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Question:
We have recently developed a non-profit organization to assist in addressing community issues of a small community in the Navajo Nation. Being remote, their needs are many and resources few - 40% lack electricity and/or running water, the nearest medical care is over 50 miles away, alcohol and drug abuse is high, unemployment is high, etc. Do you have any examples of other Native American communities or organizations with which we could exchange information? Cultural and social norms are significantly different than what you would typically encounter in non-Navajo communities and require altering Toolbox materials. Thanks.
Answer:

 Hello Mr. Loomis,
First, I apologize for the delay in replying. I attempted to get in touch with some contacts in the Navajo Nation and with some organizations that often work with people from from the Navajo Nation. Unfortunately, I did not receive substantive responses. Thus, I will be responding based on my own experience in the region. 
My first question would be: with whom in the Navajo Nation did you work to develop the nonprofit? Any initial contacts you made will serve you much better than folks from outside the Navajo Nation. As they and other Tribal peoples have had many negative experiences with outside organizations, even those genuinely seeking to help, your best strategy is to build on your existing relationships and bridge those to new ones. You mention utilities, medical care, substance abuse, and unemployment--all issues with which the Navajo Nation grapples with at multiple levels. It is important to work with existing Tribal government agencies and organizations to be successful, otherwise your work will likely face soft or hard opposition. I'm making the assumption that you included significant input from community members and Tribal leadership before launching. If this is not the case, it isn't too late to do so. Without such input and participation, I don't believe you will have much success and will be putting scarce resources to poor use.
For some potentially helpful general ideas on assessing community needs and resources [which we encourage you to tailor to the local community as needed], see:

And this related toolkit:

A good resource for participatory planning is here (again, must be adapted for the particular community):
https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/analyze/where-to-start/participatory-approaches/main
Even if you end up hearing exactly the same things from the community that you already believe to be core issues, you will gain insights into priorities, local assets, what has previously been tried, and what people's attitudes are toward outsiders coming into the community to do work. You will hopefully also meet more people that can act as guides within the community that are less likely to reject your resources. I also cannot stress enough how important it is to contact Tribal agencies responsible for working on the issues this community faces to see how you can work alongside them. Without such connection, I would predict significant challenges. 
If you have gained significant community input into your planning process and have connections to Tribal agencies, keep offering usable resources in which they have expressed interest. The process of creating meaningful and fruitful relationships is a challenge in any community, but is especially hard in communities that have experienced so much hardship at the hand of outside people--often people claiming great benefit to the community. It is a tall mountain to climb, but there are people likely willing to help you find a path. I found that Tribal government representatives were more experienced liaising with outside organizations and had a more balanced view of the possibilities. 
If you are further along in the process, I still suggest getting feedback. It will help you know where you are and where you need to go. Please see the following resource and ask other agencies working within the Navajo Nation how they gain feedback and what elements from the toolbox seem appropriate. 
https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/structure/strategic-planning/obtain-constituent-feedback/main
I also suggest reading the following to have a clear plan for sustainability. This should have abundant opportunity for community ownership and input. It should also show that you are not a flash-in-the-pan and will be working in the long term. Otherwise, your work will likely be seen as another unsustainable effort that will fade in time. 
https://ctb.ku.edu/en/sustaining-work-or-initiative
https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/sustain/long-term-sustainability/sustainability-strategies/main
I wish you all the best in your work.
Sincerely,
Courte and the Community Tool Box team

Question Date: Fri, 06/11/2021