Calling All Future Leaders in Native Agriculture!

Are you a student passionate about farming, ranching, or agricultural leadership? Through a proud partnership with the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF), the Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) is looking for the next generation of leaders to strengthen the Wind River Reservation’s food systems and economic future through the Native Excellence Scholarship Program.

Why Apply?

The program provides up to four $2,500 scholarships to Native American students pursuing degrees in agriculture. Whether you are interested in equine science, resource management, or agricultural leadership, WRDF wants to help you achieve your goals and expand your expertise in the agricultural industry.

Are You Eligible?

• Current Native American high school senior or college student
• Must reside in Wyoming
• Enrolled/attending college for the fall 2026 semester
• Demonstrated commitment to the Native agricultural community

What You Need to Apply

In addition to completing an application, applicants must provide Tribal citizenship documents or proof of descendancy from a federally or state-recognized Native American tribe.

Take the Next Step!

Don’t miss this opportunity to fund your education and lead the way in Native agriculture. For application details or questions, please contact:

Erika Warren-Yarber, COO
Email: erika@wrdf.org
Phone: (307) 335-7330

The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) today announced the award of a construction contract to Panacea Construction Group of Dubois, Wyoming, for the design, fabrication, and construction of a 40-foot by 40-foot steel pavilion at the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative.

The pavilion is funded through one of six grants awarded to WRDF by the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation and represents another investment in expanding outdoor recreation and educational opportunities on the Wind River Reservation. Once completed, the pavilion will serve as an outdoor education center where visitors can learn about the Tribal Buffalo Initiative, the cultural significance of buffalo, and ongoing efforts to restore this important resource.

Jason Baldes is the Executive Director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative. He commented, “We are excited to be working with the Wind River Development Fund on the construction of a new pavilion at the headquarters of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative. This new project will help connect our communities to our work, where locals and visitors to the area can stop and learn about Tribal Buffalo restoration and reconnection.”

The project also includes the construction of a restroom facility, installation of picnic tables, and educational interpretive signage to enhance the visitor experience and create a welcoming space for community members, students, and visitors.

“This project is about more than constructing a pavilion, it is about creating a place where culture, education, and community can come together,” said Leslie Shakespeare, Chief Implementation Officer at the Wind River Development Fund. “WRDF’s role is to bring together the funding, partnerships, and project management needed to move the Tribal Buffalo Initiative’s vision into construction. Upon completion, ownership of the pavilion and related improvements will remain with the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, ensuring this investment is locally stewarded, and available to serve future generations.”

In a related effort, the Wind River Sage Fund, WRDF’s affiliated nonprofit organization, is partnering with the Tribal Buffalo Initiative on the design and development of the new 12,000-square-foot Tribal Buffalo Center. The $9.75 million project will serve as the permanent home of the Tribal Buffalo Initiative and will include community gathering space, exhibits and cultural artifacts, educational programming, and research facilities. Construction is anticipated to begin later this fall, further advancing a shared vision of buffalo restoration, cultural revitalization, education, and economic opportunity on the Wind River Reservation.

The Board and staff of the Wind River Development Fund, alongside our sister organization Wind River Sage Fund, are working every day to expand economic opportunity across the Wind River Reservation and throughout the region. Together, we are building something both ambitious and deeply rooted—an Indigenously designed economic model grounded in community, reciprocity, and long-term prosperity.

As the only Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in Wyoming, the Wind River Development Fund remains focused on supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses. In 2025, we provided technical assistance to 239 individuals, delivering 462 hours of business planning, financial coaching, and entrepreneurial support. We also reached a major milestone by closing $1.8 million in loans, growing our portfolio to 31 active loans totaling $3.3 million.

These numbers reflect more than activity—they reflect access. At a time when many are questioning which economic strategies truly work, we are demonstrating that a community-centered, Indigenous-led model can deliver strong, sustainable outcomes. We hope you take the time to download our 2025 Impact Report to learn more about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.

The Wind River Development Fund is pleased to announce we have seated new officers for our board of directors: Roxanne Friday (Eastern Shoshone and Seneca) as President; Scott Ratliff (Eastern Shoshone) as Vice President; and Bryan Neely as Treasurer. Other members of the board include Roy Brown (Northern Arapaho), Heather SunRhodes (Northern Arapaho and Jemez Pueblo), and Clarinda Calling Thunder (Northern Arapaho).

This is the first time in the organization’s history a woman has been elected to the position of President and a milestone worth celebrating as part of Women’s History Month, which is observed every March to honor the contributions, accomplishments, and impact of women in American history.

“We are grateful for the strong commitment that our officers and board members have provided to Wind River Development Fund, as well as their dedication to creating economic opportunity for our community members. Seating the first woman as President of the board is a capstone for our recent accomplishments that highlights the significance of women leaders,” says Paul Huberty (White Earth Ojibwe), Executive Director of Wind River Development Fund.

Roxanne Friday, who will lead our board of directors as President for the next three years, was also the first woman to be ordained to the priesthood of the Episcopal Church in the state of Wyoming. She has been involved with Wind River Development Fund in varying capacities, including as Chief Financial Officer, for the last decade.

