Lumbee Tribe to rollout online citizens portal
Jun. 11—PEMBROKE — The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is bringing tribal services into a new age to streamline how its members apply for housing services and access tribal enrollment information.
Lumbee Tribe department managers are now working with Salesforce to develop a Tribal Citizen's portal that will be an extension of the Lumbeetribe.com website.
On the new site, tribal members may apply for housing services virtually from anywhere. The site will allow members to upload required documentation online. They will also be able to see their application status through the portal.
Even though the portal will simplify many aspects of tribal enrollment, applicants for new enrollment and members who are updating must still apply in person, in accordance with tribal law. Members will be able to access their enrollment to review their tribal status and request information such as Family Trees, Certificates of Tribal Enrollment, Certificates of Indian Blood, etc.
Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery said he is very proud to see the Lumbee Tribe enter into the agreement with Salesforce.
"This is an effort to better serve our Lumbee People by streamlining services to our tribal members," Lowery said.
Salesforce is considered a global leader in digital commerce and data access. The company works with tribal communities across the nation. Salesforce is currently working with Lumbee managers to make the portal user-friendly as well as make sure it has all services that Lumbee members will need. The site will extend accessibility for all Lumbee Tribal members.
For tribal members without internet or internet compatible devices, the Lumbee Tribe Housing staff will be available to assist them in person to process applications.
The portal is also part of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina's commitment to "Go Green", thereby being paperless in the coming years.
The online portal site is anticipated to be completed by mid-August. For departments such as the Lumbee Enrollment Department, the changeover will require the staff to upload around 100,000 records pertaining to membership and ancestry. The Tribal Portal will roll out in phases. Once completed, the change from filling out paper forms is anticipated to cut the application process time in half.
