Media Release
Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development Joins the Ash Center
Cambridge, MA —Today, the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development (HPAIED or the Harvard Project) announced that it is joining the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a research center at Harvard Kennedy School focused in part on researching and disseminating innovative public policy solutions.
The Harvard Project was founded in 1987 and works to understand and foster the conditions under which sustained, self-determined social and economic development is achieved among the US American Indian nations and Indigenous communities worldwide. Project co-founder Joe Kalt, Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy, Emeritus, said “Over the years, our work has increasingly focused on good self-governance as key to strengthening Indigenous communities. This emphasis makes for a perfect fit with the Ash Center.”
The Harvard Project’s Honoring Nations Award program has long been a partner of the Ash Center’s Innovations in American Government Awards program, a force in recognizing and promoting excellence and creativity in the public sector. “We’re thrilled that the Harvard Project will be joining the Ash community, which we hope will lead to added opportunities to collaborate with the faculty and staff of the Ash Center’s Innovations and other programs and initiatives,” said Ash Center Director and Daewoo Professor of International Affairs Tony Saich.
Since 1998, the Honoring Nations Award program has recognized 136 innovative governance programs from across Indian Country, some of which are featured in the Project’s newly launched edtech tool – the Nation Building Toolbox. As a multimedia platform, the online Toolboxes shine a light on the lessons and best practices provided by Native nations. This fall the Harvard Project will continue to highlight exemplary models of self-governance as it searches for nominations and applications for their 2020 Honoring Nations Award cycle.
Nation Building Toolboxes and Honoring Nations Award information and applications can be obtained online at www.hpaied.org.
About the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation
The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence and innovation in governance and public policy through research, education and public discussion. Three major programs support our mission: the Program on Democratic Governance; the Innovations in Government Program; and the Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia. For more information, visit ash.harvard.edu.
Ash Center press contact
Daniel Harsha
Associate Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Ash Center
About the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development
The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development is based in the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Through applied research and service, 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. The Harvard Project’s core activities include research, education, and the administration of a tribal governance awards program. In all of its activities, the Harvard Project collaborates with the Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy at the University of Arizona. The Harvard Project is also formally affiliated with the Harvard University Native American Program, an interfaculty initiative at Harvard University.
Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development press contact
Moana Palelei HoChing