Grant will go towards development of the Native Edge portal

November 9, 2017MESA, AZ – The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (The National Center) was recently awarded a $75,000 grant from the UPS Foundation. The National Center will use the grant to further develop and promote the Native Edge portal – the organization’s innovative online platform that connects Native job seekers with employers and provides interactive educational business content to its users. The UPS Foundation drives global corporate citizenship and philanthropic programs for UPS (NYSE:UPS).

“The National Center is honored to have the support of The UPS Foundation as we further develop the Native Edge portal,” said Chris James, National Center President and CEO. “UPS and The UPS Foundation have been tremendous partners with our organization through the years and have shown incredible corporate leadership. We look forward to continuing this partnership as we work to provide yet another valuable tool to Native American businesses and entrepreneurs.”

The Native Edge portal is an online community designed to be a one-stop-shop for doing business in Indian Country. It has four distinct components:

• The Hire Edge, which helps Native American business owners find employees, and job seekers to find potential employers. It also helps Corporate Diversity Recruiters exceed their diversity goals by matching them with Native American workforce.

• The Native to Native (N2N) Edge community allows businesses and entrepreneurs to network with each other and initiate new relationships.

• The Training Edge, which provides business owners and their employees with interactive tools and training sessions to help in their professional development.

• The Procurement Edge, which is a database for both federal and corporate procurement opportunities, and also allows for Native-owned businesses to partner and team with each other.

  Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, GA, The UPS Foundation identifies specific areas where its backing clearly impacts social issues. In support of this strategic approach, The UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: volunteerism, diversity, community safety and the environment.

  In 2016, UPS and its active and retired employees invested more than $116.6 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

  “The UPS Foundation is honored to support the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s mission to increase economic development and entrepreneurship in Native American and Alaska Native communities,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPS. “Our goal is to fund powerful programs that make a lasting difference to the global community.”

  About The National Center: The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. With over 40 years of assisting American Indian Tribes and their enterprises with business and economic development – we have evolved into the largest national Indian specific business organization in the nation. Our motto is: “We Mean Business For Indian Country” as we are actively engaged in helping Tribal Nations and Native business people realize their business goals and are dedicated to putting the whole of Indian Country to work to better the lives of American Indian people- both now… and for generations to come.

  CONTACT: Lewis Lowe, 202-333-2234 lewisl@strategies360.com