CEDS 2023-2026 by CROPS

COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2 02 3 — 2 02 6

Published by Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Copyright © Ute Mountain Ute Tribe All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form including posting to the internet, photocopying, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.

CONTENTS Summary Background Executive Summary Chairman Heart Bernadette Cuthair Tribal Council Tribal Administration Federally Recognized Tribe UMUT CEDS Planning Committee UMUT CEDS Production Team What is a CEDS?

SWOT Analysis 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 20 23

Strengths and Opportunities

Land 26 Proud and Resilient People

Arts, Culture and Language

Grant Successes

Weaknesses and Threats

Poverty

Housing Shortage/Homelessness

Food Insecurity

Diabetes 47 Educational Attainment

Health Inequities

Social & Health Outcome Indicators

Broadband Access

Transportation 55 Water and Wastewater

Disaster Resiliency and Recovery

Strategic Direction and Action Plan

Housing 61 Education 66 Broadband 68 Food Sovereignty 70

Economic Development 74 Nuchu: Planning Our Vision 80 Consulting Partners 82 Funding Partners 83 Facilitation Partners 84 Regional Partners 85 Goals and Objectives 87

Evaluation Framework 103 Contact Information

106

S U M M A RY B ACKG R OU ND

The three-day “NUCHU: Planning Our Vision” event was held in August 2023, with tribal representatives, funding partners, and consultants brainstorming opportunities to sustainably blend need and opportunity while honoring and respecting tribal culture and traditions.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ccording to tribal histories, the Ute

To proactively seek partnership and funding

people have lived in the mountains

to address deep-rooted economic and

and vast areas of present-day Colorado,

social challenges, UMUT hosted the first-

Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma, New Mexico,

ever Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Native National

and Arizona since the beginning of

Partnership Retreat in 2015, bringing

time. Today, the Ute are divided among

state, federal and private funding partners

three reservations, the Uintah-Ouray in

together to understand the comprehensive

northeastern Utah, the Southern Ute in

needs of the Tribe and help refine tribally

Colorado, and the Ute Mountain Ute in

designed solutions to align with current

Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. Sharing

funding opportunities. Forty funding

common heritage and ancestry, but

partners attended the event, and UMUT

separated by hundreds of miles, the three

has leveraged their active participation into

Ute groups have established separate

more than $140 million in new grants over

“sister tribes” that are independently

the past eight years.

governed but coordinate to support all Ute whenever possible.

As recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues to realign priorities and needs,

Like many tribal communities nationwide,

it was time again to meet and coordinate

the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (UMUT)

with state, federal, and private partners.

reports high levels of poverty, low levels

NUCHU: Planning Our Vision was held in

of education, and unemployment rates

August 2023, with over 50 funding partners

that double state averages. Teen birth

in attendance. The three-day event allowed

rates are among the highest in the nation,

UMUT leadership and tribal members to

addiction and behavioral health challenges

explain current priorities and potential

are serious social ills, and the average life

strategies. Together, the assembled group

expectancy continues to hover at just 55

of tribal representatives, funding partners,

years. The 2,100 UMUT members face a

and consultants brainstormed opportunities

severe housing shortage, and a shortage

to sustainably blend need and opportunity

of water, healthy food, quality healthcare,

while honoring and respecting tribal culture

educational opportunities, and high paying

and traditions. UMUT hopes to generate

jobs. The UMUT believes that the most

$240 million in new funding over the next

effective and sustainable pathway towards

five years as a result of this important work.

a brighter future is the reclamation of the rich and nuanced traditions, history, and language of the Ute People.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND

CHAIRMAN MANUEL HEART

he Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s reservation is in Montezuma County, Colorado and San Juan

County, Utah. The Ute Mountain Ute people have lived on this land for over 100 years. Today, the homelands for the Weeminuche, or Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, total about 600,000 acres. The tribal lands are on what’s known as the Colorado Plateau, a high desert area with deep canyons carved through the mesas. Towaoc is secreted away southwest of Mesa Verde National Park and northeast of scenic Monument Valley. Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (UMUT) has a membership of about 2,100. Most Tribal members live on the reservation in Towaoc, with a smaller population in the White Mesa community. This is a harsh, isolated land, with no nearby cities to provide specialty services for the residents living on tribal lands. There is a severe housing shortage, widespread poverty, a shortage of water, healthy food, quality healthcare and educational opportunities and high paying jobs. Over 40% of the population live in poverty and the average

life expectancy is only 55 years in comparison to 76 years in the United States. The purpose of the 2023 Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Native National Partnership Retreat called NUCHU: Planning Our Vision was to build relationships with state, federal, and private funding partners to help identify resources to address these challenges. Eight major capital projects were prioritized and planned to be “shovel ready” in preparation for funding opportunities that will become available in the next five years.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

BERNADETTE CUTHAIR

s Planning Director for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and Interim Economic Development Specialist,

my job is to plan major infrastructure projects that will benefit our tribal members. One of my job responsibilities is to administer a five-year Partnership Planning Grant funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and produce a Comprehensive Economic Strategies Plan (CEDS) that serves as a means to engage community leaders, leverage the involvement of the private sector, and establish a strategic blueprint for regional, state, and federal collaboration. As such, I was honored to work with Chairman Heart, Reiner Lomb, and Beverly Santicola to design and develop the Tribe’s second Native National Partnership Retreat called NUCHU: Planning Our Vision. We designed NUCHU: Planning Our Vision to produce a tribally-driven plan to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of the Tribe and its neighbors. Since a large percentage of UMUT members live in poverty, all eight projects included in this 2023-2025 CEDS and planned at our Retreat on August 1-3, 2023 address the following ten root causes of poverty and their unique impact on the members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and their children: 1) lack of employment opportunities; 2) lack of quality in education and workforce development; 3) unaffordable and unattainable housing; 4) insufficient transportation options; 5) disproportionate health access and outcomes; 6) lack of consistent access to nutritionally adequate and safe foods; 7) inaccessible and unaffordable childcare; 8) unsafe environments; 9) imbalanced outcomes in the criminal justice system; and 10) lack of recognition and access within a community.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND

TRIBAL COUNCIL

he Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (UMUT) is a federally recognized tribe. The UMUT Tribal constitution

was adopted in 1940. The Tribe is governed by a seven-member elected council including a Chairman. One council member represents White Mesa, and the other members are elected at-large. The Chairman’s council seat is one of the seven seats elected through popular vote for a three-year term. The position of Vice Chairman is held by an elected Councilman, which is selected every year by the Chairman. The Tribal Council Treasurer is an elected Councilman voted annually by the Tribal Council members. Current members and officers of Tribal Council are:

Manuel Heart Chairman manuel.heart@utemountain.org

Alston Turtle

Darwin Whiteman, Jr.

Vice Chairman

Treasurer

alston.turtle@utemountain.org

darwin.whiteman.jr@utemountain.org

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

Lyndreth Wall, Sr.

Malcolm Lehi

Secretary

White Mesa Councilman

lyndreth.wall@utemountain.org

malcolm.lehi@utemountain.org

Selwyn Whiteskunk

Conrad Jacket

Councilman

selwyn.whiteskunk@utemountain.org

conrad.jacket@utemountain.org

SUMMARY BACKGROUND

TRIBAL A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

The tribal government administration is headed by a Tribal Council–appointed Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer and Legal Counsel. Government offices and facilities are concentrated in and around the community of Towaoc, although there are some government offices in White Mesa. The Tribal Administration Department provides administrative support services for tribal members and employees of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Members of the Executive Leadership Team include:

John Trocheck Executive Director jtrocheck@utemountain.org

Ronald Scott

Peter Ortego

Chief Financial Officer

Legal Counsel

rscott@utemountain.org

portego@utemountain.org

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

F E D E R A L LY R E C O G N I Z E D TRIBE

In all matters, the Tribe is a sovereign nation and determines its own course of action. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council, subject to all restrictions in the Constitution and by-laws and the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, has the right and powers to oversee the following: ■ Executing contracts and agreements ■ Engaging in business enterprise development ■ Managing Tribal real and personal property ■ Negotiating and agreeing to Tribal loans and financial instruments ■ Enacting and enforcing ordinances to promote public peace, safety and welfare The Tribe is structured as a Federal Corporation that may be used for business purposes in developing financial growth and Tribal economy. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Government Offices are headquartered in Towaoc, Colorado, 15 miles south of Cortez, Colorado, on US Highway 491/160 in Montezuma County, Colorado. The fact that the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation lies in different states can add complexity relative to political dealings, however, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is a sovereign nation and has an agreeable relationship with the states. All Tribal lands are trust lands, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council has full authority and jurisdiction regarding all issues in the political geography.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND

UMUT CEDS PLANNING COMMITTEE

Bernadette Cuthair

John Trocheck

Ronald Scott

Planning Director

Executive Director

Chief Financial Officer

bcuthair@utemountain.org

jtrocheck@utemountain.org

rscott@utemountain.org

Lee Trabaudo

Dyllon Mills

Dan Porter

UMUT Public Works/ Broadband

Kwiyagat Community Academy

Dmills@utekca.org

Dporter@utekca.org

ltrabaudo@utemountain.org

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

Nicki Green

Scott Clow

Patrick Littlebear

Marie Heart

Legal Counsel

Environmental Director

Grants & Contracts Administrator

Staff Development Coordinator

ngreen@utemountain.org

sclow@utemountain.org

plittlebear@utemountain.org

mlansing@utemountain.org

James Melvin

Miles Sturdevant

Joe Lopez

Ben Elmore

Weeminuche Construction Authority

jmelvin@wcaconstruction.com

msturdevant@wcaconstruction.com

jlopez@wcaconstruction.com

belmore@wcaconstruction.com

SUMMARY BACKGROUND

UMUT CEDS PRODUCTION TEAM

BEVERLY SANTICOLA

UMUT CEDS PRODUCER

Beverly Santicola is an award-winning film producer, social entrepreneur, idea generator, problem solver, program developer, project facilitator, public speaker, and grant writing consultant. Over the past ten years Santicola has focused her expertise and energy in the arenas of community development and collaborative partnership building for Native American Tribes. Working with a team of professional grant writers that have generated more than ONE BILLION in grant funding for clients and more than $140 million for the UMUT, she has been nationally recognized for social innovation and leadership excellence by the US Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as Encore. org as a 2010 and 2014 Purpose Prize Fellow sponsored by the Atlantic Philanthropies and John Templeton Foundation.

AMANDA SHEPLER

UMUT CEDS LEAD WRITER

Amanda Shepler has more than seventeen years of grant writing experience working full time with a wide variety of clients including Tribal Governments, School Districts, Institutes of Higher Education, Charter Schools, Municipalities, Community Based Agencies and more. She has personally won more than $100M in grants and assisted the Santicola & Company Team to win over one billion in grants. Amanda earned a Master’s Degree in History from Buffalo State College in 2006 and Bachelor of Science in Social Studies Education in 2003. Past work experience includes Substitute Teacher (2 years); Program Coordinator of Boys and Girls Club (8 years); President of Kiwanis of Tonawanda (2 years); and Board Member for Boys and Girls Club of the Northtowns (2 years). She is married with four school age children and lives in Tonawanda, New York.

