Funding and Programs Meant to Help Tribes May Not Be Reaching Them

Each year, Congress budgets billions of dollars for programs that could support American Indian and Alaska Native communities. But much of this money doesn’t reach Tribes.

In a new report, we looked at the barriers and other challenges Tribes face when trying to access federal programs, funding, and services meant for them. Today’s WatchBlog post looks at what we found.

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If money is available, why aren’t tribal communities getting it?

In 2024, $32.6 billion was approved by Congress for funding and other assistance to benefit tribal communities. This assistance covers everything from clean water initiatives, educational programs, broadband internet access, transportation projects, law enforcement, health care, and much more.

But the amount of money that actually reaches Tribes can be much smaller than what they could receive.

We don’t know how much assistance Tribes received directly in 2024 because it isn’t tracked consistently across federal agencies. But we do know what tribal communities received in previous years, under some programs. For example, between 2017 and 2021, USDA invested approximately $6.6 billion to support rural development. But only about $138 million went to tribal communities.

So, why aren’t tribal communities receiving more of the funding they could get? Our new report outlines a number of obstacles Tribes may face when applying for assistance.

Red tape and paperwork. Applying for grants and other assistance can be a burden. Applications are often complex and may include quarterly reporting requirements that are time consuming to complete. And tribal communities and governments may not have the people available to dedicate to these efforts.

For example, FEMA officials told us that meeting application requirements for its flood mitigation assistance program can be difficult for Tribes because of the complexity of the applications. Indeed, we heard the same thing from officials of one Tribe we interviewed. They said that it took a dedicated staffer 60 days to navigate FEMA’s application process, which was designed for state governments.

The cost of applying. Applying for assistance may also require up front financial costs. There are several federal assistance programs that involve cost sharing or matching funds. For example, several federal microgrid (electrical power) projects require Tribes to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars in matching funds. While this program is meant to provide electricity to smaller communities, its matching-funds requirement may exclude smaller Tribes. 

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Communication about funding availability. To apply for assistance, Tribes first need to know assistance is available, right? We found that Tribes may not know about grant opportunities or how to apply for them. Limited agency communication with Tribes is part of the issue. But sometimes, even when agencies communicate with Tribes, the information provided is incomplete or unclear. For example, some applicants to tribal broadband programs said that the feedback they received during the award process lacked constructive information that could help improve future applications and inform their decisions about whether to pursue other funding options.

Cultural and geographic barriers. Federal agencies may not have a complete understanding of Tribes’ traditional practices or the nuances of their geographic locations. For example, federal agricultural programs often do not include Indigenous stewardship practices that Tribes want to pursue, such as nature-based solutions, which can hinder tribal applications. Additionally, some Tribes are in remote areas, which makes it difficult for agencies to communicate and deliver assistance.

What can be done to help Tribes access more of the assistance available to them?

The issue of tribal access to federal programs and funding is a long standing one that we started reporting as early as the 1950s. Congress and the White House have also recognized this issue. And in 2023, the president signed an executive order directing federal agencies to identify and address the barriers Tribes face when accessing programs meant for them.

As agencies take steps to address this executive order, we have highlighted some actions that can help.

Reduce the administrative burden on Tribes. Federal agencies can take steps that help Tribes build administrative capacity, streamline program applications, and provide more flexibility to meet program requirements. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency uses Performance Partnership Grants, which allow Tribes to combine grant awards and enhance funding flexibility.

Address cost of entry. Federal agencies can also lower cost-share requirements. For example, under its water resources development program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established a lower cost-share requirement for underserved communities as a part of their new Alaska-specific efforts.

Improve communications. Federal agencies can provide training to their staff on how to effectively communicate and work with Tribes. This training can help staff better understand the historic context of the relationship between Tribes and the federal government, and the challenges that poses. Additionally, agencies could do more to incorporate feedback about communications and application processes from Tribes. Learn more about our work on barriers to Tribes’ access to federal assistance in our new snapshot on past reports.

• GAO’s fact-based, nonpartisan information helps Congress and federal agencies improve government. The WatchBlog lets us contextualize GAO’s work a little more for the public. Check out more of our posts at GAO.gov/blog.
   
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