Evaluating options available to Tribal Nations for the delivery of Federal programs and services to their citizens and communities (Self-Determination Contracting, Self-Governance Compacting, 477 agreements, Non-BIA Agreements in DOI)
Potential Tribal questions/topics:
- Please discuss the Tribe’s history with self-determination and self-governance. How did the Tribe decide to start taking over programs and functions from the Federal government?
- What are the key differences between Self-Determination and Self-Governance?
- What challenges did the Tribe face as it transitioned to Self-Governance?
- Describe how Tribal leadership got the community invested and supportive of transitions to Self-Governance.
- Describe any opposition to transitioning to Self-Governance and how the Tribe dealt with mitigating the opposition.
- What steps did the Tribe take to evaluate its capacity for taking over programs through Self-Determination and Self-Governance?
- Are there times that a Tribe may elect to keep a program under a Self-Determination Contract rather than incorporating it into a Self-Governance compact?
- What programs and functions formerly conducted by the Federal government have been assumed by the Tribe?
- What is the role of Self-Governance within the Tribe’s broader goals of sovereignty?
- Describe an example of how Self-Governance allowed the Tribe to improve the effectiveness of a Federal program.
- Describe an example of how Self-Governance allowed the Tribe to make a Federal program culturally appropriate for the community.
- Overview of 477.
- When is a 477 agreement a beneficial and feasible option to pursue?
- What are some programs Tribes have included in a 477 Agreement?
- Experiences with Non-BIA agreements in DOI – what are some of the challenges/success stories?
*Note: these are intended to provide guidance. Additional topics are welcome.
Potential Federal questions/topics:
- Overview of Self-Governance (high level).
- History of Self-Governance in DOI and IHS
- Current status of Self-Governance (key facts and figures)
- What have you seen as some key benefits resulting from Self-Governance?
*Note: these are intended to provide guidance. Additional topics are welcome.