Tribal-State Relations Training

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Governments and organizations

We recommend these resources to discover how sovereign tribal governments intersect and work with local, state, and federal government agencies.

Building Prosperous & Resilient Tribal Nations

The White House. "Progress report created by Obama administration based on recommendations from the seventh annual Tribal Nations Conference, outlining the Administration's work in Indian Country in 2015."

American Indians, American Justice

Vine DeLoria Jr., Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Clifford M. Lytle. "Explores the complexities of the present Indian situation, particularly with regard to legal and political rights. It is the first book to present an overview of federal Indian law in language readably accessible to the layperson (1983)." (Native contributor)

Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto

Vine DeLoria Jr., Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. "In his new preface, the author observes, "The Indian world has changed so substantially since the first publication of this book that some things contained in it seem new again." Indeed, it seems that each generation of whites and Indians will have to read and reread Vine Deloria’s Manifesto for some time to come, before we absorb his special, ironic Indian point of view and what he tells us, with a great deal of humor, about U.S. race relations, federal bureaucracies, Christian churches, and social scientists. This book continues to be required reading for all Americans, whatever their special interest (1969)." (Native contributor)

Federal Indian Law and Policy: An Introduction

Keith Richotte, Jr.. "Federal Indian Law and Policy: An Introduction is designed to help students, instructors, and others without a legal background to learn and teach about the legal landscape that shapes Native America (2020)."

21st Century Native Leaders

Peter Deswood, Tachiinii. "21st Century Native Leaders podcast explores the dynamics of leadership among entrepreneurs, entertainers, politicians, and activists" (Native contributor)

The Talking Stick

Indian Legal Program at AZ State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and National Congress of American Indians. "The Talking Stick seeks to educate the general public about tribal law and policy issues." (Native contributor)

1854 Treaty Authority

1854 Treaty Authority. The 1854 Treaty Authority is an inter-tribal natural resource management organization that protects and implements the off-reservation hunting, fishing and gathering rights for the Grand Portage and Bois Forte bands in the lands ceded to the United States government under the Treaty of La Pointe, 1854. (Native contributor and Minnesotan)

Association on American Indian Affairs

Association on American Indian Affairs. Non-profit serving Indian Country protecting sovereignty, preserving culture, educating youth and building capacity. (Native contributor)

Bureau of Indian Affairs

U.S. Department of Interior. The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ mission is to enhance the quality of life, to promote economic opportunity, and to carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian tribes and Alaska Natives.

Federal Highway Administration Tribal Transportation Planning

U.S. Department of Transportation. Long-range transportation plan development process for Tribes' transportation needs.

Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Commission

Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Commission. GLIFWC provides natural resource management expertise, conservation enforcement, legal and policy analysis, and public information services in support of the exercise of treaty rights during well-regulated, off-reservation seasons throughout the treaty ceded territories. (Native contributor)

The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development

Harvard University. The Harvard Project aims to understand and foster the conditions under which sustained, self-determined social and economic development is achieved among American Indian nations through applied research and service.

HUD Public and Indian Housing

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The role of the Office of Public and Indian Housing is to ensure safe, decent, and affordable housing; create opportunities for residents' self-sufficiency and economic independence; and assure fiscal integrity by all program participants.

Indian Child Welfare Act

U.S. Department of the Interior, Indian Affairs. ICWA provides guidance to States regarding the handling of child abuse and neglect and adoption cases involving Native children and sets minimum standards for the handling of these cases.

Indian Health Services

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Federal Health Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Indian Land Tenure Foundation

Indian Land Tenure Foundation. Serving American Indian nations and people in the recovery and control of their rightful homelands. (Native contributor and Minnesotan)

Indian Law Resource Center

Indian Law Resource Center. The Center provides legal assistance to indigenous peoples of the Americas to combat racism and oppression, to protect their lands and environment, to protect their cultures and ways of life, to achieve sustainable economic development and genuine self-government, and to realize their other human rights. (Native contributor)

Indigenous Governance Database

Native Nations Institute, University of Arizona. The free Indigenous Governance Database (IGD) features online educational and informational resources on tribal self-governance and tribal policy reform.

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT) is comprised of the Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and White Earth reservations, is a federally recognized tribal government that, through unified leadership, promotes and protects the member Bands while providing quality services and technical assistance to the reservation governments and tribal people. (Native contributor and Minnesotan)

Minnesota Indian Gaming Association

Minnesota Gaming Association. MIGA serves as the collective voice of Minnesota tribes on vital issues affecting gaming. (Native contributor and Minnesotan)

National American Indian Housing Council

National American Indian Housing Council. Tribal non-profit organization dedicated solely to improving housing conditions in Native American communities, advancing housing infrastructure development, and expanding economic and community development across Indian Country. (Native contributor)

National Congress of American Indians

National Congress of American Indians. NCAI's mission is to protect and enhance treaty and sovereign rights, to secure traditional laws, cultures, and ways of life for descendants, to promote a common understanding of the rightful place of tribes in the family of American governments, and to improve the equality of life for Native communities and peoples. (Native contributor)

National Indian Board of Health

National Indian Board of Health. The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) represents Tribal governments—both those that operate their own health care delivery systems through contracting and compacting, and those receiving health care directly from the Indian Health Service (IHS). (Native contributor)

National Indian Gaming Association

National Indian Gaming Association. The mission of NIGA is to protect and preserve the general welfare of tribes striving for self-sufficiency through gaming enterprises in Indian Country. (Native contributor)

Native American Rights Fund

Native American Rights Fund. "Since 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) has provided legal assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide who might otherwise have gone without adequate representation." (Native contributor)

Native Governance Center

Native Governance Center. Native Governance Center is a Native American-led nonprofit organization located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Our mission is to assist Tribal nations in strengthening their governance systems and capacity to exercise sovereignty through leadership development and Tribal governance support. (Native contributor and Minnesotan)

Native Nations Institute

University of Arizona. NNI assists in building capable Native nations that can effectively pursue and ultimately realize their own political, economic, and community development objectives. (Native contributor)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.

Tribal Law and Policy Institute

Tribal Law and Policy Institute. A Native American operated non-profit dedicated to providing free publication resources, comprehensive training, and technical assistance for Native nations and tribal justice systems in pursuit of our vision to empower Native communities to create and control their own institutions for the benefit of all community members, now, and for future generations. (Native contributor)