ANTHONY TWO MOONS

PHOTOGRAPHER

Anthony Two Moons is an Indigenous artist and photographer of Arapaho, A:Shiwi and Diné lineages. Following his studies he started his career in New York City as a fashion photographer, and continues today as a photographer and director based in New York and working everywhere. His work has appeared in publications around the world. He is the author of multiple award winning books, including Growing Ute: Preserving The Language and Culture, volumes 1 & 2, and Wíssiv Káav Tüvüpüa (Ute Mountain Lands). Anthony recognizes the extraordinary privilege and abundance of knowledge he has gained while working with exceptional talent and experienced individuals throughout his career. As an Indigenous professional photographer and artist, equity plays a vital role in Anthony Two Moons’ work with Indigenous communities.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

SARA OVERBY

UMUT CEDS EDITOR

Sara earned a Master Degree of Public Administration from the University of Colorado in 2015, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Oklahoma State University. She worked for Colorado Health Foundation from 2010 to 2022 where she created multi-million dollar funding initiatives for strategic priorities. She brings her passions for health equity, building organizations, and creative problem solving. She began working with CROPS in 2016 and led the first partnerships between CHF and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Sara currently serves as Executive Director of CROPS — a nonprofit 501c3, that helps the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in its capacity building efforts.

MARC SANTICOLA

UMUT CEDS EDITOR

Marc H. Santicola is a retired Financial / Accounting executive with over 40 years of experience in manufacturing and the energy industry. He held various Controllership and Director of Finance positions with Fortune 500 companies (Schlumberger, Cameron International, Cooper Industries, Smith International) at the corporate, divisional and plant levels working in executive leadership, project management, financial planning, systems implementation, organizational restructuring, and divestiture. Marc holds a MBA degree from the University of Pittsburgh and is now working as a consultant with NeoFiber on the Tribe’s $40M Broadband Initiative..

SUMMARY BACKGROUND

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

W H AT I S A C E D S ? The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) contributes to effective economic development in America’s communities and regions through a place-based, regionally driven economic development planning process. Economic development planning – as implemented through the CEDS – is not only a cornerstone of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) programs, but successfully serves as a means to engage community leaders, leverage the involvement of the private sector, and establish a strategic blueprint for regional collaboration. The CEDS provides the capacity-building foundation by which the public sector, working in conjunction with other economic actors (individuals, firms, industries), creates the environment for regional economic prosperity. Simply put, a CEDS is a strategy-driven plan for regional economic development. A CEDS is the result of a regionally-owned planning process designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of an area or region. It is a key component in establishing and maintaining a robust economic ecosystem by helping to build regional capacity (through hard and soft infrastructure) that contributes to individual, firm, and community success. The CEDS provides a vehicle for individuals, organizations, local governments, institutes of learning, and private industry to engage in a meaningful conversation and debate about what capacity building efforts would best serve economic development in the region. From the regulations governing the CEDS (see 13 C.F.R. § 303.7), the following sections must be included in the CEDS document: ■ Summary Background: A summary background of the economic conditions of the region; ■ SWOT Analysis: An in-depth analysis of regional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; (commonly known as a “SWOT” analysis) ■ Strategic Direction/Action Plan: The strategic direction and action plan should build on findings from the SWOT analysis and incorporate/integrate elements from other regional plans (e.g., land use and transportation, workforce development, etc.) where appropriate as determined by the EDD or community/region engaged in development of the CEDS. The action plan should also identify the stakeholder(s) responsible for implementation, timetables, and opportunities for the integrated use of other local, state, and federal funds; ■ Evaluation Framework: Performance measures used to evaluate the organization’s implementation of the CEDS and impact on the regional economy. www.eda.gov/resources/comprehensive-economic-development-strategy

SUMMARY BACKGROUND

S WOT A N A LYSIS

STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES LAND Historically, the people of the Ute Nation roamed throughout Colorado, Utah, northern Arizona and New Mexico in a hunter-gatherer society, moving with the seasons for the best hunting and harvesting. In the late 1800’s, treaties with the United States forced them to move into Southwestern Colorado. Currently there are three Ute tribes— the Northern Ute Tribe in Northeast Utah, the Southern Ute Tribe in Southwestern Colorado and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (UMUT) in Montezuma County (Towaoc), Colorado and San Juan County (White Mesa), Utah. The UMUT people have lived on this land for over 100 years. Today, the homelands for the Weeminuche, or Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, are slightly less than 600,000 acres. The Tribal lands are on what’s known as the Colorado Plateau, a high desert area with deep canyons carved through the mesas. Towaoc is located southwest of Mesa Verde National Park and northeast of scenic Monument Valley. In addition to the land in Colorado and New Mexico, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe also has a presence in southeastern Utah, on allotted trust land. These lands, or allotments, cover 2,597 acres and are located at Allen Canyon and the greater Cottonwood Wash area as well as on White Mesa and in Cross Canyon. Some of the allotments in White Mesa and Allen Canyon are individually owned and some are owned by the Tribe as a whole. The Allen Canyon allotments are located twelve miles west of Blanding, Utah and adjacent to the Manti La Sal National Forest. The White Mesa allotments are located nine miles south of Blanding, Utah. The Tribe also holds fee patent title to 41,112 acres of land in Utah and Colorado.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

WHITE MESA

TOWAOC

U TA H

ARIZONA

SWOT ANALYSIS

COLORADO

NEW MEXICO

LAND

Tribal lands also include the Ute Mountain Tribal Park, which covers approximately 125,000 acres of land along the Mancos River. Hundreds of surface sites, cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and wall paintings of Ancestral Puebloan and Ute cultures are preserved in the park. Native American tour guides provide background information about the people, culture and history who lived in the park lands. National Geographic Traveler chose it as one of “80 World Destinations for Travel in the 21st Century,” one of only nine places selected in the United States.

Topographically, the UMUT Reservation is characterized as a high desert plateau, with the elevation ranging from 4,600 feet along the San Juan River to 9,977 on Ute Peak. Vegetation ranges from sagebrush shrubs in the lower elevations to ponderosa pine forests in the higher elevations. The Reservation includes six vegetation zones, including semi-desert grassland, sagebrush savanna, pinyon juniper woodland, mountain, chaparral, and ponderosa pine-fir-spruce-aspen. Approximately 3,800 acres of noncommercial timber forests are represented in these vegetation zones. The Reservation contains verified or potential habitat for several federally listed species of plants and animals.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

National Geographic Traveler chose the Ute Mountain Tribal Park as one of “80 World Destinations for Travel in the 21st Century,” one of only nine places selected in the United States.

SWOT ANALYSIS

LAND

Reports indicate that the Ute Mountain Ute land, as late as the 1870s, contained grasses, harvestable as hay in non-wooded areas, with sagebrush sparse or absent. This condition was changed by heavy grazing, in part due to encroachment from non-Indian livestock. Overgrazing resulted in serious range depletion, with invasion or increase of sagebrush and other undesirable species, the cutting of gullies and arroyos in the lowlands, and severe erosion in the uplands. Later reductions in livestock numbers have resulted in partial recovery of some reservation and surrounding rangelands. The Livestock Grazing Program within the Natural Resources Department was established to assist Tribal member cattlemen in developing and maintaining the best possible herds for their families.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

The climate of Four Corners region is classified as semiarid and is characterized by low humidity, cold winters, and wide variations in seasonal and diurnal temperatures. Temperature varies with elevation. The average monthly maximum temperature ranges from 39°F to 86°F, and the average monthly minimum temperature ranges from 18°F to 57°F. The highest and lowest temperatures occur in July and January, respectively. Precipitation also varies with elevation, with average annual precipitation amounts of 8 to 10 inches in the lower elevations of the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation and about 13 inches at Cortez (Butler et al., 1995). The 50-year (1948 through 1997) annual precipitation minimum was approximately 5.2 inches at Cortez (1989) and the 50year maximum was 30.8 inches at Mesa Verde National Park (1957) (EarthInfo, Inc., 2000). Average monthly precipitation varies from 0.65 inch in June to 2.00 inches in August. At the higher elevations, the monthly precipitation totals are relatively constant throughout the year with the exception of the dry season, which occurs in April, May, and June. At lower elevations, a relatively drier season occurs from April through June and a relatively wetter season occurs from August through October. Summer precipitation is characterized by brief and heavy thunderstorms. The snowfall season lasts for 7 to 8 months with the heaviest snowfall occurring in December.

UTE MOUNTAIN UTE RESERVATION MONTHLY CLIMATE AVERAGES JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

37°F

41°F

51°F

61°F

71°F

84°F

88°F

85°F

78°F

64°F

51°F

39°F

17°F

21°F

30°F

37°F

45°F

56°F

62°F

60°F

53°F

41°F

30°F

20°F

PRECIPITATION

1.5”

1.4”

1.5”

0.8”

0.9”

0.4”

0.8”

1.0”

1.4”

1.1”

1.8”

SNOW DAYS

TEMPERATURE (high/low)

Source: www.weatherwx.com/climate-averages/co/ute+mountain+indian+reservation.html

SWOT ANALYSIS

LAND

In the Four Corners region, rangeland and forest account for roughly 85 percent of the entire area, as well as the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation. Primary land uses on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation include housing for tribal members, tribal offices, natural gas, sand and gravel extraction, grazing for Tribal livestock, and business enterprises that provide jobs for its people including the following:

UTE MOUNTAIN FARM AND RANCH

www.utemtn.com

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Farm & Ranch Enterprise is a 7,700-acre productive, modern irrigated agricultural project nestled below the Sleeping Ute Mountain on Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Land in the southwest corner of Colorado. As good stewards of the land, the Tribe practice sustainable farming and use state of the art technology to grow and mill corn without GMOs. Cattle, alfalfa, and more is also raised. A majority of the farm has been dedicated to the production of alfalfa for hay. Farm & Ranch Enterprise has an excellent reputation for producing and delivering high quality alfalfa hay. All alfalfa hay produced is tested for quality enabling the customer to receive exactly what was ordered. Alfalfa bales are 3/4-ton 3x4x8 foot bales and are either stored in hay barns or under tarps immediately after baling. Care is taken in selection of good hybrid varieties of corn that thrive in this climate. Farm & Ranch has consistently ranked high in both state and national corn yield contests sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association. A modern 500,000-bushel storage facility enables Farm & Ranch to store and market grains as market situations become favorable. Ute Mountain Farm & Ranch’s source of irrigation water is the McPhee Reservoir, Colorado’s second largest man-made reservoir. Irrigation water travels 40+ miles in open canals and through siphons to reach the Farm. The reservoir is fed by the Dolores River, a tributary of the Colorado River. Although the Ute Mountain Ute, as a tribal nation, has principal water rights to this water, the Colorado River is currently overallocated and experiencing a steady long-term decline in annual flows that is affecting the entire region. This is additionally impacted by ongoing climate trends predicting warmer, drier seasons for the Four Corners area due to the geographic and meteorological location west of the Rocky Mountains. It then is guided through underground laterals to a total of 109 pivot sprinklers. Because of the elevation difference between the canal and the fields, pressure is developed as it travels to the fields enabling the use of pivot sprinklers. Modern technology enables us to monitor all irrigation systems by use of computers and cell phones in real time. Water in the southwest is a precious commodity and the efficient use of this resource is of top priority.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

UTE MOUNTAIN CASINO HOTEL

utemountaincasino.com

Ute Mountain Casino Hotel is a property of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Located in Towaoc, Colorado it’s the state’s first tribal gaming facility. The casino gaming floor is packed with over 700 slot machines, Vegas-style table games, the best Bingo Hall in Colorado, and a brandnew Sportsbook. Located 20 minutes from the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park and nestled in the shadow of the legendary Sleeping Ute Mountain, the Hotel offers Southwestern hospitality, great food, and gaming excitement! The Hotel at Ute Mountain has 90 comfortable and newly renovated rooms including Full Suites, Junior Suites, Spa Suites, a swimming pool, and a workout facility.

