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Indigenous Endeavors

Indigenous Endeavors empowers Indigenous communities through grant research and management, training, business services, and knowledge sharing. We support Indigenous initiatives and sustainable development with our experienced team, offering tailored solutions to build capacity for long-term success.

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meet our founder

Kim Leming is an Elder, a Citizen of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Founder of Indigenous Endeavors, LLC, and a lifetime member of the National Congress of American Indians.  She received a Bachelor’s in Business/ Marketing and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a Master’s of Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law at the University of Oklahoma. 

 

For over 25 years, she had the incredible opportunity to live in Alaska and provide solutions to the needs of various Alaska Native communities.  She would fly into a community (there are no roads to the villages) and began working with the Tribal Administrator, Council, and residents, on matters of their choice and needs.  At times, she would conduct brainstorming sessions with the community to help identify their core needs.  Once all their desires and requests were recognized, the next step was to find funding, such as grants.  Their needs could be anywhere from helping the Elders or the community as a whole.  A community usually has about 600 residents.  One is only to be able to conduct business when they are not fishing, hunting, and gathering for the winter since it would interfere with their subsistence lifestyle.  Every day was a blessing when I had the opportunity to visit a new community or return to another.
 

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kim leming

Her background entails all aspects of grant management, compliance, writing, and research for special projects for Alaskan communities.  The largest award granted was for $3.5 million for health programs and a $2.4 million Congressional line-item appropriation for a historical site in the Pribilof Islands, for the Aleut People.  She also has a background in fundraising events such as Galas, auctions, city-wide one and two-week festivals, and smaller one-day programs; public relations working with the media; specific subject research; community and economic development; business training; and cultural marketing.  This is a culmination of over 50 years of business activities.

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Expertise

Grant/Contract Administration and Management:

  • Over 25 years of experience researching, developing, and preparing grants for Alaska Native organizations.

  • Managed and administered 49 federal, state, and private foundation grant programs totaling approximately $22 million.

  • Reviewed federal government grants on Native issues for six years, providing a thorough understanding of budgets and fiscal oversight.

  • Proven ability to research, compile, and analyze data, and maintain timely correspondence with grantors and management.

Program and Fiscal Management:

  • Extensive experience in various administrative structures and levels of governmental jurisdictions.

  • Prepared, reviewed, and analyzed budgets, and provided on-site technical assistance for economic development issues.

  • Secured a $2.4 million congressional line item appropriation for a historical site rehabilitation project.

  • Expertise in handling diverse Alaska Native issues, including bulk fuel tank farms, ivory carvings, tourism, reindeer herding, historic preservation, language preservation, HUD, and subsistence.

Public Relations, Marketing, and Fundraising:

  • Experience with television, radio, newspapers, and various publications to inform the public about activities.

  • Developed and oversaw city-wide festivals and numerous special events, including fundraisers and marketing events.

  • Provided marketing assistance to Alaska Native communities, promoting traditional art sales and cultural marketing.

  • Organized and managed public relations for extensive land areas containing parks, museums, cultural centers, and senior activity centers.

Professional Writing and Research:

  •  Authored multiple research reports on topics ranging from home health care in rural Alaska to economic development perspectives and Native American art.

  •  Skilled in copywriting, editing, and proofreading.

Business Development and Strategic Planning:

  • Proven success in new business development, strategy, and researching, with a focus on economic development services.

  • Developed and executed marketing plans and budgets, enhancing visibility and community awareness.

  • Implemented strategic plans for organizational growth, evaluated long-range planning impacts, and advised on new program introductions.

  • Established strong relationships with key decision-makers and project facilitators.

Leadership and Organizational Skills:

  • Strong communication skills for effective engagement, inspiration, and persuasion.

  • Capable of multi-tasking, prioritizing, and managing time efficiently under pressure.

  • Decisive, well-organized, and self-directed team player with a big-picture perspective.

  • Energetic, forward-thinking, and creative with high ethical standards and a professional image.

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