
- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a tribal consultation on Sept. 17, 2025, at the Gun Lake Casino Resort in Wayland, Michigan. The session immediately follows the 2025 Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit, which will be held at the same facility on Sept. 16–17.
The consultation, led by Diane Cullo, assistant administrator for SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs, is intended to gather input on how SBA programs are serving tribally owned businesses, according to a notice in the Federal Register. SBA is seeking feedback on access to capital through its 7(a), 504, and microloan programs; federal contracting opportunities; business counseling and technical assistance; and the impact of the federal Nonmanufacturer Rule, which governs certain supply contracts.
Cullo will also be a featured presenter at the Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit. The summit is aimed at tribal leaders and enterprise executives from federally recognized tribes in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, though it is open to all.
Speakers from the region and across Indian Country will address non-gaming economic development issues including capital access, federal contracting, cross-border trade, sustainable energy, and real estate and land development. Bryan Newland, the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs during the Biden administration, will provide the keynote address for the event.
For more information about the summit or to register, visit: https://tribalbusinessnews.com/events/2025-great-lakes-tribal-economic-summit.
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher