The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides the largest infusion of federal funding for Indian Country in the history of the United States. More than $32 billion dollars is directed toward assisting American Indian nations and communities as they work to end and recover from the devastating COVID19 pandemic – which was made worse in Indian Country precisely because such funding is long overdue.
In this policy brief, we set out recommendations which we hope will promote the wise and productive allocation of ARPA funds to the nation’s 574 federally recognized American Indian tribes. We see ARPA as a potential “Marshall Plan” for the revitalization of Indian nations. The Act holds the promise of materially remedying at least some of the gross, documented, and long-standing underfunding of federal obligations and responsibilities in Indian Country. Yet, fulfilling that promise requires that the federal government expeditiously and wisely allocate ARPA funds to tribes, and that tribes efficiently and effectively deploy those funds to maximize their positive impacts on tribal communities.
Six Programs Advance to the Site Visit Round for the 2025 Honoring Nations Awards
The Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development’s Honoring Nations program is thrilled to announce the selection of six outstanding tribal programs advancing to the site visit round for the 2025 awards.
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.
Honoring Nations 2025 Semifinalists Selected for Excellence in Governance Award
The Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development’s Honoring Nations program is pleased to announce the selection of 18 semifinalists for the prestigious 2025 Honoring Nations awards.
Six Programs Advance to the Site Visit Round for the 2025 Honoring Nations Awards
The Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development’s Honoring Nations program is thrilled to announce the selection of six outstanding tribal programs advancing to the site visit round for the 2025 awards.
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.
Honoring Nations 2025 Semifinalists Selected for Excellence in Governance Award
The Harvard Project on Indigenous Governance and Development’s Honoring Nations program is pleased to announce the selection of 18 semifinalists for the prestigious 2025 Honoring Nations awards.