Where: Shiprock Chapter of the Navajo Nation, Shiprock, New Mexico

Problem: Rural and Native communities struggle to maintain economic sustainability.

Solution: Building Rural Economies staff provided training and assistance to help Tribal community members and entrepreneurs access U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) funding.

Shiprock, New Mexico is a census designated place in San Juan County, on the Navajo Reservation. The population is just more than 8,150, with $24,951 median household income.

RCAC Building Rural Economies program staff hosted two community workshops in Shiprock, New Mexico. State Rep. Anthony Allison and more than 40 participants from the Shiprock Chapter of the Navajo Tribe, local and regional organizations, and USDA RD attended the full-day workshop. The participants learned about the WealthWorks economic development model; identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the community’s economy; and defined the various stakeholders’ roles in building value chains that will be analyzed in future workshops. The participants agreed that it is time to become a Native City of the Future and is now working on an economic development plan.

Potential economic opportunities identified during the workshop include: developing vacant land adjacent to the new hotel site to attract tourists; enhanced marketing for the Shiprock Pinnacle; and enhancing the Shiprock Chapter’s ability to generate and keep local tax revenue to support economic development efforts.