Economic Development

The construction of the Water Treatment Plant which groundbreaking was held on August 2, 2024, continues progressing smoothly, with key milestones being met on schedule. The groundwork and site preparation have been completed, and the foundation for the drying beds is well underway.

Essential infrastructure, including the installation of water intake and distribution systems, is in progress, ensuring a reliable flow of water through the plant.
Key equipment for filtration, chemical treatment, and disinfection processes is being manufactured.

The team is focused on adhering to strict quality control measures and environmental guidelines, ensuring the plant will be ready to provide clean and safe drinking water upon completion.

Electric Vehicle Planning Workshop Recap – 12/05/2025

In 2023, Caltrans awarded the Tribe grant funding to complete an Electric Vehicle (EV) Electrification Feasibility Study. The purpose of the study is to review the vehicles that make up the Tribe’s fleet, develop a schedule and budget for replacing those vehicles with EVs, identify potential charging hub locations that would serve the Tribe’s fleet and some public users, and evaluate the capacity of the local electrical grid to support the charging hubs. The study will also estimate greenhouse gas reductions that would result from the switch to EVs, evaluate economic development potential from operating charging hubs, and identify workforce development opportunities. Through a competitive procurement process led by EDA, the Tribal Council selected Siemens Power Technologies International (Siemens), as the consultant to complete the study.

On 10/15/2025, EDA convened an EV Planning Workshop at the Ironwood Community Center. Notices were shared through direct invitations to Tribal department directors, posting the event flyer on the Tribe’s website and on two bus shelters in and near Tribal subdivisions, and displaying event details on the digital sign at the Quechan Community Center. The workshop was conducted by April Tinhorn and Zoie Thomas of Tinhorn TX, an Indigenous woman-owned public relations firm retained by Siemens. Four Tribal staff members attended the workshop. The presenters shared a slide deck containing information about desired outcomes for the workshop, review of project progress, future charging locations, and next steps and timing. Several key points of information include:

• The Tribe’s fleet consists of 127 vehicles operated by approximately 50 programs.

• The fleet is relatively young, with 67 vehicles having been purchased within the last 5 years.

• The fleet consists of 8 different vehicle types, ranging from passenger sedans and vans, light- and heavy-duty service trucks, and school buses.

• The average annual mileage of a Tribal fleet vehicle is 7,701 miles.

• The fleet is highly decentralized, with vehicles parked at 21 unique addresses/locations.

The presenters also shared information about the proposed charging hub locations and the number of vehicles and chargers to support them, including:

• Quechan Community Center: 39 vehicles, 12 chargers, no public access.

• New Law Enforcement Building near Paradise Casino: 30 vehicles, 14 chargers, no public access.

• Paradise Casino: 33 vehicles, 12 chargers, 2 for public access.

• Quechan Casino Resort: 4 vehicles, 3 chargers, 2 for public access.

• Tribal Administration Building: 21 vehicles, 9 chargers, no public access.

Next steps shared included the creation of a development schedule for each location, which also depends upon the schedule for purchasing EVs to replace existing fleet vehicles. Siemens will also be estimating the costs for constructing each location and for purchasing EVs.

For any questions or concerns, please contact EDA at (760) 572-5270.

Business Permit Application Now Available to Complete Online

Need to obtain or renew a Business Permit? Please click here to complete and submit your Business Permit Application online.

However, we remain unable to process payments by credit/debit card or online.

For additional details, please contact us at edaasstplanner@quechantribe.com

Report a Pothole: https://publicworks.imperialcounty.org/report-a-pothole/

UArizona program to help Fort Yuma coffee roastergrow his business on reservation (azfamily.com)

Participant Application for Quechan Business Development Center

The Quechan Indian Tribe Economic Development Administration (EDA) offers an online application for the Quechan Business Development Center (QBDC), a business incubator in the former Pipa Market building in Winterhaven, California. This program is open to vendors, merchants, and entrepreneurs (VMEs) who are enrolled members of the Quechan Tribe and are looking for assistance with launching or growing their businesses. Priority will be given to VMEs who live on the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation and want to start or grow their business there.

The Participant Application includes important questions about your business vision and description. These questions are essential for us to consider your application. Applications submitted without answers to the questions will be considered incomplete and will be returned to the applicant.

The Arizona Western College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Imperial Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offer free and confidential business startup assistance. You can reach the Arizona Western College SBDC at (928) 317-6151 and the Imperial Valley SBDC at (442) 265-4951.

The deadline to apply is Friday, July 18, 2025.

Quechan EDA will review the applications and recommend them to the Quechan Tribal Council for approval.

For more information, please get in touch with Quechan EDA at (760) 572-5270.

APPLICATION (click here)

Kiva.org Offers Small Business Microloans with 0% Interest and No Fees

“The Quechan Indian Tribe is not recommending or endorsing any specific service provider, lender, or loan product by providing this information. The Tribe encourages its Tribal member Vendors, Merchants, and Entrepreneurs (VMEs) to inquire and seek guidance before borrowing money. Before borrowing money for your business, conduct research and make informed decisions by contacting the experienced business counselors at the Arizona Western College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at (928-317-6151) or the Arizona Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center at (602-294-6087) for free and confidential small business advisory services.”