WEEMINUCHE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY

wcaconstruction.com

Located in Towaoc, Colorado, WCA Construction (WCA) is a wholly owned economic enterprise of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. As a Tribal enterprise WCA is dedicated to the employment, training, and development of vocational skills for tribal members and Native Americans. This policy has resulted in approximately 70% of WCA’s total workforce being Native American. WCA is a certified Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise, HUBZone, and 8(a) contractor. Additionally, WCA is a licensed contractor in civil and building trades in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. WCA’s aggregate bonding capacity is $100 million dollars with projects typically ranging in size from as small as $250,000 up to $50 Million. As a general contractor, WCA provides construction and design/build services for the public (Federal, State, and Tribal), and private clients throughout the Southwest. Our construction management team and Colorado-based support staff have diverse experience in all phases of construction and related engineering disciplines. In addition to our construction management team, WCA staff also includes a licensed civil engineer, licensed land surveyor, and WCA holds an explosives license with the ATF. WCA’s crews have completed a wide range of construction projects including heavy civil, water resources, commercial and residential buildings.

SWOT ANALYSIS

PROUD AND RESILIENT PEOPLE

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe are the Weenuche band of the Ute Nation of Indians. The two other bands, the Mouche and the Capote became the Southern Ute Tribe. The Northern Ute Bands (the Uncompahgre band, the Grand River band, the Yampa band, and the Uinta band) are located on the Uinta Ouray Reservation near Vernal, Utah. The Ute Indians are distinguished by the Ute language, which is Shoshonean, a branch of the Uto-Aztecan linguistic stock (Garcia and Tripp, 1977). Other Indians in the United States that speak Shoshonean are the Paiute, Goshute, Shoshone, and several California Tribes. The Ute are proud and resilient people. They have an intimate knowledge of the land and a strong connection to their ancestors. An unbridled spirit and optimism drive them to address the challenges they Ute Mountain Ute family at teepee c. 1915 near Navajo Springs. Courtesy Denver museum of Science and Nature, Stephen Olop Collection.

face utilizing the assets, resources and power they have as a community.

Ute Mountain Utes dancing Bear Dance c. 1915 at Navajo Springs. Courtesy Denver museum of Science and Nature, Stephen Olop Collection.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

Ute Mountain Ute named Ketch — first Ute picture taken by Earle Forrest in 1902 on the Mancos River. Courtesy Frank and Sandra Pyle Personal Papers.

SWOT ANALYSIS

PEOPLE

According to the US Census, the population of Towaoc, Colorado in 39% Male

2020 was 1,140 with 61% female and 39% male; the median resident age was 22.6, in comparison to 36.9 years for the rest of Colorado. The town of White Mesa, Utah is home for just 138 residents and 61% Female

is demographically similar to Towaoc, with local residents being characterized by high degrees of poverty and rural isolation (the nearest city with a population of 50,000 or more is nearly 200 miles away). Youth under age 18 constitute more than half the resident population at the UMUT Reservation, virtually double the proportion found in most American communities. The number of children and youth tribal

TOWAOC POPULATION 1,200 1,100

members and non-tribal members is 600. The total UMUT population between the two regions is 1,318 (63% of total UMUT membership).

GROWTH OVER TIME

1,000

In 2010, the population in Towaoc, CO was 932, representing a

900 800 2010

2020

22% increase over the last ten years. The population of White Mesa decreased from 228 to 138 people. Total UMUT membership remained fairly stable at 2,100.

WHITE MESA POPULATION

GROWTH PROJECTIONS

300

The overall Tribal population on the UMUT Reservation is expected to

200

remain consistent for the foreseeable future. The current blood quantum

100

requirement for tribal membership is 50%. Considerations for lowering the

0 2010

2020

blood quantum requirement for membership have not yet been decided.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

A R T S , C U LT U R E , A N D L A N G U A G E

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe people are determined to preserve and protect their culture and language. Two ceremonies have dominated Ute social and religious life: the Bear Dance and the Sun Dance. The former is indigenous to the Ute and aboriginally was held in the spring to coincide with the emergence of the bear from hibernation. The dancing, which was mostly done by couples, propitiated bears to increase hunting and sexual prowess. The theme of rebirth and fertility is pervasive throughout. The Sun Dance was borrowed from the Plains tribes between 1880 and 1890. This ceremony, for men only, is held in mid-summer, and the dancing lasts for four days and nights. The emphasis of the Sun Dance was on individual or community esteem and welfare, and its adoption was symptomatic of the feelings of despair held by the Indians at that time. Participants often hoped for a vision or cures for the sick. Consistent with the emphasis of this ceremony was the fact that dancing was by individuals rather than couples as was the case with the Bear Dance. Both ceremonies continue to be held by the Ute, although the timing of the Bear Dance tends to be later in the year. The Ute enjoy singing and many songs are specific to the Bear Dance and healing. The style of singing is reminiscent of Plains groups. Singing and dancing for entertainment continue to be important.

SWOT ANALYSIS

A R T S , C U LT U R E , A N D L A N G U A G E

Over the past eight years the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has produced award-winning books, films, language apps, and websites. In all the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has won more than 50 Telly, Anthem, and Webby Awards for these productions. LANGUAGE PRESERVATION PRODUCTS

Ute Online E-Learning nuuwayga.com/

Ute Online Dictionary dictionary.utelanguage.org

Ute Language Google App play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=org.utelanguage. dictionary

Ute Language Apple App apps.apple.com/us/app/ute-mobiledictionary/id1594696386

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

CULTURE AND LANGUAGE BOOKS

Growing Ute I issuu.com/a2moons/docs/ growingute_issuu_1028

Growing Ute II issuu.com/bevsanticola/ docs/growingute2

Land Changes issuu.com/bevsanticola/ docs/wi_ssiv_ka_av_tu_ vu_pu_a_08sept

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe P R O P O S A L

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

Grocery Store Capital Campaign

GROCERY STORE FOOD INCUBATOR

issuu.com/bevsanticola/docs/ cc_14june

CEDS Plan

NUCHU

issuu.com/bevsanticola/docs/ ceds_2022_0601_digital

Planning Our Vision

Retreat Report Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

issuu.com/bevsanticola/docs/umut_ nuchu_report_prf10

Building on the History, Culture, and Resiliency of Ute People

2022 TO 2024

SU M M ARY REP ORT Ute Mountain Ute Tribe “Nuchu: Planning Our Vision” Summary Report CEDS2022_COVER_Final_wSpine_0707.indd 1

SWOT ANALYSIS

7/7/2022 7:26:48 AM

A R T S , C U LT U R E , A N D L A N G U A G E

WEBSITES

Mental Health moguan.life

TIWAHE growingute.org

CROPS centerforruraloutreach.org

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

FILMS

“Our Culture is Our Strength” Film vimeo.com/516856356

“We Are Nuchu” Film vimeo.com/617401273/6cb4761591

“Escape” Film www.centerforruraloutreach.org/projects-gallery/ escape-film

“The Strength of Siblings” Film www.centerforruraloutreach.org/projects-gallery/ the-strength-of-siblings-film

PSAS Suicide PSAs

SWOT ANALYSIS

| vimeo.com/661599488 vimeo.com/661599524

Language PSA

Culture PSA

vimeo.com/521216390

vimeo.com/624082360/c1bf5dddb3

GRANT SUCCESSES

The UMUT annual operating budget, approved September 28, 2023, for FY 2024 is $104,555,097, of which 79% comes from grants and contracts and the balance comes from other revenue sources. Revenue from business enterprises has been lower in recent years following COVID and the severe drought.

TRIBAL REVENUE

The Farm and Ranch Enterprise was operating at 20% capacity for an extended period. Increasing costs for materials and labor has adversely affected Weeminuche

79%

Construction Authority and the Tribe lost significant

Grants & Contracts $104,555,097

revenues from gas and oil. Tribal revenues from its business enterprises are expected to increase in 2024-2025. Each revenue source contributes to the Tribe’s ability to function as Tribal government. Any increase in revenues results in an increase in services and improves the quality of life for Tribal members. On the other hand, any decrease in

11%

revenues severely limits the Tribe’s ability to provide Tribal

General Fund $11,292,095

members with adequate services and social programs, basic living assistance and improved living conditions. Current Grants and Contracts represent over 79% of the tribe’s

Economic Development Trust Funds $6,584,594

Per Capita Trust Funds $3,809,600

revenue. The Tribe is listed by the Internal Revenue Services in Revenue Procedure 2002-64 as an organization that may be treated as a governmental entity in accordance with Section 7871. As such, the Tribe’s income is not subject to federal income tax.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

Since 2015, following the first Ute Mountain Ute Native National Partnership Retreat, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has generated more than $140 MILLION in new grant funding. The Tribe contracts with Santicola and Company to assist in the development of award-winning proposals.

