Wind River Indigenous-based Economy Recompete Plan
*2023-2024 Recompete Implementation Funding Awardee and Strategy Development Grant Recipient
Application Title: Wind River Indigenous-based Economy Recompete Plan
Lead Applicant: Wind River Development Fund
State(s) Served: Wyoming
Applicant-Defined Region: Wind River Indian Reservation in Fremont County, west-central Wyoming
Contact: Paul Huberty (paul@wrdf.org) 970-889-8808
The Wind River Indigenous-based Economy Recompete Plan, led by the Wind River Development Fund, will receive approximately $36 million to catalyze an indigenous-led eco-tourism economy on the Wind River Reservation and in Fremont County, Wyoming. Persistent poverty, restricted tribal assets, and the community’s remote geography have impeded business investment and the creation of living wage jobs for residents. To tackle these barriers, the coalition proposes holistic investments in ecotourism, cultural preservation, workforce development, indigenous agriculture, health care expansion, and land sovereignty. These strategies aim to create new growth opportunities by growing the indigenous-led economy and accessing the robust tourism industry in nearby National Parks.