expresses as needs by our Native American entrepreneurs and it was good to see our voice being heard and our work with NMTEEP and NMEDD JEDI bearing meaningful fruit.” – Cecilia Becenti, Program Manager, Tribal Entrepreneurship, UNM Rainforest Innovations