Tribal Utility Finance Forum

USET Tribal utility managers, finance, and community development staff attended the 2023 Tribal Utility Finance Forum in person and virtually on May 16, 2023. The conference was held on the sacred homelands of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana at the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, LA. The agenda included presentations on rate analysis, benchmarking, budgeting, planning, and funding opportunities and cyber security from federal and industry partners.

On the second day, May 17, the TUFF included a tour of the Tunica-Biloxi Cultural and Educational Resources Center (CERC) Building. The CERC Building includes a museum exhibit hall, conservation and restoration laboratory, gift shop, library, auditorium, classrooms, distance learning center, meeting rooms and Tribal government offices. The tour included a visit at Mobiloans, utilities, PD, Housing office, health clinic, gymnasium, land development from the bus and pre-historic park/Indian Mounds tour led by Megan Guillot and Ron Bordelon. Community tours allows for conversations outside of a classroom setting into real life application and how utilities are an essential to community development and economic prosperity.

May 16 Presentations

• USDA Rural Development
• Supporting Tribal Energy Sovereignty
• Identifying, Applying, and Utilizing Tribal Water Infrastructure Programs
• Managing Your System into the Future: Assessing Utility Financial Health and Rate Setting Objectives
• The Business of Cybersecurity for Your Organization
• The Power of Native Energy