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On Tuesday, August 6th at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, NAFOA will host the second part of the Tribal Tax Bill webinar series covering Sections 6,7, and 8 of H.R. 8318.

The first part of the series was held on July 23rd and covered Sections 3,4, and 5. The final webinar is scheduled for August 20th and will cover Sections 10, 11, 12, 13, and include an extended Q&A for the entire legislation. Summaries of individual sections can be found in the Tribal Tax and Investment Reform’s Overview.

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This case study, supported by Wells Fargo, explores how the efforts to expand Native American representation in the legal field offer valuable insights for diversifying the financial services industry. The legal field’s success has shown the importance of intentional and resource-backed efforts to build diversity in professional sectors. As a result, the number of Native American attorneys has grown significantly over the past fifty years, enabling tribes to better advocate for their rights and interests.

How might the financial services industry do the same? The key is to take intentional approaches to reach Native youth, beginning in high school and extending through higher education and early career stages. This involves creating awareness of career options in finance among Native youth, offering scholarships and internships, and establishing mentorship programs to support Native students and professionals.

Source: Aspen Institute Financial Security Program Read the Case Study

Bill delivers new investments to support Tribal communities and wildland firefighters, protect our environment and public lands, and ensure Americans have clean air and water

“This year’s Interior bill delivers for our public lands and our Tribes and will benefit both Oregonians and people across the United States for years to come,” said Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. “Our effort protects America’s beautiful public lands, honors our trust and treaty obligations to Tribes, addresses staffing shortages at our national parks, and helps combat the ever-growing threat of wildfires, including by giving permanent raises for wildland firefighters. This sends a strong message that the federal government is serious about our country’s and our children’s futures.”

“This bipartisan bill delivers important new resources to provide more support to Tribal communities, protect our environment and public lands, and fight wildfires in every part of the country. It funds essential work to ensure every American has access to clean air and water and can enjoy our nation’s breathtaking national parks—with new funding to hire more staff and prevent reduced hours at our parks,” said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This bill honors the courageous work our federal wildland firefighters do by establishing a permanent fix to prevent a devastating pay cut and by providing them with more support. It helps keep our promises to Tribes and increases funding to help Tribal communities serve students, keep people safe, and get the health care they need.”

Tribal Programs: In total, the bill provides $12.65 billion for Tribal programs across the Department of the Interior and the Indian Health Service, an increase of $1.774 billion above fiscal year 2024.

Source: United States Senate Committee on Appropriations Learn More

From July 23-27, 2024, the National Congress of American Indians, in collaboration with NAFOA, took part in Te Hui Taketake a Te Puna Tahua Toa, the 2024 Global Indigenous Business Summit, held in Rotorua, New Zealand. This summit brought together Indigenous Peoples from around the globe, facilitating the sharing of ideas and fostering of connections that drive advancements in the global Indigenous economy.

Attendees had the opportunity to visit local Indigenous-owned businesses, gaining insights into best practices. The program featured a range of informative presentations, engaging group sessions, and inspiring keynote speeches, including a powerful keynote speech from acclaimed Hollywood actor Cliff Curtis (Māori).

NCAI Secretary and International Committee Co-Chair Nickolaus Lewis and NCAI International Committee Co-Chair Councilor Joe Deere participated in the summit as panelists, highlighting the role of Indigenous servant leadership on both national and international stages. Chairwoman Melanie Benjamin also participated as a panelist, addressing the challenges of language and culture loss and emphasizing the critical importance of language revitalization.

During the closing ceremony, NAFOA Interim Executive Director Susan Masten announced that the next Global Indigenous Business Summit will be held in Seattle, Washington. Secretary Lewis and Councilor Deere received the summit “mauri,” symbolizing the ceremonial transfer of the event’s location from Aotearoa (New Zealand) to the United States.

Source: National Congress of American Indian Learn More

The Controller is a supervisory position with overall responsibility for the financial affairs of the Tribal Office. The Controller is responsible for managing day-to-day operations of the accounting and finance functions while effectively using the resources available to address financial issues on a micro and macro scale to secure the continued success of the organization. The Controller must have a strong background in internal controls and will develop and maintain systems and workflows to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of accounting records. The Controller is responsible for annual audits and monthly presentation of Financial Statements. This individual will assist the Tribal Council and Department Directors in short- and long-range planning and decision-making.

This role will be responsible for the regulation of all local, state, and federal laws. The Controller should have familiarity with the general welfare doctrine and revenue allocation plans.

Learn More & Apply at nafoa.org/jobs