Partnering with a tribal community, or any community, should be an authentic process designed around the community’s needs. Communities should not be used as tools to leverage for landing a grant or other funding opportunity.
A new mailbox, [email protected], has been created for researchers to seek guidance on seeking relationships with specific tribal partners. If a researcher does not have an existing relationship with the tribal community they seek to work with, they should indicate their desire to work with a tribe, what tribe this is, and the reasons why, by contacting [email protected]. From there, if appropriate, the researcher can build an authentic relationship with a tribe that is interested. Building this relationship will take time, and it will not take into account funding due dates. The reasons for working with a tribe ought to extend beyond any particular funding opportunity, and be rooted in the tribe’s interests.
Visit the Indigenous Research and Working with Tribal and Indigenous Communities in the United States pages for additional information.
By Research Operations