| Formation | 2000; 26 years ago (2000) |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit foundation |
| Headquarters | Cherokee, North Carolina, United States |
Executive Director | Bobby Raines |
Key people |
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| Revenue | $9,326,190[1] (2021) |
| Expenses | $4,105,873[1] (2021) |
| Website | www |
TheCherokee Preservation Foundation is an independent nonprofit foundation established in 2000 as part of theTribal-State Compact amendment between theEastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the State ofNorth Carolina.[2] The Foundation is funded by the EBCI from gaming revenues generated by the Tribe; it is not associated with any for-profit gaming entity and is a separately functioning organization independent of the Tribal government. It works to improve the quality of life of the EBCI and strengthen the western North Carolina region by balancing Cherokee ways with the pursuit of new opportunities.
The Foundation focuses on cultural preservation, economic development, job creation, and environmental preservation and is an engine forrural community development on theQualla Boundary and the surroundingHaywood,Jackson,Clay,Macon,Graham,Swain andCherokee counties.[3]
Much of the Cherokee Preservation Foundation's work in support of cultural preservation is concentrated on the perpetuation of Cherokee craft traditions, the revitalization of theCherokee language, and the development of a culture-based leadership initiative.
The Foundation supports the efforts of organizations such asQualla Arts and Crafts Cooperative, theOconaluftee Institute of Cultural Arts, RTCAR (Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources),Cherokee Central Schools and many others to share, preserve and perpetuate the rich art and crafts history and knowledge of the Cherokees.
A survey of Cherokee speakers released in 2006 showed that there were only 275 Cherokee speakers on the Qualla Boundary at that time. By 2018, the number was reported to be 217.[4]Language preservation efforts include theNew Kituwah Academy (a bilingual language immersion program for children), conventional language classes available to tribal members of all ages, and a partnership with Western Carolina University to create instructional materials in Cherokee and offer a scholarship to train students to deliver content in the Cherokee language in New Kituwah Academy classrooms.
The Foundation supports several leadership programs that are based on the Cherokee culture. These include the following:
Tourism is a principal driver of economic development on theQualla Boundary, the homeland of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and significant funding from the Foundation has strengthened the Tribe's principal cultural attractions, including theMuseum of the Cherokee Indian,[6]Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc.,[7] theOconaluftee Indian Village,[8] and theUnto These Hills an outdoor theater.[9]
Two grantees of the Foundation, the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce and theSequoyah Fund, have been strong forces that are changing the course of local business development. The Sequoyah Fund, for example, has made low-cost loans available to merchants in the Cherokee business district for new roofs and building facades that complement the Tribe's new Riverbend development and enhance the visual appeal of Cherokee's downtown. Other Sequoyah Fund loans and support services are helping new and experienced entrepreneurs to start and expand businesses.
For many hundreds of years, it has been important to the Cherokee people that they be good stewards of the land.[citation needed] Through a community-wide planning effort begun by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation known as Generation Qualla,[10] many new green initiatives are underway, including work to make tribal buildings more energy efficient, development of a green building standard, a significant increase in local recycling, streamlining of the site review process for all construction on the Qualla Boundary, and engagement of Cherokee communities in environmental improvement projects.
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