GRANT AMOUNTS BY ISSUE

SWOT ANALYSIS

2015–2023

Behavioral Health

$9,378,000

Broadband

$39,665,971

Culture

$5,362,160

Economic Development

$1,719,600

Education

$23,575,625

Energy

$2,667,497

Grocery Store

$5,096,677

Health

$8,855,403

Housing

$13,366,466

Justice

$7,730,922

Language

$391,750

Roads

$10,897,080

Water

$13,100,000

WEAKNESSES A N D T H R E AT S POVERTY One quarter of UMUT residents live below the poverty level and unemployment is more than double the state’s unemployment rate. Nearly one-in-three children on the UMUT reservation live in poverty. The estimated median household income in Towaoc is $27,656 in comparison to $75,231 in Colorado. The per capita income of $22,558 in White Mesa is about three quarters of the rest of the state $30,986 and unemployment is more than double the state rate (10.1% versus 4.8%). AVERAGE PER CAPITA INCOME Towaoc

LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE

$12,175

29.6%

Montezuma County

$28,520

12.2%

Colorado

$42,807

USA

White Mesa San Juan County

$37,638

9.6% 11.7%

$20,018

40.4%

$21,318%

Utah

21.2% $33,378

USA

8.8% $37,638

11.7%

One-in-three children on the reservation live in poverty

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

H O U S I N G S H O R TAG E S / H O M E L E S S N E S S

HOUSING RENOVATION PROJECTS DATE

TIWAHE

CHFA

DOLA

CHF

TOTAL

The housing shortage

5/21/2019

$88,763

on UMUT lands is

5/21/2019

$30, 910

devastating. Families

9/12/2019

$1,238

WANT to live on the

9/12/2019

$68,936

reservation to take

9/12/2019

$67,675

advantage of tribal

6/29/2021

$144,798

6/29/2021

$139,193

benefits such as

9/14/2020

$106,950

10/7/2021

$80,933

3/7/2022

$3,321

tribal services such

3/7/2022

$2,888

as health care, social

proximity to family support systems and

10/7/2021

$25,412

services, and cultural

10/7/2021

$32,200

programs. As of

8/26/2022

$186,899

April 14, 2023 there

10/31/2022

$73,624

are no properties to

3/31/2023

$141,074

6/17/2023

$59,929

$141,074 $39.477

9/30/2023 Total

$27,899

$127,299

TBD $ 735,605

$ 258,615

$ 300,000

$27,899

$ 1,322,113

buy or rent at any price on the UMUT reservation. Housing in the communities immediately

surrounding UMUT lands are beyond the financial means of Tribal members. To solve this challenge, families “double up,” sometimes reaching four separate families living in the same structure. The current list of families awaiting affordable housing opportunities includes applications from 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2013 – families that have been living in unsafe, overcrowded conditions for over a decade. The aging housing stock of the UMUT reservation further complicates this issue, leaving families in homes with leaking roofs, faulty wiring, broken gutters, and plumbing challenges that lead to mold. In 2019, the Colorado Health Foundation (CHF), Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), and Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) donated $300,000 each for a total of $900,000 in hopes the tribe could make emergency health and safety repairs to 12 homes at approximately $75,000 per home. The Bureau of Indian Affairs Tiwahe Initiative also granted $734,604 over three years for housing improvements. Eighteen homes were renovated for a total of $1.3M and one additional home will be completed in FY 2023. The average cost per home is $80K and some have exceeded $140K. See table below: The Tribe envisions prioritizing building high-quality, multi-generational housing to retain elders/disabled persons in their home through a Tribal Care System. This is expected to bring additional cost advantages considering it costs $5,000+ per month to maintain an elder or disabled person in a nursing or rehabilitation facility. SWOT ANALYSIS

FOOD INSECURITY

The USDA defines “Food Desert” as a tract in which at least 100 households are located more than one-half mile from the nearest supermarket and have no vehicle access, or where at least 500 people or 33% of the population live more than 20 miles from the nearest supermarket, regardless of vehicle availability. Both UMUT Reservation communities of Towaoc and White Mesa qualify as food deserts, which the USDA defines as parts of the country with low levels of access to fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. Tribal residents in Towaoc must travel 20 miles or more to reach the nearest full-service grocery store. This distance is difficult for all Tribal members, but particularly devastating for the 32% of residents who utilize SNAP benefits to purchase groceries. The only option for food in Towaoc is the Travel Center, which sells food typical of an interstate truck stop, or at the Casino Hotel.

Safeway Walmart

TE D

RIV

City Market

Woody’s

25 M

INU

Family Dollar

TOWAOC Ute Mountain Travel Center

UTAH

ARIZONA Beclabito Express

NU 35 MI

Teec Nos Pos Trading Post

IV TE DR

COLORADO

NEW MEXICO

Shiprock Express City Market Walmart Safeway

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

DIABETES

The Center for Disease Control reports Native Americans have a greater chance of having diabetes than any other US racial group.1 The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe serves a Native American population battling obesity, prediabetic conditions, and Type II diabetes at rates People with diabetes have 2.3X higher annual medical costs than people without diabetes, with an average of $9,601 in diabetes-related expenses per year.

far greater than any other subpopulation in the nation. Across the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, obesity impacts entire families and burdens children with unhealthy lifestyle habits before they reach their 10th birthday. Young adults are diagnosed with preventable Type II diabetes before they reach middle age, and Elders struggle to self-monitor and maintain healthy A1C levels. Without access to fresh foods and healthy ingredients needed to prevent and address diabetes among the older generations, younger generations do not build the knowledge, skills, and habits they need to prevent diabetes, creating an intergenerational successive pattern that continues to intensify. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reports a life expectancy of 55 years – more than 20 years fewer than the average American. The 2016 UMUT Community Health Assessment states one in four tribal members have Type II Diabetes. Over 70% of adults and 50% of youth are struggling with obesity. HEALTH DISPARITIES UMUT

MONTEZUMA COUNTY

COLORADO

USA

Obesity Rate

70.0%

22.3%

23.0%

39.8%

Type II Diabetes

25.0%

6.9%

7.4%

10.0%

Life Expectancy

55 Years

77.6 Years

80.2 Years

78.5 Years

The best practice to prevent and manage Type II diabetes is to maintain a healthy diet. Research shows that grocery stores with abundant fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products result in healthier choices for consumers. Diabetes Journal reports that a person diagnosed with diabetes at age 40 will have $211,400 additional lifetime medical expenses. The estimated lifetime cost of treating and living with diabetes for an individual who has had diabetes for 50 years is $395,000. In 50 years, 500 Tribal members with diabetes will spend a collective $197.5M on treatment alone. This robs the Tribe of collective resources which could be better spent on healthy food, education, and higher quality of life. The root causes of health disparities related to diabetes among the Ute Mountain Ute are complex and intrinsically linked to the history of Native Americans in modern America. Solutions must be equally comprehensive and culturally specific. Devastating health challenges related to widespread obesity, prediabetic conditions, and diabetes can be overcome. 1

SWOT ANALYSIS

https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aian-diabetes/index.html

E D U C AT I O N A L AT TA I N M E N T

In Fall 2021, 63% of parents of Native American students indicated they do not believe “All student’s cultures are acknowledged and respected in school.”

On a national scale, Native Americans lag in attainment of higher education. For example, only 16% attain a degree compared with 33% country wide. Similarly, only 5% of UMUT Tribal members have a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 35% in the state of Utah and 42% in Colorado. Further 76% of Tribal members have a high school diploma compared to 93% in the state of Utah and 92% in Colorado. Though a substantial number report having attended some college, the graduation rates remain stagnant (SWCAHEC). At this time, the vast majority of UMUT children are bused to Montezuma Cortez schools, a journey that can take nearly an hour in each direction. Against all standard measures, Ute students demonstrate a desperate need for culturally aligned educational options. For generations, traditional public-school assessments have shown Ute youth are far behind non-tribal peers in academic performance. The Montezuma Cortez School District RE-1 Report on the Progress of American Indian Students from October 2021 shows the following statistics:

NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN COMPRISE…

27%

of all student enrollment

11%

of students in Gifted and Advanced classrooms

36%

of students in Special Education classrooms

50%

of all student suspensions

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UMUT CHILDREN ■ VERSUS NON-TRIBAL AFFILIATED STUDENTS ■

54% 41% 23%

12% <3% Met reading and writing standards for Grades 3 and 5

Met math standards for Grade 4

30%

17% <3% Students reading at grade level

Met standards in reading and writing

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

Although Montezuma Cortez School District RE-1 offers K-12 education, approximately 33% of UMUT high school students attend various boarding schools around the county, such as Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, Oklahoma, due to suspensions and a need for alternative options. The Kwiyagat Community Academy (KCA) Charter School provides an alternative to the county’s schools by offering a curriculum interwoven with Ute history and culture. The school is focused on individual connection in small classroom settings with many outdoor experiences and hands-on learning practices. Students at public schools say they are bullied and treated as second-class citizens. The public school system is primarily interested in “using the tribal students or tribe” as a number to substantiate a need for more grant funding and programs rather than providing real help. Native American students who are failing will often drop out or in some cases, actually pushed out, whereby they have little alternative except to pursue GED certificates rather than pursue high school diplomas and must contend with the dropout stigma in pursuit of higher education. Caught in the stigma of low self-esteem, many Indian students continue their downward spiral applying for entry-level jobs at either the Tribal casinos or one of the other enterprises/departments within the Tribe. Individuals and families suffer from the effects of educational under-attainment, extensive drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and crime. UMUT Tribal Human Resources reports show that Tribal workers are too heavily under-educated. Of the 657 Tribal members and other Native Americans currently working full-time for the Tribe, approximately 250 have not completed a secondary diploma. Based on temporary worker intake forms, the number of adults lacking a secondary-level diploma in Towaoc is as high as 600. Poor overall academic proficiency levels and extraordinarily low high school graduation rates among UMUT youth are further indicators of this critical lack of college and career-readiness.

There can be little doubt that the current educational system is failing Ute children. SWOT ANALYSIS

E D U C AT I O N A L AT TA I N M E N T

As noted, both UMUT Tribal communities are highly rural with no nearby population centers that offer college degree or industry certification opportunities. While 2017 survey results show that community members are nearly unanimous (91%) in agreement that some form of post-secondary education is essential for personal and/or Tribal economic uplift, the lack of public transit and too few personal vehicles (estimated at one operable vehicle for every four work-age adults) make commuting to a college or training center unusually difficult, costly, and stressful. Further, 80–90% of high school graduates don’t have the financial means or transportation to attend college. And while the Tribal Council provides fully funded scholarships, many students are emotionally or academically unprepared for it. The distance from the Tribal reservation to qualified post-secondary institutions, workforce centers, or educational nonprofits are in the range of 25 to 65 miles — with no intermediary services between. The nearest accredited internship program is more than 70 miles away in New Mexico. Even when these facilities are reached, the resources often prove extremely limited in scale or reliability, due to fiscal starvation. To combat these challenges, the UMUT is coordinating with the Statewide Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC), the Southwest Regional Transportation Planning Commission (SWTPR), and the Colorado Department of Transportation ti identify opportunities to support transportation to local colleges for tribal members.

80–90%

of high school graduates don’t have the financial means or transportation to attend college

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

According to a 2015 education-related survey of UMUT Tribal residents 43% say that lacking funds for childcare has prevented their efforts to further their education. The most frequently cited reason from students who drop classes or trainings in Towaoc, according to follow-up calls, is “having to work so we could eat.” Among adults using Ute Mountain Learning Center resources, 92% of “currently-employed” participants reported they were seeking classes to improve their earnings potential and/or job standing (promotability). Fewer than 18% of respondents indicated that they were prepared for collegiate reading (and concomitant critical thinking) and less than 5% were ready for collegiate math.

