
- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.
Department of the Interior Announces $320 Million for Tribal Domestic Water Supply Projects
The U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation issued a funding opportunity to assist federally recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations as they plan and construct domestic water infrastructure.
Eligible projects include new domestic water supply infrastructure, improvements to existing infrastructure and facilities, extension of existing infrastructure and facilities to reach underserved service areas, and other projects that assess and address urgent water-related needs, among others.
Application deadline: August 4, 2024
USDA to Hold Tribal Consutatons at the NCAI Midyear Convention
United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Friday that during the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Midyear Convention in Cherokee, N.C. (June 3-6), the department will be hosting a series of tribal consultations on Expanding Tribal Self-Determination Policies at USDA. They will be hybrid, and both in-person and online attendees must register:
Tribal Consultation on Self-Determination at USDA: Forestry
Date: Monday, June 3, 2024
Time: 1:00-4:00 p.m. EDT
Registration Link: Meeting Registration
Tribal Consultation on Self-Determination at UDSA: Meat Inspections
Date: Monday, June 3, 2024
Time: 4:30-7:30 p.m. EDT
Registration Link: Meeting Registration
Tribal Consultation on Self-Determination at USDA: Food and Nutrition Programs
Date: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Time: 1:00-4:00 p.m. EDT
Registration Link: Meeting Registration
The Secretary also recently established the USDA Tribal Advisory Committee to provide advice and guidance to USDA decision makers. Please save the date for the upcoming meeting, which will be both in person in Washington, D.C. and on Zoom on May 29 – May 30, 2024. If you have would like to submit written public comments or register to deliver verbal comments during the meeting, please send an email to [email protected].
Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee Nominations
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is seeking nominations for future members of its Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. Selected nominees will serve a two-year term, beginning January 2025. In determining who to select, HUD will take into consideration several factors, such as geographic location and size of Tribe. In order to be eligible, the nominee must be a duly elected or appointed Tribal leader or Tribal employee (employees of a Tribally Designated Housing Entity are not eligible). Further details can be found in this Federal Register Notice.
Nominations are due by June 7, 2024.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Calfornia Gov. Newsom Announces $15 Million in Grants to Support Tribal Economic Development and Job Creation
Protests Greet Western Governors in Santa Fe
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher