The Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee (TTAC) held its 15th Periodic Meeting on September 16, 2024. The public meeting was held at the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) in Washington, D.C. This meeting will be the final TTAC meeting of the calendar year. All seven TTAC tribal members were in attendance in person.

Additionally present from the IRS were IRS Chief Counsel Marjorie Rollinson, Commissioner of Tax-Exempt & Government Entities Edward Killen, Chief Privacy Officer of IRS Governmental Liaison and Disclosure Kathleen Walters. The TTAC also heard updates from the IRS-Chief Counsel from Scott Vance (Income Tax Accounting), Holly Porter (Passthroughs and Special Industries), and Rachel Levy (Employee Benefits, Exempt Organizations, and Employment Taxes).

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The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a critical lack of digital equity in the United States, particularly in Indian Country.

As previous Center for Indian Country Development (CICD) research has shown, before the pandemic households on federally recognized reservations were less likely to have home Internet and faced substantially higher prices for the most basic home Internet plans compared to households living outside of reservations.

COVID-19 exacerbated that digital divide.

In response, in December 2021 the U.S. government launched the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Before sunsetting in June 2024, the ACP subsidized the monthly cost of high-speed Internet for low-income families. The program offered a $30 monthly subsidy for eligible households located outside of tribal lands and a $75 monthly subsidy for eligible households located on tribal lands.

Our analysis finds higher ACP enrollment among eligible households on tribal lands than on non-tribal lands. Analyses like this are part of CICD’s ongoing efforts to help policymakers better understand the conditions necessary for economic prosperity in Indian Country, such as access to broadband.

Source: Center for Indian Country Development Continue Reading

By Wells Fargo

Creating an inclusive financial system— one that enables everyone to access, use, and reap the benefits of a full suite of financial products for stability, resilience, and long-term financial security—requires financial service providers to reflect the diversity of the people across the United States at all levels of decision-making This case study highlights the focused efforts to build Native American representation in the legal field and considers how these successful, intentional approaches can help us build a more diverse and inclusive financial services industry. In the span of about fifty years, the number of Native American attorneys has grown from roughly two dozen to about 2,500 today, and now proportionally represents the Native population. The decision to build out a critical mass of Native attorneys was done with intention and dedicated resources, and has been hugely beneficial for many tribes, enabling them to much more effectively advocate for and protect their rights and interests.

Like the legal system, the financial system is another sector where Native representation is crucial to ensuring that tribal rights and interests are respected and upheld. “We can’t have tribal sovereignty without economic sovereignty,” explained one of the nation’s few Native Americans working in senior management at a major bank. However, unlike the legal field, there are currently few Native Americans working in finance and banking. As a result, tribes have fewer resources to protect their economic sovereignty and capitalize on new business and economic opportunities.

Read in the NAFOA Navigator Magazine (pg 138-139)

The Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Program (REAP) provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Tribal corporations or tribal business entities chartered under section 17 located in rural areas are eligible to apply. This program funds loan guarantees on loans up to 75% of total eligible project costs and grants for up to 50% of total eligible project costs. Grants and loan guarantees can also be combined to fund 75% of eligible project costs.

The deadline to apply for loans or grants for REAP is September 30, 2024.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Learn More

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is soliciting Requests for Proposals for audit services of one (1) of its entities. Preference will be given to Qualified Tribal and/or Indian-owned economic enterprises or organizations.

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will receive sealed Request for Proposals, mailed or hand delivered, until 3:00 pm on October 2, 2024, at the Lumbee Tribal Housing Complex located at 6984 NC Hwy 711 West, Pembroke, NC 28372 (Attention: Tanya Deese). Bids will be opened on October 3, 2024, in the Council Chambers or Room 507 at 10:00 am, located at 6984 NC Hwy. 711 West, Pembroke, NC 28372.

All qualified proposals meeting the terms and conditions will be evaluated and approval made by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to constitute the most responsive bid for the audit services requested. Please contact Tanya Deese at tdeese@lumbeetribe.com or (910) 522-5188 for a copy of the specifications package.

Learn More & Apply at nafoa.org/jobs