Native Governance Center

WORKING TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF NATIVE NATIONS TO EXERCISE THEIR SOVEREIGNTY.

TRIBAL GOVERNANCE SUPPORT: WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH NATIVE NATIONS THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC NEEDS OR ISSUES, NATIVE GOVERNANCE CENTER HELPS CREATE AND IMPLEMENT GOVERNANCE SOLUTIONS THROUGH TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND CONSULTING SERVICES. WE LISTEN TO NATIVE NATIONS' NEEDS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A VARIETY OF INDIGENIZED TOOLS AND EXPERTISE FOR DEVELOPING STRONG GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR SOVEREIGNTY. IN 2021, WE PUBLISHED AN EVALUATION REPORT THAT REFLECTED INPUT FROM 19 NATIVE NATIONS AND 98 TRIBAL LEADERS, TRIBAL EMPLOYEES OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE HOSTED 4 VIRTUAL TRIBAL LEADER TRAININGS FOR A SPECIFIC NATIVE NATION, WE HAD AN AVERAGE OF 13 PARTICIPANTS. WE FACILITATED 9 PLANNING MEETINGS FOR A 10-PERSON COMMITTEE FOR A NATIVE HISTORY SYMPOSIUM EVENT. WE COLLABORATED WITH 5 COMMUNITY LEADERS/REBUILDERS ON OUR TRIBAL CIVICS PROJECT, WHICH RESULTED IN A RESOURCE GUIDE.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: NATIVE GOVERNANCE CENTER PROVIDES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIGENOUS CHANGEMAKERS THROUGH THE NATIVE NATION REBUILDERS (NNR) PROGRAM. THIS TWO-YEAR, COHORT BASED PROGRAM WAS BUILT TO STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP IN OUR REGION BY EQUIPPING INDIGENOUS CHANGEMAKERS WITH TOOLS AND FRAMEWORKS THEY CAN USE TO HELP REBUILD THEIR NATIONS. OVER 150 NATIVE CHANGEMAKERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM. IN 2021, NGC ENGAGED 14 REBUILDERS FROM COHORT 11 THROUGH 5 VIRTUAL SESSIONS, INCLUDING A VIRTUAL GRADUATION. EACH SESSION FOCUSED ON BUILDING SKILLS IN NATION REBUILDING SUCH AS FACILITATION, PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR PLANNING THE FUTURE, USING SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMAIL CAMPAIGNS AS A TOOL FOR COMMUNITY BUY-IN, AND SHARING THEIR COMMUNITY ACTION PLANS. OVER 18 COMMUNITY LEADERS WERE WELCOMED TO THE REBUILDERS PROGRAM AND COMPLETED THEIR FIRST SESSION ONLINE. THEY WERE INTRODUCED TO PERSONAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS, EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND NATIVE NATION REBUILDING.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: NATIVE GOVERNANCE CENTER EDUCATES, ENGAGES, AND SHARES INFORMATION WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY AROUND TOPICS RELATED TO SOVEREIGNTY, NATION REBUILDING, AND INDIAN COUNTRY. IN 2021, WE HOSTED THREE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT REACHED A COMBINED LIVE AUDIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 1,906 PEOPLE, DELIVERED CONTENT BY PARTICIPATING IN NINE EXTERNAL, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PRESENTATIONS, WROTE 14 ORIGINAL NEWS STORIES ON TOPICS RELATED TO OUR MISSION, CREATED THREE ANIMATED EXPLAINER VIDEOS, LAUNCHED AN UPDATED AND IMPROVED ONLINE RESOURCE LIBRARY, AND PARTICIPATED IN 16 MEDIA INTERVIEWS (LOCAL AND NATIONAL OUTLETS) TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GOVERNANCE AND SOVEREIGNTY ON A BROAD SCALE.NGC ALSO LEADS THE WE ARE STILL HERE: MINNESOTA (WASH-MN) CAMPAIGN AND TASKFORCE, A RESEARCH-BASED MOVEMENT THAT WORKS TO DISPEL AND CHANGE HARMFUL NARRATIVES ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS. IN 2021, WASH-MN'S PRIMARY FOCUS WAS TO COORDINATE EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION FOR ALL (IEFA) LEGISLATION IN MINNESOTA. THOSE EFFORTS INCLUDED SENDING 750 EMAILS AS A PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE ON IEFA, PROVIDING LEGISLATIVE TESTIMONY FOR 4 COMMITTEES, AND COORDINATING THE ADVOCACY EFFORTS OF PEOPLE ACROSS OUR FOUR SECTORS OF WORK: K-12 EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE/POLICY, POP CULTURE/MEDIA, AND PHILANTHROPY. WASH ALSO PARTNERED WITH UNDERSTAND NATIVE MINNESOTA, MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO, AND THE MINNESOTA COUNCIL OF FOUNDATIONS ON A VARIETY OF NARRATIVE CHANGE PROJECTS.

IN 2021, NGC LAUNCHED A TRIBAL FINANCE SYSTEMS PILOT PROGRAM TO RESPOND TO A NEED IDENTIFIED BY NATIVE NATIONS IN OUR REGION. THIS 2-YEAR, COHORT MODEL USES A NATIVE NATION REBUILDING APPROACH TO TRIBAL FINANCE, WE EQUIP TRIBAL LEADERS WITH THE INSPIRATION, SKILLS, RESOURCES, AND CONNECTIONS THEY NEED TO STRENGTHEN THEIR FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP AND INFRASTRUCTURE.