About

Cherokee Nation | Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Tahlequah, Oklahoma is the capital city of the Cherokee Nation, and across the sovereign nation’s 14-county territory, entrepreneurship is deeply connected to culture, community, and self-determination. Cherokee communities are home to small business owners, trades professionals, artisans, food entrepreneurs, and technology-focused creators. Through local partnerships, entrepreneurs can access business training, technical assistance, lending pathways, mentorship, and spaces designed to help ideas develop—strengthening the financial well-being of Cherokee people, businesses, and communities while ensuring that Native-owned enterprises can participate fully in a changing national economy.

 

Community Partners

Cherokee Nation Commerce

The mission of the Cherokee Nation Commerce is to enhance and secure the financial well-being of Cherokee people, businesses, and communities. Through programs that support entrepreneurship, small business development, and access to capital, the organization helps build a resilient and opportunity-rich environment across the Cherokee Nation reservation and for Cherokee citizens living at-large.

The department collaborates with partners and service providers to deliver business training, lending pathways, technical assistance, and strategic initiatives that strengthen Native-owned enterprises and foster long-term economic growth.

Northeast Oklahoma Regional Alliance (NORA)

Northeast Oklahoma Regional Alliance (NORA) focuses on economic development, advocacy, and collaboration among communities across northeast Oklahoma. Through programs including its Regional Leadership Academy, NORA Learning Labs, and regional engagement and advocacy efforts, NORA helps strengthen regional leadership, support entrepreneurship and small businesses, and advance talent development. NORA also promotes the region through brand building, digital presence, media relations, and public relations efforts that showcase northeast Oklahoma’s strengths and opportunities.

Northeastern State University (NSU)

Tahlequah’s ecosystem is further strengthened by Northeastern State University (NSU) and the region’s network of healthcare institutions, which together support education, workforce development, research, and community well-being across northeastern Oklahoma. NSU’s education and workforce programs also bring valuable partnerships that connect students, employers, entrepreneurs, and regional organizations, creating new opportunities for collaboration and talent development.

Additionally, with coordinated support from Cherokee Nation Innovation Hub, Indian Capital Technology Center, Cherokee Nation Economic Development Trust Authority (CNEDTA), and other regional partners, the area is developing a dynamic rural economy rooted in culture, creativity, and collaboration.

What Being a Member of the Network Means to

Cherokee Nation | Tahlequah, Oklahoma

By joining the Rural Innovation Network, Tahlequah and the broader Cherokee Nation ecosystem will connect with rural peers who are also designing entrepreneurship programs, building innovation spaces, and working to expand access to technology and capital. They will also contribute important lessons about culturally rooted economic development and the power of building systems around the identity, relationships, and strengths already present in a community.

Explore our Network

Today, these local leaders are focused on educating and training local residents in digital skills (especially those traditionally excluded from the tech industry), employing them in new economy jobs, and empowering them to launch startups that will drive a prosperous 21st-century economy. Diverse in geography, economic origin, and demographics, these communities represent the full spectrum of rural America.

Explore the communities