IHS Announces Grant Awards for Tribal Self-Governance Planning and Negotiation Activities

The Indian Health Service is pleased to announce the recipients of the second round of Fiscal Year 2024 Tribal Self-Governance Planning and Negotiation Cooperative Agreements, administered by the Office of Tribal Self-Governance.

These annual IHS cooperative agreement awards support tribes and tribal organizations in their efforts to plan and prepare for assuming responsibility for providing health care to their tribal members through the Tribal Self-Governance Program.

The Planning Cooperative Agreement funding can assist with legal and budgetary research, internal tribal government planning, and organization preparation relating to the administration of health care programs. Two applications were reviewed and one was awarded in the amount of $180,000.

The Negotiation Cooperative Agreement funding assists tribes to defray the costs related to preparing for and conducting self-governance program negotiations. Negotiations provide an opportunity for the tribal and federal negotiation teams to work together in good faith to enhance each self-governance agreement. One application was reviewed and awarded in the amount of $84,000.

The following tribes received awards for FY 2024:

• Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians – Redwood Valley, California– $180,000
• Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma – Perkins, Oklahoma – $84,000

The IHS emphasize the commitment to tribal self-governance and will continue to work with self-governance tribes and those interested in entering self-governance compacts. This supports the shared goal of providing quality health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives across Indian Country.

The Tribal Self-Governance Program expresses the nation-to-nation relationship between the U.S. and tribes. Strong federal-tribal partnerships are critical to the program’s success. Through the program, tribes can assume IHS program funds and manage them to best fit the needs of health care to their tribal communities.

The Office of Tribal Self-Governance serves as the primary liaison and advocate for tribes participating in the Tribal Self-Governance Program. The office develops and oversees the implementation of tribal self-governance legislation and authorities within the IHS. They also provide information, technical assistance, and policy coordination in support of IHS self-governance activities, with input from IHS staff and workgroups, tribes and tribal organizations, and the IHS Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee.