Investing in Tribal Governments

Economic development in Indian Country lags behind the rest of the nation and impacts nearly every aspect of reservation life. For generations, our communities have faced economic conditions that are even more pronounced than those of the current economic crisis. Eight of the 10 poorest counties in America are home to Indian reservations.

The detailed analysis in the previous section has underscored the following three critical observations: 1) structural changes need to be made to provide tribes with access to federal investments; 2) the administration needs to engage directly and regularly with tribal leaders; and 3) policymakers need data to guide Native communities to a prosperous economic future.