First Nations Development Institute Receives Support from Comcast Valued at $1 Million-Plus

LONGMONT, Colo., Jan. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) today announced it has received $20,000 from the Comcast Foundation to fund production of video public service advertisements (PSAs), plus $1 million worth of airtime from Comcast to broadcast the PSAs.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130103/DC31913)

The grant from the Comcast Foundation is in recognition of Comcast's commitment to the communities where its customers and employees live and work.  Since its founding in 1999, the Comcast Foundation has distributed more than $123 million in cash support of programs implemented locally in Comcast communities.  First Nations is headquartered in Longmont, Colo., near Denver, and it serves Native American communities throughout the United States.

"This is truly a visionary gift to us," noted Michael E. Roberts, president of First Nations.  "There is such an urgent need in American Indian communities for the economic development work that we do, but we can only grow our reach, capacity and successes by building more public awareness and understanding of the issues involved with Native American communities.  This grant will be a huge step toward creating that heightened awareness and understanding, plus hopefully attracting more charitable dollars for our efforts."

Bill Black, vice president and executive director of the Comcast Foundation, said, "First Nations is universally recognized as the longtime leader in economic development in Indian Country, and Comcast is proud to be their partner in this important initiative. Comcast and the Comcast Foundation are committed to helping improve communities nationwide so that everyone, regardless of economic circumstances, has an opportunity to pursue a better life."

First Nations hopes to launch its PSA campaign early in 2013 in selected Comcast cable TV markets around the United States, after first producing the spots locally with Comcast's production funding.

About First Nations Development Institute
First Nations works to "Strengthen American Indian Economies to Support Healthier Native Communities" by improving economic conditions for Native Americans through technical assistance and training, advocacy and policy, and direct financial grants in five key areas:

• Financial and investor education
• Combating predatory lending
• Native American business and asset development
• Strengthening Native American nonprofit organizations
• Improving Native food systems and health.

First Nations supports economic development projects across the U.S. for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities. Founded in 1980, First Nations began its national grantmaking program in 1993.  Since then, it has provided $18.9 million in grants to 814 Native programs and projects in 36 states. The organization works to restore Native American control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own – be they land, human potential, cultural heritage or natural resources – and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native American communities. 

About the Comcast Foundation
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified nonprofit organizations. The foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities.  The foundation has three community investment priorities – promoting community service, expanding digital literacy, and building tomorrow's leaders.  Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $123 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves.  More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.

CONTACT:
Randy Blauvelt, First Nations Senior Communications Officer
(303) 774-7836 or [email protected]

Katie Lubenow, Comcast
(215) 286-5691 or [email protected]

SOURCE First Nations Development Institute