Distance to Towaoc (miles)

Distance to White Mesa (miles)

Full-Time Enrollment

San Juan College, Farmington, NM

64.3

120

5,112

Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO

61.5

112

3,631

Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO

240

198

7,671

Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, CO

214

259

2,023

Adams State University, Alamosa, CO

207

257

2,805

Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs, CO

335

293

3,463

University of Phoenix-Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM

232

287

2,335

Snow College, Ephriam, UT

321

279

3,224

Colleges & Universities

SWOT ANALYSIS

H E A LT H I N E Q U I T I E S

Approximately 41% of Tribal members do not have health insurance. Teen birth rates are among the highest in the nation, and the likelihood of low birth weight is significantly higher than averages for other regions. Teen suicide has reached epidemic levels among the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. In August 2016, just one week into the new school year, the Tribe lost a high school Junior — a popular young man with a bright and promising future. In November 2016, the community lost another child to suicide, a young lady just beginning her high school career. In early 2020 there were two completed suicides and five attempts by teen girls and boys. Historically, UMUT sees an average of 2-5 youth suicides per year, but this doesn’t tell the whole story. Reported rates do not consider UMUT youth living OffReservation attempted suicides, drug overdoses, or those did not rule an “obvious” suicide.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

S O C I A L & H E A LT H O U T C O M E I N D I C A T O R S

Montezuma County, CO

Premature Death (per 100,000 residents)

San Juan County, UT

Nationwide Benchmark

9,079

7,193

5,317

Poor Health

15.0%

14.0%

10.0%

Low Birth Weight

7.3%

6.4%

6.0%

Uninsured

22.0%

23.0%

11.0%

Children in Poverty

26.0%

33.0%

14.0%

Teen Birth Rate (per 100,000 residents)

Towaoc is a Medically Underserved Population (GOV MUP) and is also a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Similarly, White Mesa is also a designated HPSA and MUP (score of 41, ID #03535) According to County Health Rankings and Roadmaps website www. countyhealthrankings.org, in terms of overall health outcomes, social and economic factors, both Montezuma County, Colorado and San Juan County, Utah rank poorly in comparison to other counties in their respective states. Key indicators are shown in the table above. Montezuma County and San Juan County report risk factors that are higher than state and national averages across a wide range of indicators. Ute Tribal Members live in communities where residents are far more likely to be in poor health, and to be without health insurance. For those who are insured, coverage doesn’t guarantee access to needed services. Living a long distance from providers, not being able to find providers who accept some insurer’s relatively low reimbursement levels or navigating the system to attain a referral and prove challenging to receiving treatment. The alarming concerns surrounding Native American child and adolescent health came into the spotlight upon President Obama’s visit to South Dakota’s Sioux tribe in 2014. The Department of Justice followed up with a report on his findings noting Native children’s unhealthy exposure to violence. This, combined with a toxic collection of pathologies — poverty, unemployment, domestic violence,

Suicide among Native youth is

2.5

times the national rate.

sexual assault, alcoholism and drug addiction — has seeped into the lives of young people living on the UMUT Reservation. The report was followed by the White House’s 2014 Native Youth Report on the state of education in Indian Country. Combined, the reports reveal trends of overwhelming poverty, epidemic suicide, combat-level rates of PTSD, and low educational attainment amongst UMUT youth. To exemplify the severity of the issue, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Native youth aged 15-24 and occurs 2.5 times the national rate; 1 in 5 Native youth report having considered suicide.

SWOT ANALYSIS

BROADBAND ACCESS

Access to high-speed broadband internet on the UMUT Reservation is limited, at best. Accessibility issues are similar in both Towaoc and White Mesa. According to data obtained from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2017, 54.71% of the UMUT Reservation does not have access to any providers of broadband internet. FCC figures show that only 45.29% of the UMUT Reservation has access to one or more broadband providers. No area of the Reservation has access to multiple providers. According to the FCC, the term broadband refers to high-speed Internet access that is always on and faster than the traditional dial-up access. Broadband includes several highspeed transmission technologies such as:

■

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

■

Cable Modem

■

Fiber

■

Wireless

■

Satellite

■

Broadband over Powerlines (BPL)

It is important to note that in 2015, the FCC tasked with overseeing the rules that govern the internet raised the standard for broadband to 25 megabits per second from 4 Mbps, while raising the upload speed to 3 Mbps from 1 Mbps. Using these new standards, no area of the UMUT Reservation has access to high-speed broadband internet. The lack of highspeed internet further exacerbates poverty, health and educational inequities because it limits access to distance learning and telemedicine services.

During COVID-19 UMUT students had to sit in cars in a parking lot to get homework assignments. A Comprehensive Broadband Plan was developed in 2020-2021 and is included in the Covid-19 Recovery and Resiliency Plan section of this Plan.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

Transportation is limited on the Reservation with the main mode of transportation being the personal car and the Tribal transit system. The transit system consists of one van run on a fixed five-day schedule and the casino shuttle that delivers riders for employment purposes. There is no easy way to get to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation, and no easy way for tribal leaders to get to Denver or Washington, DC to meet with state and federal legislators and funding partners. In addition, there is no easy way for the Tribe’s 2,100 members to access many vital resources, specialty medical care, or educational opportunities. Even travel to the tribes Farm and Ranch Enterprise for employees and residents is more than 20 miles one way on a dirt road.

Towaoc is located in the southwest corner of Colorado, near the Four Corners Monument connecting the four states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. The transportation network serving the region is limited due to topographical constraints, sparse population and the distance between urban areas. No interstate highway systems traverse the area; however, several interstate highways connect urban areas that have secondary feeder roads that serve the rural areas. These include Highway 491 north to Cortez and south to Shiprock and Gallup, New Mexico; Highway 160 to Teec Nos Pos, Flagstaff and Phoenix, Arizona; and Colorado Highway 41 to White Mesa and Blanding, Utah. Currently, no major railroad lines serve the region; the nearest being Gallup, New Mexico, 124 miles to the south. Small commercial airports are located in Cortez, Durango and Farmington, with even smaller limited-service airports located in other communities.

SWOT ANALYSIS

WAT E R A N D WA S T E WAT E R

The Reservation is serviced by several logistically placed sewer lagoons and all wastewater is disposed into these lagoons. Recent expansion of the lagoons has increased service and long-term capabilities of the wastewater program. There were five major main supply breaks in 2016 alone along the 27 miles of pipeline connecting Towaoc to the water treatment facility in Cortez. Because the three-water tower/tanks in Towaoc can only store approximately 24 hours’ worth of water, this is a critical health issue on the reservation and served as a spark for an array of large and small-scale planned water infrastructure improvements. The people living on the reservation in White Mesa, Utah have it even worse. On a highdesert bench overlooking Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah, what began as a mill built to break down rock and process natural uranium ore has become a commercial dumping ground for low-level radioactive wastes from contaminated sites across America and the world. Haul trucks headed for the mill have splattered radioactive sludge along the route the children of the nearby Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s White Mesa Reservation community travel to school. Plumes of contaminants, including nitrate and chloroform, have been detected in the groundwater beneath the mill. The mill also emits radioactive and toxic air pollutants that can travel off-site, including radon, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide. For decades, the mill’s unconventional business model — pocketing $ millions in exchange for processing and disposing of hundreds of millions of pounds of radioactive waste — has

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

flown largely under the public’s radar. Piecing together the public records of these wastes connects the White Mesa Mill to some of the most infamously contaminated places in the country. At the recent NUCHU: PLANNING OUR VISION Native National Partnership Retreat, one resident of White Mesa told over 50 funding partners the story of how the water in White Mesa has caused him and his wife serious health problems.

“My health and life expectancy has significantly been adversely impacted by the water in White Mesa and I worry that I won’t live long enough to see my children graduate from high school or dance at their weddings. My wife and I both have lumps on our bodies we never had before. I’ve had two back surgeries recently and need to use a scooter to get around.” Although the Ute Mountain Ute, as a tribal nation, has principal water rights to this water, the Colorado River is currently over-allocated and experiencing a steady long-term decline in annual flows that is affecting the entire region. This is additionally impacted by ongoing climate trends predicting warmer, drier seasons for the Four Corners area due to the geographic and meteorological location west of the Rocky Mountains.

SWOT ANALYSIS

DISASTER RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY

The following infrastructure initiatives were included in our Disaster Recovery and Resiliency Plan and have progressed significantly since our last CEDS report. These projects were prioritized to address the most critical issues on the reservation that are ‘shovel ready’ and can be implemented immediately with completion or partial completion in 12 months. Prioritization factors included the following: 1. Number of jobs created and retained 2. Environmental and sustainability factors 3. Number of people who will benefit from these improvements

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

I N F R A S T R U C T U R E I N I T I AT I V E # 1

HOUSING There has been a family housing shortage on the UMUT Reservation of approximately 200 homes for over 20 years. The estimated $1M in funding allocated annually does not keep up with the growing needs of the Tribe. Many of the existing homes are in major disrepair. Multiple generations are living in one household in unsafe and unhealthy living conditions. The Tribe needs an estimated $25 million to build 100 new homes and repair 100 existing homes for its members. In the DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN, the Tribe prioritized housing and began aggressively seeking funding to 1) repair homes; 2) construct new homes; and 3) build a housing factory on the reservation. In 2022 to 2023, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe decided to move the Housing Authority (TDHE) to a Housing Department under Tribal Council and the Executive Director. The table below shows grants awarded (or pending) to build homes in 2024-2025: Funder

Amount

HUD

$2,000,000

5 duplexes (10 homes)

HUD

$2,000,000

5-6 single family homes

CHFA

$500,000

CHF

$500,000

HUD

$2,000,000

Purpose

Match for 5 duplexes above Invitation for housing funding in 2024 Congressional Directed Spending Request for Sober Living * * Pending but forwarded to Congress to be included in 2024 budget.

This project is ‘shovel ready’ and will create and retain at least 20-50 jobs.

DISASTER RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY

HOUSING

A Housing Retreat was conducted in May 2023 and the graphical recordings are below.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

DISASTER RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY

HOUSING

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

DISASTER RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY

I N F R A S T R U C T U R E I N I T I AT I V E # 2

E D U C AT I O N Kwiyagat Community Academy (KCA), a new charter school authorized by the Charter School Institute (CSI) in November 2020 and approved by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council in January 2021, opened in August 2021 with 27 kindergarten and first grade students. The opening of KCA marked the first time since the Indian Boarding School era of 1940’s a public school operated on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation. The school has a mission to “ensure an educational program where the Nuchiu (Ute) culture and language guides the educational experience and is characterized by small class sizes with an interdisciplinary, indigenous, and project-based approach that results in high academic expectations and desired character skills, personal wellness, and community involvement.” KCA plans to grow by 15-20 students each year, adding one grade each year, until the school has between 90-120 students by the 2025-26 school year. Plans have been designed to not only build the school, but also construct an entire educational campus.