Crowdsourced microloans, or peer-to-peer lending or crowdfunding, are loans funded by many individuals who each contribute a small amount of money. This alternative financing model can help Tribal Vendors, Merchants, and Entrepreneurs (VMEs) who may have difficulty obtaining loans from traditional financial institutions. Family, friends, and the Reservation community can help VME small business owners fund their small business startup or existing venture for as little as $25 from each lender.

Borrowers submit loan applications through a crowdfunding platform like Kiva.org, and lenders review the loan listings to choose which loans to support. Once a loan is fully funded, the borrower receives the loan proceeds and is responsible for repayment. Approved and funded Kiva loans have 0% interest and no fees for the borrower. Please review the entire Kiva.org borrower page to understand their small business loan process and how to apply for a crowdsourced microloan.

Crowdsourced microloans offer several advantages, including:

Increased access to financing
Diversified funding sources
Lower transaction costs
Reservation community support

Overall, crowdsourced microloans provide an innovative way to connect VME borrowers and lenders, enabling financial support and access to capital and support for Native-owned small businesses.

The Arizona MBDA Business Center is funded by the US Department of Commerce and locally operated by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Center serves all minority entrepreneurs pursuing size, scale, and capacity growth, including any Native American-owned business enterprise. The MBDA services are free to Tribal VME business owners, and a local MBDA Business Counselor (Ms. Vanessa Castillo Bell) is available for consultations in the Yuma area. Contact Vanessa today for your free business consultation!

https://arizonambdacenter.com/contact

Why Economic Development on the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation?

Streamlined Tribal business permit process
Commercial lease space available – on and off the Reservation
Daily Space Rental for commercial use (Pop-Up business opportunities)
Great highway transportation system including interstate freeway to and from major metro areas
Indian reserved senior water rights on the Colorado River
Workforce diversity (i.e., women-owned, veteran-owned, and Native-owned business enterprises)
Effective tribal transit system connecting destinations within the Reservation, Yuma, and El Centro
On-reservation water and sewer, fiber-enhanced telecom and broadband, and power grid infrastructure
Joint venture possibilities (Indian and non-Indian owned enterprises)
State (CA) sales tax exemptions
Federal tax credits
SBA HUBZone designation (for US Government procurement opportunities)
International supply chain access (via Andrade CA Port-of-Entry)
1.6 million potential customers live within 60 miles of the Reservation

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC) @ ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE & IMPERIAL VALLEY SBDC NETWORK

SBDCs are funded partly by the US Small Business Administration (SBA) and other state and federal resources and are committed to your business success!

They specialize in Native-owned, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses. Make that call to set an appointment today!

Their business counseling services are:

Practical - They have over three decades of experience helping Yuma-area and Imperial County small businesses succeed

Confidential - All SBDC clients – including Tribal VMEs – businesses and related information are kept strictly confidential - the SBDC will not sell or provide your information to anyone without your permission.

No-Cost - SBDC business counseling services are no-cost to businesses and entrepreneurs, including all Tribal VMEs, regardless of business size or stage.

AWC SBDC

Please use this link to register for online (virtual), telephone, or in-person small business counseling services at the AWC SBDC: or visit the SBDC in person at the Arizona Western College Downtown Center (1351 S. Redondo Dr, Ste 101 – next to the Yuma Radisson Hotel )

Or call #TeamSBDC to schedule an appointment that fits your schedule!

Please reach out to:

Crystal Mendoza, Director of the AWC Small Business Development Center

Office: (928) 317-6151

1351 S Redondo Center Dr, Yuma, AZ 85365 (Map link)

Visit the Arizona Western College SBDC website!

IMPERIAL VALLEY SBDC

The Imperial Valley SBDC offers many ongoing free business webinars and other training calendar events to help start and grow your small business here on the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation. Most webinar training is available remotely (live and on-demand video.)

Please reach out to:

Viridiana Rosales-Trujillo
Interim-Manager & Business Project Advisor
https://calendly.com/viridianarosales

Office: (760) 312-9800
2799 S 4^th St El Centro, CA 92243 (Map link)

Please use this link to register for online (virtual), telephone, or in-person small business counseling services with Imperial Valley SBDC.

Visit the Imperial Valley SBDC website!

Leasing Opportunities (click on property name to see information):

Agriculture Lease Proposal Enclosure

Notice of Expiring Ranch Lease

Notice of Expiring Farm Unit Leases

Notice of Expiring Homestead Lease

For additional details or to submit a proposal to lease, please contact Brian Golding, Sr., at b.golding@quechantribe.com

SERVICES ON THE RESERVATION

EDA encourages all Reservation residents, Tribal members, casino employees, and Tribal employees to consider using affordable transit services provided by the Yuma County Area Transit (YCAT) system.

You can connect to the Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (YCIPTA) website for the latest YCAT news and updates by clicking on the link below:

www.ycipta.org

You will have access to YCAT schedules, fares, bus passes, system maps, rider guides, news & updates, a calendar of events, and Rider Alerts.

Turquoise Route 10 (Interstate 8/El Centro/Yuma) and Blue Route 5 (Quechan Shuttle) are partly funded by the Quechan Indian Tribe and Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC), which are operated by the Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (YCIPTA).

Updated: 3/4/2026