Indigenous Peoples Working Group
The Indigenous Peoples Working Group (IPWG) seeks to promote Indigenous leadership through programs and initiatives which link the socially responsible investment (SRI) industry and Native communities.
Latest News
The National Congress of American Indians, the largest organization representing tribal government interests in the United States, passed a resolution at its annual meeting that encourages tribes to incorporate sustainable investment guidelines. Resolution #ABQ-10-018 is a step towards empowering tribal asset owners to utilize their investments for change and the Indigenous Peoples Working Group congratulates NCAI on its passage of the resolution. For information on how to implement the resolution, we recommend asset managers read our guide "Creating a Sustainable World: A Guide to Responsible Stewardship of Tribal Assets".
Mission
The Indigenous Peoples Working Group (IPWG) of US SIF seeks to bring together Native and Non-Native communities in the area of socially responsible investing. IPWG partners with Native American organizations and leaders in order to achieve this goal. It works to coordinate research, outreach, education, and advocacy around investment issues that affect indigenous peoples’ cultures and communities.
Steering Committee
- Susan White, Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin Dept. of Trust (co-chair)
- Jan Bryan, CFP® (co-chair)
- Carla Fredericks, Milberg LLP
- Steven Heim, Boston Common Asset Management
- Stephanie Leighton, Trillium Asset Management
- Reed Montague, Calvert Investments
Resource for Responsible Stewardship of Tribal Assets
“Creating a Sustainable World: A Guide to Responsible Stewardship of American Indian Assets” discusses how American Indian financial portfolios can add socially responsible investment (SRI) strategies into the management of assets. Readers will learn more on how their investment dollars can build wealth and work for positive economic, environmental and social changes.
Click here for guide and additional resources.
Conferences
The Indigenous Peoples Working Group has hosts and helped organize one-day conference events that bring together American Indian leaders and SRI practitioners to share and learn from one another on socially responsible investment (SRI) issues in their communities. The conference is designed for treasurers, chief financial officers, tribal leaders, portfolio managers and others in the responsible investment field.
Certified Financial Planner™ Scholarship
The US SIF Foundation has created a scholarship fund to enable a Native American student to take the College for Financial Planning comprehensive On-line Mentor course of instruction. This course prepares students to pass the Certified Financial Planner® Certification Examination. This accreditation has become one of the standard requirements for entry into a very competitive field, and the College of Financial Planning provides one of the best processesto train for the CFP exam and forthe practice of financial planning. Additionally, as part of our mission we seek awardees with a committment to socially responsible investing.
Click here for more information on the scholarship.
2009 Scholarship Recipient
Jason Campbell, Arete Development Group 
As an educator, businessman, consultant, outdoors-man, and enrolled member of the Spokane Tribe, Jason Campbell is an active player for positive change in Indian Country.
In 1994, Mr. Campbell graduated from Washington State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with an emphasis in Small Business Development. Upon graduation, Mr. Campbell seized an opportunity with a small literacy company called Read Right Systems in Washington State to fulfill his desire to create positive change. The 14 years that Mr. Campbell spent with Read Right Systems served as an invaluable period of professional growth and development. In 2008, Mr. Campbell maintained full responsibilities in his position with Read Right Systems while simultaneously earning a Master of Business Administration degree from the American Indian Entrepreneurship program at Gonzaga University.
In 2008, Mr. Campbell extended himself beyond Read Right Systems and launched his own consulting firm. Arete Development Group was created with a mission to serve as a small business development support to Tribes, Tribal entities, public, charter, and BIA schools. Arete Development group has positioned itself to be a small business incubator for native entrepreneurs on or near reservations. Arete Development Group is targeting the professional development of native entrepreneurs in conjunction with Tribal entities as well as VoTech programs in Tribal colleges. Current efforts are centered around Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete products that are sustainable and contribute significantly to LEED project certification in residential, commercial, and municipality applications.
In addition, Mr. Campbell is presently the advisor and Director of Education and Training for the Native Affairs and Development Group in Washington, D.C., which is an organization founded to serve Native Americans. His interest and excellence in project development, management, and team assembly is being utilized in cultivating collaborative solutions to support the empowerment of Indian Country.
Additional Guides & Resources
First Peoples Worldwide released a report on the history of investing in American Indian societies in North America, highlighting some of the first social investors on record:
The Histories of Social Investing & Indigenous Peoples.
A presentation on Native Americans and Shareholder Activism was given by Susan White, IPWG co-chair, along with Sr. Susan Mika, a Benedictine Sister and Jonny Bearcub, Business Manager at Native Energy. Each panelist covered issues affecting Native American or indigenous populations and how shareholder activism is used to affect change.
For more information, contact Sylvia Panek - spanek(at)ussif.org.