The project is ‘shovel ready’ and will create a minimum of 50 jobs.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

REC CENTER & COMMUNITY WELLNESS CENTER WITH SUNDECK

VOLLEYBALL & BASKETBALL COURTS

FUTURE MEDICAL EXPANSION AREA

EXPANDED PARK/ MULTI-USE EVENT SPACE

FUTURE COMBINED ADMIN SPACE

POWOW GROUNDS

VETERANS PARK

MIKE WASH RD

SUNSET BLVD

SPRUCE ST

CULTURAL SPACE/ OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

HEADSTART

FUTURE SKATE PARK EXISTING BIKE PARK

FUTURE HOUSING

N ST

PLAY

COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER WITH SUNDECK

K-5

GARDEN

NEW MODULARS

REE CHIEF G

PLAY

GARDEN

PLAY

6-8

SCHOOL BUS DROP OFF

PLAZA

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM 9-12

GARDEN

~180’ BUFFER

PLAZA

DROP-OFF AREA

FUTURE FIELDHOUSE

GARDEN MULTI-USE FIELD

RESTROOMS/ CONCESSIONS

VOLLEYBALL & BASKETBALL COURTS EXISTING ROADS FUTURE ROADS PROPOSED NEW BUILDINGS

FUTURE TRIBAL COLLEGE

EXISTING BUILDINGS TO REMAIN NEAR FUTURE MODULAR BUILDINGS

100’

DISASTER RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY

200’

I N F R A S T R U C T U R E I N I T I AT I V E # 3

BROADBAND The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe developed a Broadband Plan and began applying for broadband grants during and following COVID. To date, the Tribe has generated over $40M with the technical assistance of Diane Kruse, CEO of Neo Fiber, Inc. The grants, purpose and maps for the broadband projects are below:

GRANT

PURPOSE

AMOUNT

NDN Collective

Planning Grant

$50,000

US Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development

Planning Grant

$49,800

US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA)

Fiber from Cortez to Towaoc, CO

$3,211,117

State of Colorado Broadband Grant

Fiber to Homes in Towaoc, CO

$3,451,171

Colorado Health Foundation (CHF)

Fiber to Homes in Towaoc, CO

$1,150,390

State of Colorado, Office of Information Technology

Fiber from Cortez, CO to UMUT in CO including Mancos Creek, Rodeo Grounds, Tribal Visitors Center, Wireless Implementation and UMCE Building Improvements

$9,818,198

US Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA)

Fiber to White Mesa, UT, Teec Nos Pas, Aneth, Farm and Ranch

$22,727,874

The project is ‘shovel ready’ and will create a minimum of 25 jobs. 68

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

PLANNING GRANTS Completed and led to nearly $40M in additional funding • NDN Collective $50,000 • BIA/IEED National Tribal Broadband Initiative $49,800

UTAH

COLORADO

ARIZONA

NEW MEXICO

FIBER TO TOWAOC, CO • Economic Development Administration (EDA) $3.2M — Fiber from Cortez to Towaoc, CO • State of CO Broadband Grant $3.5M — Fiber to all homes, businesses and Tribal facilities in Towaoc, CO • Colorado Health Foundation $1.1M — Fiber to all homes, businesses and Tribal facilities in Towaoc, CO

EDA — 1 1.5 miles of fiber from Cortez to entrance to Towaoc State of CO/CHF — Fiber built to 424 homes, businesses and Tribal facilities within Towaoc

UTAH

COLORADO

ARIZONA

NEW MEXICO

UTAH

COLORADO

ARIZONA

NEW MEXICO

KEY FIBER ROUTES AND ADDITIONAL CONNECTIONS • State of Colorado $9.8M — Fiber construction from Towaoc to the Tribal Visitor’s Center, and fiber to Mancos Creek, Rodeo Grounds new development and UMCE Building Improvements and Carrier Neutral Location facilities.

FIBER TO 4 CORNERS REGION AND WHITE MESA • National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) $22M — Fiber expansion in the 4 Corners Region, from the Tribal Visitor’s Center to Teec Nos Pas, Aneth UT, Farm and Ranch and fiber to all homes, businesses and Tribal facilities in White Mesa Utah.

DISASTER RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY

UTAH

COLORADO

ARIZONA

NEW MEXICO

I N F R A S T R U C T U R E I N I T I AT I V E # 4

FOOD SOVEREIGNTY As a result of COVID-19 when it was challenging for members to access food off reservation, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe began working on a grocery store, workforce innovation center, and cultural space. The unique aspect of this project is that the Tribe is utilizing shipping containers in Phase 1 of the construction project and will repurpose them when the facility is expanded and built out in Phase 3 or Phase 4. Preliminary drawings are below: The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has won over $5M in grants for Phase 1 of the Project and submitted a request of $2M to complete Phase 1 with Indian Community Development Block Grant. Groundbreaking and ribbon cutting events are scheduled for fall 2023.

The grocery store project is ‘shovel ready’ with $15M in funding and will create an estimated 40-50 jobs.

Phase I

Phase II 70

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

PROGRAM CHF

USDA LFPP

AMOUNT

PURPOSE

$1,000,000

Support for a food and economic incubator hub located on the reservation in Towaoc. The hub will be a source of healthy food, workforce training and entrepreneurship development, serving as a pathway to building a full-service grocery store. The hub will tart and grow Native-run businesses, including a produce stand/grocery, market provision, commercial ditchen, coffee shop, butcher/deli, classroom space, and a fabrication lab featuring light manufacturing equipment.

$198,112

Support the development of a regional and native food supply chain through a feasibility study, implementation plan, and pilot project. It will also support the UMUT’s collaboration with producers and food system organizations in the Four Corners Region to source local healthy food for its members.

EDA

$2,929,574

Develop a shipping container food and economic incubator hub to launch and grow many of the businesses that could later become pillars of the future grocery store.

FNDI

$32,000

Establish operations team for the Food and Economic Incubator Hub, hire Food System Coordinator and Program Manager, establish partnerships with food and farm businesses, begin Hub construction and design.

Gates 1

$15,000

Predevelopment planning support for the UMUT grocery store.

Gates 2

$75,000

FEED Towaoc food and economic incubator hub support.

USDA CFP

$354,528

Develop grocery store, launch FEED Business Accelerator and Incubator Program, and strengthen community food system in Towaoc, surrounding region, and native country.

Harris & Frances

$25,000

Support the UMUT Food Sovereignty: Grocery Store, Native Food Incubator, and Indigenous Agriculture project.

Reinvestment Fund

$200,000

Pre-development for the grocery store, including community engagement, store design and layout, grocery store workforce development program design, and architectural designs.

USDA RBDG

$270,000

Funding will support two major business development goals including 1) comlete a business plann for grocery store, 2) support organizational development in the form of technical assistance in marketing, store layout and eesign, and supply chain development, 3) conduct site planning and design for grocery store, and 4) conduct site engineering and environmental review for grocery store.

Total

$5,099,214

Other DISASTER RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY PLANS were further developed at the NUCHU: PLANNING OUR VISION Native National Partnership Retreat and are included in our CEDS Goals and Objectives.

DISASTER RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

As noted, the town of Towaoc is in Montezuma County (Colorado) while the community of White Mesa is in San Juan County (Utah). A profile of the two counties is below.

SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH The economy of San Juan County employs 5,702 people. San Juan County’s economy includes mining, quarrying, oil & gas extraction, agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, arts, entertainment and recreation. The largest areas of employment are in business, management, science & arts (1,850), service occupations (1,267), sales & office work Poverty rate:

22.8% (Utah 9.1%)

(944), natural resources, construction & maintenance (868) and production, transportation & material moving (773). The median household income is $49,690 which is roughly twothirds of the amount in the state of Utah ($74,197). Poverty rates are 22.8% which is more than double the rate in the state of Utah (9.1%). The income inequality of San Juan County (measured using the Gini index) is 0.48 which is higher than the state of Utah at 0.43.

total land area:

7,819.99 square miles

population density:

1.9 individuals/square mile

population 2010:

14,745

population 2020:

15,295

population growth:

+3.73%

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO The economy of Montezuma County employs 11,492 people. Montezuma County’s economy includes mining, quarrying, oil & gas extraction, agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, arts, entertainment and recreation. The largest areas of employment are in business, management, science & arts (3,703), service occupations (2,572), sales & office work (2,554), natural resources, construction & maintenance (1,603) and production, transportation & material moving (1,060). The median household income is $50,717 which is roughly two-thirds of the amount in the state of Colorado ($75,231). Poverty rates are 12.4% which is twenty-seven percent higher than the state of Colorado (9.8%). The income inequality of Montezuma County (measured using the Gini index) is 0.42 which is lower than the state of

Poverty rate:

12.4% (Colorado 9.8%)

Colorado at 0.46. The Southwest Colorado Region is also home to hundreds of nonprofit organizations. Annually, more than 450 tax-exempt organizations in Southwest Colorado file a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This number includes both organizations that are not 501(c)(3) and those with no revenue. Of these, about 180 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the region report annual revenue. Some organizations had millions in revenue, while others drew in a few hundred dollars. No matter the amount, each revenuereporting organization contributes

total land area:

2,029.53 square miles

population density:

12.6 individuals/square mile

population 2010:

25,541

population 2020:

26,266

more than $20 million deposited

population growth:

+2.84%

in local banks and earned a

to the regional economy. Collectively, these nonprofits have

combined $106,405,627 in revenue last year. Nonprofits in the region collectively employ more than 1,400 local residents.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DEMOGRAPHIC COMPARISONS San Juan County, UT

Montezuma County, CO

AGE & GENDER DEMOGRAPHICS Children Under the Age of Five

7.2%

5.4%

Persons Under 18 Years

29.3%

21.6%

Persons 65 Years+

14.9%

22.9%

Male Residents

50.0%

49.3%

Female Residents

50.0%

50.7%

White, not multiracial

47.8%

82.1%

Black or African American

0.4%

0.5%

American Indian and Alaska Native

49.0%

14.1%

Asian, not multiracial

0.6%

0.7%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

0.1%

Two or More Races

2.1%

2.5%

Hispanic or Latino

5.8%

12.6%

White, not Hispanic or Latino

44.3%

72.1%

Foreign-born

0.8%

3.5%

Language other than English spoken at home

39.3%

12.6%

532

2,082

Persons with a Disability Under 65

12.5%

12.6%

Persons without Health Insurance

22%

23%

High School Graduate or higher, Age 25 Years+

84.2%

90.2%

Bachelor’s Degree or higher, Age 25 Years +

17.5%

27.0%

Housing Units, July 2019

6,064

12,422

Owner-Occupied Housing Unit Rate

78.1%

70.6%

Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing Units

$128,700

$238,200

Median Monthly Owner Costs – With a Mortgage

$1,320

$1,327

Median Monthly Owner Costs – Without a Mortgage

$308

$346

Median Gross Rent

$720

$802

Households

4,577

10,521

Persons Per Households

3.25

2.47

92.0%

87.5%

ETHNICITY DEMOGRAPHICS

PERSONAL DEMOGRAPHICS

Veterans

HOUSING

Building Permits, 2020

Living in Same House One Year Ago

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

San Juan County, UT

Montezuma County, CO

EMPLOYMENT Total Employment 2020

3,004

6,517

Total Annual Payroll, 2020 ($1,000)

100,120

244,776

Total Employment Percent Change 2019-2020

-0.7%

-0.2%

Total Non-Employer Establishments

830

2,403

All Firms

1,010

2,798

Men-Owned Firms

464

1,549

Women-Owned Firms

320

808

Minority-Owned Firms

198

186

Non-Minority-Owned Firms

771

2,348

Veteran-Owned Firms

186

Non-Veteran-Owned Firms

870

2,500

*49037*

*08083*

Percent of Population in Civilian Labor Force, Total Age 16 Years+, 2016-2020

57.7%

56.8%

Percent of Population in Civilian Labor Force, Female Age 16 Years+, 2016-2020

52.7%

23.0%

Total Accommodation and Food Service Sales ($1,000)

65,036

82,231

Total Health Care and Social Assistance Receipts/Revenues ($1,000)

76,029

109,308

Total Manufacturers’ Shipments ($1,000)

49,855

Total Merchant Wholesaler Sales ($1,000)

72,634

Total Retail Sales per Capita

69,740

349,933

Mean Travel Time to Work (Minutes)

$4,593

$13,760

21.6

20.1

$20,088

$26,564

Persons in Poverty

18.6%

12.9%

Total Employer Establishments, 2020

249

749

FIPS Code

Median Household Income (in 2020 Dollars) Per Capita Income in Past 12 Months (in 2020 Dollars)

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

Through its Farm and Ranch Enterprise (FRE), the Tribe currently has

7,640 acres under irrigation.