“I’m honored to be called upon to be the President of Wind River Development Fund. I have a lot of respect for all of the other board members, and we all work well together. We all respect each other’s opinions and decisions,” says Friday.

Friday’s top priority, working collaboratively with the other board members, will be to focus on economic development through strategies centered on growing small businesses on the Wind River Indian Reservation and surrounding communities.

“I think a lot of it has to do with education and training so people can realize their dreams of having their own business. In the community, I hear people say they wish they could open their own business. Wind River Development Fund can help bring those opportunities to them,” says Friday.

Friday believes the younger generation can have a lot of influence over the Reservation’s economic future. She says, “We have a lot of young people that could get things rolling. We want to see new growth, and education is really the key to help them become entrepreneurs.”

Friday commends the leadership of Wind River Development Fund for the organization’s increasing growth and community impact in recent years. In 2025, we deployed 11 loans totaling $1.8 million and delivered 462 hours of training and assistance to 239 people – all within the boundaries of the Reservation. We now have 34 active loans in our portfolio.

“Wind River Development Fund has a good team that strives to do the best. I’ve seen this team really come together, and we are doing better today than we ever have before,” says Friday with a hopeful outlook for Wind River’s future.

The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) has extended support to each of its four 2024-25 Native Excellence Scholarship Program awardees with an additional $2,500 scholarship for the 2025-26 school year. The recipients, all Native students attending Central Wyoming College and pursuing degrees in agriculture, have now received a total of $5,000 each through the Native Excellence Scholarship Program.

Erika Warren-Yarber (Northern Arapaho), Chief Operating Officer at WRDF, leads the scholarship program. “We are so proud of these four students and honored to continue supporting them as they work towards their agriculture degrees. They represent a bright future for the Reservation,” Yarber said.

Grace Neubauer (Eastern Shoshone), who is one of the scholarship recipients, will graduate this spring with two degrees – one in health science and one on equine science. She then plans on furthering her education at Casper Community College. Neubauer, who is also a member of the Central Wyoming College Rodeo team, is paying out of pocket for her college education with scholarships and a part-time job. Between school, work, and rodeo, she has an intense schedule, but this scholarship has helped her manage it all.

“I am so blessed to have been awarded this scholarship where I am now going to graduate with two degrees, going deeper into my studies, and being able to finish out my college rodeo career properly,” says Neubauer.

With the average age of agricultural producers trending close to 60 years, Yarber emphasizes the importance of cultivating the next generation of Native farmers and ranchers as a way to strengthen Wind River’s economy. “Investing in our youth is a critical element of WRDF’s strategy to create economic opportunity. It amplifies the work we have been doing with a group of community partners on our $36 million Recompete grant – strengthening our agriculture industry, building local food systems, and developing our workforce.”

Jerel Kohler (Northern Arapaho), another scholarship recipient who is pursuing a career in agricultural leadership, is examining community needs and developing bold ideas on how to implement traditional agricultural engineering into local systems by utilizing tribal knowledge.

Reflecting on this scholarship opportunity, he says, “My scholarship is helping me gather my education to pursue a bachelor’s in agricultural leadership. Agriculture is the lifeline for humanity. We have to come together and think differently about our future.”

Other scholarship awardees include Kaylee Cachelin (Northern Arapaho), who is pursuing a degree in agricultural leadership, and Kalijah Day (Northern Arapaho), who is pursuing a degree in Farm and Ranch Resource Management.

WRDF’s Native Excellence Scholarship Program received funding support from the Native American Agriculture Fund, a private, charitable trust serving Native farmers and ranchers created from the historic Keepseagle v. Vilsack litigation settlement.

The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) announced today that Heidi Cuny has joined the organization as its new Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications. This newly created position reflects WRDF’s continued growth and expanding national profile.

Cuny will lead WRDF’s brand strategy, marketing and communications, graphic design, digital marketing, and web development. She brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, including 15 years leading her own firm.

“We are thrilled that Heidi has officially joined our team after serving as a consultant to WRDF for the past two years,” said Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director of WRDF. “Heidi played a critical role in our successful Recompete application, which brought a $36 million investment to Wind River. She has led the development of multiple websites for our organization, is an exceptional graphic designer, and brings deep experience working with Native communities and Native-led organizations. She is truly a marketing and communications expert in Indian Country.”

Cuny is the owner and principal of Cuny Communications, based on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. For more than 15 years, she has partnered closely with Tribal communities and organizations and brings extensive knowledge of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) and mission-driven economic development.

In speaking about the opportunity, Cuny said, “It is an honor to be tapped for this position, and I am excited to be joining a team of such high caliber. I look forward to being a part of the amazing things WRDF is doing.”

Cuny joins WRDF at a pivotal moment in the organization’s history. In 2024 alone, WRDF secured more than $45 million to support economic development projects on the Wind River Reservation. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, Cuny will serve as a strategic thought partner to WRDF’s leadership team, helping shape organizational storytelling, narrative positioning, and reputation management as the organization continues to scale its impact.

Erika Warren-Yarber is the Chief Operating Officer at WRDF, and she will be working closely with Cuny to ensure effective communication with key partners. “Heidi is truly one of the best in the business. Having worked alongside other Native CDFIs that have served as change agents in our industry, she understands the vital role that accurate information and storytelling play in advancing the mission of WRDF and our Wind River Sage Fund while maintaining transparency with our community.”

Cuny, who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from California State University Chico, has been recognized nationally for her expertise in graphic design, including a silver ADDY® award. In addition to her marketing responsibilities at WRDF, Cuny will continue to serve as an independent marketing consultant for the CDFI industry.

The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) announced today that Emily Norum has been selected into the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellowship Program and she will be working with WRDF to implement its outdoor recreation projects. The ERC program is a $30 million cooperative agreement between the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The program places an economic development professional at WRDF as one of 65 fully-paid fellowship positions nationally.

“We are excited to welcome Emily into the fellowship program and join our team as we implement more than $4 million in outdoor recreation projects on the Wind River Reservation,” stated Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director at the Wind River Development Fund. “Already, our team has invested more than $700,000 across three projects, including the Lakes Projects, the Playground Project at Eastern Shoshone Tribal Health, and the Fort Washakie baseball fields. We have significantly more work to accomplish in 2026 and we look forward to having Emily join an already fantastic team.”

Speaking about the opportunity to work in Wind River, Norum commented, “I am thrilled to be joining WRDF as the new Economic Recovery Corps Fellow. WRDF has already accomplished so much with their outdoor recreation projects and I am eager to join the team as we move towards successfully completing this work. I look forward to connecting with the community on the Wind River Reservation and to help further economic development in the region.”

Norum received her bachelor of arts degree from Hamilton College in New York. Previously, she worked for NACDC Financial Services as a Workforce Project Assistant supporting the $45 million Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant project for workforce and professional development. She also worked as a Project Manager for Indigenous Impact Co., a consulting and management company driving systems change through values-based strategic planning.

Erika Warren-Yarber, WRDF’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “We are happy to welcome Emily as our new Economic Recovery Corps Fellow. She joins us at a critical time to help implement our outdoor recreation strategy. Emily will be instrumental in creating outdoor recreation opportunities for our community members and visitors on the Wind River Reservation.”

The Economic Recovery Corps Program is a multi-year, collaborative initiative designed to accelerate economic development in distressed communities and regions throughout the U.S. The program connects organizations with the talent and capacity needed to advance new ways of economic development that promotes economic resilience and transformative change.

The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) announced that Faith Wallowing Bull has joined the organization as its new Finance Manager for Federal Programs. In this role, Wallowing Bull will oversee the financial management and compliance of more than $40 million in federal grant funding supporting economic and community development initiatives on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director of WRDF, said, “We are very pleased to welcome Faith to our finance team. Her depth of experience and strong understanding of financial management significantly strengthens our organization at a critical moment in our growth.”

Wallowing Bull is an enrolled member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe and brings extensive financial leadership experience to WRDF. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in accounting. From 2013 to 2019, she served as Chief Financial Officer for the Wind River Casino. Most recently, she worked as a staff accountant for the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander, Wyoming.

Speaking about her new position, Wallowing Bull said, “I am honored to join the Wind River Development Fund at such a pivotal time. Having grown up on the Wind River Indian Reservation, I experienced firsthand the challenges of limited opportunities. WRDF’s commitment to fostering economic growth on the Reservation deeply resonates with me. I am excited to be part of a talented team dedicated to creating meaningful impact and building a stronger future for our community.”

Published by WyoFile

When the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project purchased this 30-acre farm near Fort Washakie, the land mainly grew hay. Machinery and tools stood in the yards. Fences were aging.

Fast forward two years, and a transformation is taking root. Old equipment has been cleared out, and a fenced vegetable garden is thick with vines of squash and melons. A large high tunnel has been erected; inside tidy rows of raised beds sit ready to receive soil and seeds. Native plants like chokecherry bushes have been transplanted near the creek, and some may even survive the deer onslaught. Near the farm entrance, circular paths wind around a garden, where benches, flowers and a shaded area have been designed to welcome tribal elders for rest and reflection.

“This garden is a sanctuary,” Wind River Food Sovereignty Project Co-director Kelly Pingree told a crowd gathered for a grand opening celebration Saturday. “A place for healing, peace and connection with nature.”

Once the ribbon was cut, tribal members and others from the community filed through an ornate gate and into the brand-new elder garden, forming a circle around drummers. After a song and a prayer, it was time to eat.

Marking the occasion with bowls of buffalo stew and fry bread dipped in chokecherry gravy felt appropriate given that the nonprofit is aimed at restoring food production and traditions in Wind River Reservation communities.

“As Native people, we always give thanks to Mother Earth for what she provides us,” Pingree told the crowd. “And when we connect with our food, it reconnects us to the land, our ancestral knowledge, our spirituality, our prayer.”

The progress at Trout Creek Farm marks the early stages of a multi-year vision to bolster local production, access to healthy foods, tribal education and more. But it also signifies the fruits of a $36 million federal redevelopment grant that several facets of the reservation stand to benefit from.