Little Earth, the nation’s only urban housing development with American Indian preference, is launching a ten-year capacity building and program development initiative that builds on the stunning transformations now underway in the community. From decreased crime to increased resident activism, Little Earth residents and board have vowed to move away from a dependence mode toward self-determination. Outcomes of this ten-year Little Earth initiative include increasing: the parental involvement in children’s education; pre-school enrollment rates; high school graduation rate; employment rate; community safety; resident involvement; home ownership; and earned income.

Little Earth is undergoing a transformation — a transformation fueled by a contagious community — wide expectation that residents at Little Earth can expect success and determine the course of their own lives.

Increased safety for the community has been at the heart of the changes at Little Earth. In the past two years, crime is down at Little Earth. In the wake of the increased safety, children, parents and grandparents have opened their doors-literally-to opportunities available to them as residents of the community. The number of new services and level of residents accessing services are rising dramatically-from expanded academic enrichment activities for youth, to a new Success by 6 early childhood partnership.

To build on this new energy of change, Little Earth conducted an intensive planning process in 2006 and 2007. Nearly all (98%) of the residents completed a community-wide survey in 2006. The partnership board of directors wrote a Strategic Plan in 2007.

Self-determination and expectation for success are the two key elements of the board and resident vision.

1. Reawaken and Strengthen Our Culture.
2. Live Respect and Accountability.
3. Inform and Empower.
4. Expect Education.
5. Create Hope in Countless Ways.
6. Grow Self-Determination.

To turn this new Little Earth vision into reality, as well as to create sustainable opportunities for Little Earth residents to use their multiple gifts, the Little Earth Community Partnership voted to implement a ten-year Capacity-Building and Program Development Initiative. Secondly, the board voted to launch a campaign to secure necessary funds to implement the plan.

Phase I: Start-Up Phase (2008-2010)
Phase II: Development Phase (2011-2013)
Phase III: Final Phase (2014-2016)

To track and monitor the growth of Little Earth's capacity for self-determination, the 10-year plan includes intermediate benchmarks for the first two phases of the overall capacity-building campaign. (Please see evaluation section for these benchmarks.)

• Fifty percent (50%) of all parents will be actively involved in their children's education and 90% of all children ages 3-5 will be enrolled in a pre-school educational program, by 2017.
• 50% of all youth will be enrolled in school incentive programs and 85% of all eligible students will graduate from high school, by 2017.
• 50% of all resident families will be working and 12 families will own their own homes at Little Earth, by 2017.
• Little Earth will be a leader, promoting increased safety, physical well-being, and culture for the community, as measured by lower crime statistics, lower drug/alcohol use statistics, opportunities for healthy recreational activity, cultural wellness, and community leadership, by 2017.
• Little Earth Community Partnership will have the human resource, financial, fundraising, executive, and entrepreneurial infrastructure required to support and sustain the proposed community growth.

Indeed by leveraging the changes already underway at Little Earth today, this 10-year initiative will promote a healthier, self-determined, Little Earth. Little Earth will also serve as a cutting-edge model for a stronger, healthier urban Indian community in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and across the United States.