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

TARGET INDUSTRIES & CLUSTERS Deposits of sand and gravel are prolific and widespread throughout the reservation. Gravel is being extracted from several large operating pits for use as an aggregate source on the reservation for Tribal road construction. Production from these pits averages about 50,000 cubic yards per year. The Tribe is exploring the feasibility of developing a sand and gravel enterprise that could take advantage of the reserves commercially. Sand, gravel and bentonite reserves offer immediate economic rewards for such a Tribal enterprise. However, an inventory of Reservation reserves, a management program and a rotation of site use is necessary for planning and monitoring of these extractions to protect this valuable resource. The Ute Mountain Ute range land resources are significant. Of the 553,008 acres of reservation lands in Colorado and New Mexico, approximately 429,234 acres are classified as range land suitable for livestock and approximately 123,774 acres are considered non-range land (barren land or river wash) or habitat for game only (rough, broken and very steep lands). The fee patent tract lands are defined as mountain ranches and provide summer range for livestock. The White Mesa and Allen Canyon allotments are classified as range land. The actual production value of Tribal range lands depends upon climatic condition, soil type, availability of water, and management practices. Agricultural uses of the range land have been traditionally limited on the reservation. With the completion of the Dolores Water Project, water has been delivered to the Ute Mountain Reservation after decades of only sparse ground water availability. Through its Farm and Ranch Enterprise (FRE), the Tribe currently has 7,640 acres under irrigation. This marketoriented agricultural enterprise is one that maximizes successful commercial ventures in addition to providing year-round employment for Tribal Members. As completed, our state-of-the-art farm features 109 center pivot sprinkler plots, ranging in size from 40 to 140 acres each. The FRE is always at work testing and experimenting with new crops. Currently, a new sweet corn production facility has been developed, it will allow the FRE to add value to this product and market it directly to retailers. Thus, developing a stronger agricultural product with a higher margin will ensure future income.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

NUCHU: PLANNING OUR VISION

On August 1-3, 2023, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe conducted its second Native National Partnership Retreat called NUCHU: PLANNING OUR VISION, modeled after the first retreat in 2015 that produced and community development plan and $140M in new grants over 8 years. Over 90 planning partners attended the CEDS strategic planning retreat in August with 21 tribal leaders (CEDS Planning Team),

HOUSING Rehabilitation, Multi-Family, Single Family, Service Based

GROCERY STORE Workforce Innovation Center

C ISI

K-16 EDUCATION Kwiyagat Community Academy

HEALTHCARE FACILITY EXPANSION Primary, Vision, Dental, Behavioral Health

G OA L 1

Má Nurni Káán (Homes)

$85M

G OA L 2

Nuchu Cultural Center & Market

$14M

G OA L 3

Kwiyagat Community Academy (KCA)

$20M

G OA L 4

Mógúán Health and Wellness Clinic

$40M

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

10 consulting partners, 11 facilitators, and 50 funding partners. In the first two days of the retreat UMUT leaders that comprise the CEDS Planning Team refined goals and objectives, and on the third day presented the plans to funding partners to help align projects with funding opportunities. The NUCHU VISION is below:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Housing Factory for Jobs, Housing, Revenue

RENEWABLE ENERGY Solar Energy for Independence, Jobs, and Economic Development

CH IO

TRANSPORTATION Paving UMU 201 Anneth Road to Farm & Ranch

CORTEZ–TOWAOC WATERMAIN REPLACEMENT Housing and Community Development

G OA L 5

Economic Development (Housing Manufacturing)

G OA L 6

Towaoc Community Solar

$6–11M

G OA L 7

Paving UMU 201 Aneth Road

$41.5M

G OA L 8

Cortez-Towaoc Watermain Replacement

$46M

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

15M

C O N S U LT I N G P A R T N E R S

Hillary Fulton

Richard Fulton

Matt Balka

fulton_r@fortlewis.edu

mbalka@fsa-ag.com

hillary@hopeful.consulting

Kate Kowalski

Heather McDaniel

Tim Reinen

Horrocks

Reinen Consulting, LLC

kate.kowalski@horrocks.com

heather.mcdaniel@horrocks.com

tim@reinenconsulting.com

Colin Daly

Carlos Romo

Fort Lewis College

Horrocks

Souder Miller Associates colin.daly@soudermiller.com

FSA Advisory Group

Horrocks

Souder Miller Associates carlos.romo@soudermiller.com

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

F U N D I N G PA R T N E R S ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEALTH FOUNDATION

Varonica Wagner

Julie Hinkson

AMERICORPS MOUNTAIN REGION

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

varonica.wagner@acf.hhs.gov

Amy Busch

julie@rmhealth.org

Jill Sears

ABusch@cns.gov.

JSears@cns.gov

BIA DIVISION OF ENERGY AND MINERAL DEVELOPMENT

Albert Bond

albert.bond@bia.gov

Kevin Carey

Kevin.Carey@bia.gov

Shayla Hagburg Shayla.Hagburg@ssa.gov

Ivy Heuton

Ivy.Heuton@ssa.gov

STATE OF COLORADO BROADBAND OFFICE

Duane Matt

duane.matt@bia.gov

Kristen Perry

kristen.perry@state.co.us

BIA DIVISION OF WATER AND POWER, SAFETY OF DAMS BRANCH

STATE OF COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL AFFAIRS

Chad Krofta

Jacquelyn Stanton

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND SOUTHWEST WORKFORCE CENTERS

STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF HOUSING

Ray Lucero

Shirley Diaz

COLORADO ENERGY OFFICE

STATE OF COLORADO OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

chad.krofta@bia.gov

jacquelyn.stanton@state.co.us

ray.lucero@state.co.us

Christine Berg

christine.berg@state.co.us

shirley.diaz@state.co.us

Issamar Pichardo

issamar.pichardo@state.co.us

Jeff Kraft

Greg Thomason

Ida Mae Isaac

jeff.kraft@state.co.us

Idamae.isaac@state.co.us

SUBSTANCE ABUSE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE ADMINISTRATION

COLORADO HEALTH FOUNDATION

Traci Pole

Emilie Ellis

EEllis@coloradohealth.org

Khanh Nguyen

knguyen@ColoradoHealth.org

COLORADO HOUSING AND FINANCE AUTHORITY

Jerilynn Francis jfrancis@chfainfo.com

Chris Lopez

cslopez@chfainfo.com

COLORADO RURAL WORKFORCE CONSORTIUM

Traci.Pole@samhsa.hhs.gov

greg.thomason@state.co.us

Dr. Charles Smith

Charles.Smith@samhsa.hhs.gov

US CENSUS

Kimberly Davis

Kimberly.Ann.Davis@census.gov US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE —FARM SERVICE AGENCY

Brandon Terrazas

Suzie Miller

Brandon.Terrazas@usda.gov

suzie.miller@state.co.us

US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE — RURAL DEVELOPMENT

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

Irene Etsitty

Debby Rehn

Robert McElroy

Allison Ruiz

Caleb Seeling cseeling@eda.gov

Trent Thompson tthompson@eda.gov

HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Cherri Pruitt

allison.ruiz@usda.gov

Amy Mund

US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

HUD Cheryl.R.Cozad@hud.gov

robert.mcelroy@usda.gov

Debby.Rehn@usda.gov

amy.mund@usda.gov

Cpruitt@hrsa.gov

Cheryl Cozad

irene.etsitty@usda.gov

Lori L. Roget

Lori.L.Roget@hud.gov

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES

Naomi Azulai

Naomi.Azulai@ihs.gov KEYSTONE POLICY CENTER

Ernest House, Jr. ehouse@keystone.org

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION REGION 8

Gina Espinosa-Salcedo gina.espinosa-salcedo@dot.gov

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

Lily Griego

lily.griego@hhs.gov

Amy Horrell

amy.horrell@hhs.gov

US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR — EEOC

Patricia McMahon patricia.mcmahon@eeoc.gov US FOREST SERVICE

Sherry Fountain sherry.fountain@usda.gov

Kristin Schmitt

kristin.schmitt@usda.gov

US SENATE

Max Hayes

Helen Katich

Senator Bennet’s Office

Senator Hickenlooper’s Office

max_haynes@bennet.senate.gov

Helen_Katich@hickenlooper. senate.gov

FA C I L I TAT I O N PA R T N E R S

Dr. Melita “Chepa” Rank

Center for Rural Outreach & Public Services

Laura Marchino Lewis Region 9 Economic Development District

Marc Santicola Santicola & Company

cheparank@gmail.com

laura@region9edd.org

Jessica Thurman

Caleb Seeling

Trent Thompson

cseeling@eda.gov

tthompson@eda.gov

Montezuma County Economic Development jthurman@co.montezuma.co.us

Economic Development Administration

mhsanticola@outlook.com

Economic Development Administration

Naomi Azulai

Indian Health Service Naomi.Azulai@ihs.gov

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

R E G I O N A L PA R T N E R S

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is one of the largest employers in Montezuma County. As such, our commitment is to support economic development throughout Southwest Colorado, UMUT maintains contact with and collaborates with a range of local stakeholders, including:

Montezuma

Southwest Colorado Small

Region 9 Economic Development

County

Business Development Center

District of Southwest Colorado

City

Town

City

of Cortez

of Mancos

of Durango

La Plata

La Plata County Economic

County

Development Alliance

In addition, UMUT collaborates with dozens of local, regional, statewide and national nonprofits and governmental agencies as shown above.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

BEFORE

AFTER

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY OF HOUSING STOCK ON THE UMUT RESERVATION OBJECTIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

TIMELINE

FUNDING AMOUNT/ RESOURCE

Horrocks

1.1

HDR

By the end of Year 1, complete Comprehensive Master Plan and Housing Plan for Towaoc and White Mesa.

Native Strategies Reinen Consulting Planning Department

September 30, 2024

$250,000 USDA

September 30, 2024

$281,000

$250,000 CHFA

Region 9 CROPS

1.2

Tiwahe Initiative

By the end of Year 1, rehabilitate a minimum of 7 unsafe and unhealthy homes.

WCA

1.3 By the end of Year 1, construct at least 5 multi-family homes (duplexes) for 10 families.

Planning Department

Housing Department Reinen Consulting Horrocks

September 30, 2024

WCA

Tiwahe Initiative

By the end of Year 2, rehabilitate a minimum of 7 unsafe and unhealthy homes.

