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Honoring Nations 2021 Awards Presentations

Six exceptional tribal programs were selected by the Harvard Project’s Honoring Nations Program as finalists for the prestigious 2021 awards in American Indian governance. At the heart of Honoring Nations is the principle that tribes themselves hold the key to generating social, political, cultural, and economic prosperity and that self-governance plays a crucial role in building and sustaining strong, healthy Indian nations.

2021’s outstanding finalists were:

  • Agua Caliente People Curriculum
    Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
  • Cherokee Nation ONE FIRE
    Cherokee Nation
  • Energy Lifeline Sector Resilience: Low-carbon Microgrids
    Blue Lake Rancheria
  • Pe Sla
    The Great Sioux Nation
  • Sitka Tribe of Alaska Environmental Lab
    Sitka Tribe of Alaska
  • Swinomish Tax Authority
    Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

Programs

Project on Indigenous Governance and Development

Issues

Indigenous Governance

More from this Program

Chief Sophie Pierre On Being The First: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of the Ktunaxa Nation
Chief Sophie Pierre standing.

Feature

Chief Sophie Pierre On Being The First: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of the Ktunaxa Nation

Chief Sophie Pierre, a respected leader of the Ktunaxa Nation, has been named the Inaugural Senior Fellow in Indigenous Governance and Development at Harvard Kennedy School, starting in Spring 2025. Known for her groundbreaking work in governance, economic development, and cultural preservation, Pierre’s career has spanned over three decades, with significant contributions to Indigenous rights and self-determination. Her appointment to Harvard is a testament to her decades of leadership, resilience, and dedication to empowering future generations of Indigenous leaders.

More on this Issue

Chief Sophie Pierre On Being The First: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of the Ktunaxa Nation
Chief Sophie Pierre standing.

Feature

Chief Sophie Pierre On Being The First: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of the Ktunaxa Nation

Chief Sophie Pierre, a respected leader of the Ktunaxa Nation, has been named the Inaugural Senior Fellow in Indigenous Governance and Development at Harvard Kennedy School, starting in Spring 2025. Known for her groundbreaking work in governance, economic development, and cultural preservation, Pierre’s career has spanned over three decades, with significant contributions to Indigenous rights and self-determination. Her appointment to Harvard is a testament to her decades of leadership, resilience, and dedication to empowering future generations of Indigenous leaders.

Self-Government, Taxation, and Tribal Development: The Critical Role of American Indian Nation Business Enterprises
Figure 1: Growth in Real (inflation-adjusted) Per Capita Income: Indian Country v. the U.S. as a Whole (1989=100)

Policy Brief

Self-Government, Taxation, and Tribal Development: The Critical Role of American Indian Nation Business Enterprises

This policy brief analyzes the likely effects of newly Proposed Rules by the U.S. Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. These Rules would (1) expand the governmental authority of federally recognized American Indian nations to design programs for the general welfare of their citizens, and (2) clarify the federal tax status of tribal government-owned enterprises. The study finds that adoption of the Proposed Rules would greatly strengthen the capacities of tribal governments, to the benefit of tribes and the United States as a whole.