WCA Planning Department

September 30, 2025

$2,000,000

HUD (CDS)

$500,000 CHFA

$300,000 CHFA $300,000

CHF

$2,000,000

HUD (CDS)

Housing Department

By the end of Year 2, construct at least 5 single family homes for 10-30 members based on 2-6 people per household.

Housing Department

1.6

Mógúán Behavioral Health

By the end of Year 2, construct 1 Sober Living multi-unit facility to serve 5-10 clients returning from substance rehabilitation.

Housing Department

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

$300,000 DOLA

Housing Department

1.4

1.5

BIA

Reinen Consulting Horrocks

September 30, 2025

WCA

Reinen Consulting Horrocks

September 30, 2025

$500,000 CHFA

$2,000,000

HUD (CHS)

WCA

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTY FOODS ON THE UMUT RESERVATION OBJECTIVE

2.1 By the end of Year 1, begin groundbreaking for Nuchu Cultural Center and Market/ Workforce Innovation Center.

RESPONSIBILITY

Reinen Consulting Native Strategies

By the end of Year 1, complete the business plan and begin construction Phase 1.

Reinen Consulting

By the end of Year 1, hire Value Chain Coordinator.

2.4 By the end of Year 2 hire 20-30 operational staff.

2.5 By the end of Year 2, install shelving and stock inventory.

Native Strategies

$822,640

USDA

$2,929,574

EDA

$347,000

Foundations

September 30, 2024

$5,099,214

From Above

September 30, 2024

$5,099,214

From Above

September 30, 2025

$7,000,000

For Phase 1 Completion

September 30, 2025

$7,000,000

For Phase 1 Completion

September 30, 2025

$7,000,000

For Phase 1 Completion

September 30, 2025

$7,000,000

For Phase 1 Completion

September 30, 2024

Planning Department

Horrocks Reinen Consulting Native Strategies Planning Department

2.6

Horrocks

By the end of Year 2 begin selling fresh foods on the UMUT reservation.

Reinen Consulting

2.7

Horrocks

By the end of Year 2 open Workforce Development Center and Cultural Center

Reinen Consulting

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

CHF

Planning Department

Horrocks

FUNDING AMOUNT/RESOURCE

$1,000,000

Horrocks

2.2

2.3

TIMELINE

Native Strategies Planning Department

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

INCREASE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR K-16 STUDENTS OF THE UMUT OBJECTIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

TIMELINE

FUNDING AMOUNT/RESOURCE

3.1 By the end of Year 1, identify site location and complete architectural design for Kwiyagat Community Academy. (KCA)

3.2 By the end of Year 1, complete the fund development plan and business plan.

KCA Staff Tribal Council

3.3

KCA Staff

By the end of Year 2, begin groundbreaking KCA.

Tribal Council

3.4

KCA Staff

By the end of Year 2, begin construction of KCA school for 100 students.

Tribal Council

3.5 By the end of Year 2, increase student attendance and decrease suspension rates for K-12 students by 10%.

3.6 By the end of Year 2, increase distance learning opportunities for K-16 students in Towaoc and White Mesa by increasing broadband access.

3.7 By the end of Year 2, identify location and complete architectural design for UMUT educational campus for cradle to grave learning.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

September 30, 2024

$20,000,000

TBD

September 30, 2024

$20,000,000

TBD

September 30, 2025

$20,000,000

TBD

September 30, 2025

$20,000,000

TBD

September 30, 2025

$20,000,000

TBD

$22,000,000

NTIA

$9,800,000

State of Colorado

$1,150,000

CHF

$3,400,000

DORA

$3,000,000

EDA

$40,000

TBD

Contractors

KCA Staff Tiwahe Initiative

KCA Staff Tiwahe Initiative Broadband Team

September 30, 2025

Tribal Council Planning Department Tiwahe Initiative

September 30, 2025

Higher Education Contractors

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

EXPAND ACCESS TO QUALITY INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE ON THE RESERVATION OBJECTIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

TIMELINE

FUNDING AMOUNT/RESOURCE

In six months determine services, partners, and potential renters/ service providers to provide primary, vision, dental and behavioral health services.

Tribal Council AAIHB Planning Department Indian Health Services Mógúán Behavioral Health

June 30, 2024

$40,000,000

TBD

Tribal Council AAIHB Planning Department Indian Health Services Mógúán Behavioral Health Contractors

September 30, 2024

$40,000,000

TBD

Tribal Council Planning Department Indian Health Services Mógúán Behavioral Health Contractors

September 30, 2024

$40,000,000

TBD

Contractors

June 30, 2025

$40,000,000

TBD

Tribal Council Planning Department AAIHB

September 30, 2025

$40,000,000

TBD

Tribal Council AAIHB Planning Department Indian Health Services Mógúán Behavioral Health USDA Grant Consultants Financial Experts by CHF

September 30, 2025

$40,000,000

TBD

Indian Health Services

September 30, 2026

$40,000,000

TBD

Mógúán Behavioral Health

September 30, 2026

$40,000,000

TBD

Indian Health Services

September 30, 2026

$40,000,000

TBD

4.1

4.2 By the end of Year 1, confirm site location.

4.3 By the end of Year 1, complete the design and engineering.

4.4 By the end of Year 2, begin construction.

4.5 By the end of Year 2, pursue 638 designation.

4.6 By the end of Year 2, secure sustainability through grant writing, third party billing, and other revenue streams.

4.7 By the end of Year 3, open dialysis clinic

4.8 By the end of Year 3, relocate Mógúán Behavioral Health for Expansion

4.9 Relocate Indian Health Services, Diabetes, and other service providers.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

INCREASE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CREATE HIGH PAYING JOBS FOR MEMBERS OF THE UMUT OBJECTIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

TIMELINE

FUNDING AMOUNT/RESOURCE

September 30, 2024

TBD

September 30, 2024

TBD

September 30, 2024

TBD

September 30, 2025

TBD

Tribal Council Planning Director

5.1

Housing Director

By end of Year 1, explore housing factory options for building a facility on UMUT lands to create 50-100 jobs.

WCA CHFA CHF Financial Consultants Horrocks Reinen Consulting

5.2

Tribal Council

By the end of Year 1, explore renewable energy production facility options on UMUT lands to create 25-50 jobs.

Planning Director

5.3 By the end of Year 1, explore broadband economic development opportunities on UMUT lands to create 10-100 jobs.

5.4 By the end of Year 2, begin development of at least one new economic development investment to create a minimum of 25 -50 jobs.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

Environmental Director WCA Financial Consultants

Tribal Council Planning Director UMCE Financial Consultants Neo Fiber

Tribal Council Planning Director Region 9 WCA CROPS Financial Consultants

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

EXPAND RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS ON THE RESERVATION OBJECTIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

TIMELINE

FUNDING AMOUNT/RESOURCE

September 30, 2024

$6,000,000–$11,000,000 TBD

September 30, 2024

$6,000,000–$11,000,000 TBD

September 30, 2024

$6,000,000–$11,000,000 TBD

September 30, 2025

$6,000,000–$11,000,000 TBD

September 30, 2026

$6,000,000–$11,000,000 TBD

6.1 By the end of Year 1, select location and complete predesign of solar plant operations to include EA, NEPA, PER, and estimated costs.

Tribal Council Environmental Director Planning Director WCA

6.2

Tribal Council

By the end of Year 1, identify 3-5 funding partners for $6$11M solar plant project.

Environmental Director

6.3

Tribal Council

By the end of Year 1, finalize cost of materials and secure funding for solar plant project.

Environmental Director

6.4 By the end of Year 2, request proposals for construction and break ground.

Planning Director WCA Financial Consultants Fund Development Consultants

Planning Director WCA Financial Consultants Fund Development Consultants Tribal Council Environmental Director Planning Director WCA Financial Consultants Fund Development Consultants

6.5

Tribal Council

By the end of Year 3, complete construction of solar plant and create 10-25 jobs.

Environmental Director

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

Planning Director WCA Financial Consultants Fund Development Consultants

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

INCREASE SAFETY OF ROADS ON THE UMUT RESERVATION UMU 201 ANETH ROAD OBJECTIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

TIMELINE

FUNDING AMOUNT/RESOURCE

WCA

June 30, 2024

$41,500,000

TBD

WCA

September 30, 2024

$41,500,000

TBD

WCA

June 30, 2025

$41,500,000

TBD

WCA

September 30, 2025

$41,500,000

TBD

WCA

September 30, 2026

$41,500,000

TBD

7.1 In six months, complete Phase 1 construction.

7.2 By the end of Year 1, complete EA and PER for Phase 2 road paving of Aneth Road.

7.3 In 18 months complete 2 more miles of asphalt on Aneth Road.

7.4 By the end of Year 2, complete Phase 3 design.

7.5 By the end of Year 3, complete 5 miles of paving annually to complete 20 mines in 4 years on Aneth Road.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ACTION PLAN

100

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

PROVIDE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS ON THE UMUT RESERVATION OBJECTIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

8.1

Planning Director

By the end of Year 1, apply for a minimum of 6 grants for water and wastewater improvements in Towaoc and White Mesa.

Grant Writer

8.2

Planning Director

By the end of Year 1, complete EA and PER for water and wastewater projects on reservation.

Public Works

8.3

Planning Director

By the end of Year 3, complete construction of 20 miles of watermain replacement.

Public Works

TIMELINE

FUNDING AMOUNT/RESOURCE

September 30, 2024

$46,000,000

TBD

September 30, 2024

$46,000,000

TBD

September 30, 2026

$46,000,000

TBD

USDA IHS

EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

MONITORING PERFORMANCE

The UMUT works with contract partners to assist in tracking and reporting key performance metrics across multiple grant-funded programs and initiatives. This team collaborates with individual program managers in collecting, analyzing and reporting both quantitative and qualitative data.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

104

DATA SOURCE

Number of jobs created after implementation of the CEDS

Reports created by individual program managers and internal data from the economic development department.

Number and types of investments undertaken on the Reservation

Reports created by individual program managers and internal data from the economic development department.

Business formation & expansion on the Reservation

Reports created by individual program managers and internal data from the economic development department

Workforce development on the Reservation

Reports created by individual program managers and internal data from the economic development department

Changes in the economic environment of the Reservation

Annual stakeholder surveys

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2026

Partners will work with the UMUT Economic Development Department to track and report on attainment of each of the identified performance measures. All data is collected quarterly. In terms of resiliency, UMUT has considered both steady-state economic resilience and responsive economic resilience. The current employment numbers are below for measuring increases in employment.

ENTITY

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

Tribal Government

297

Farm and Ranch

Casino and Hotel

473

Ute Mountain Communications Enterprise

Weeminuche Construction Authority

100

Kwiyagat Community Academy

TOTAL

EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

916

Over

50%

are Native American

105

C O N TAC T I N F O R M AT I O N

106

Bernadette Cuthair

Beverly Santicola

Planning Director Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

President Santicola & Company

125 Mike Wash Road Towaoc, CO 81334

3211 Annandale Drive Presto, PA 15142

bcuthair@utemountain.org

bevsanticola@outlook.com

970.238.0129

281.224.1443

UMUT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2023–2025