1. NAFOA IN THE NEWS: U.S. TREASURY OFFICIAL VISITS SUQUAMISH TO LEARN ABOUT PANDEMIC’S EFFECTS ON TRIBES
“U.S. Department of the Treasury Chief Recovery Officer Jacob Leibenluft visited the Port Madison Indian Reservation on Sunday to see tribal projects that are receiving federal pandemic recovery funding and hear how the pandemic has affected the Suquamish Tribe’s economy and health.
Leibenluft’s tour marked the first visit by a Treasury Department official to tribal lands during the administration of President Joe Biden, according to the tribe.
The pandemic has made it harder to arrange business travel across the country, so Leibenluft said it was valuable to get on the ground to be able to meet with tribal leaders, learn the impact of the pandemic, and see how the tribe is using federal funding to recover its economy.
“I was very thankful for that opportunity and look forward for further opportunity for the Treasury to engage with tribal leaders both in the Northwest and across the country,” Leibenluft told Kitsap Sun.
During the tour, Leibenluft met with tribal leaders and business owners to discuss the economic impact of the pandemic. Participants included Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman, the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA) Executive Director Rico Frias and more.”
2. POLICY: CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS DEADLINE JUNE 1ST, 2022
The Department of Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund has set a June 1st deadline for tribal governments to apply for funding requests for the $100m tribal set-aside. The Capital Projects Fund aims to:
- Directly support recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency by strengthening and improving the infrastructure necessary for participation in work, education, and health monitoring that will last beyond the pandemic.
- Enable investments in capital assets designed to address inequities in access to critical services.
- Contribute to the Administration’s goal of providing every American with the modern infrastructure necessary to access critical services, including a high-quality and affordable broadband internet connection.
For a capital project to be an eligible use of Capital Projects Fund grant funds, it must meet all of the following criteria:
- The capital project invests in capital assets designed to directly enable work, education, and health monitoring.
- The capital project is designed to address a critical need that resulted from or was made apparent or exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
- The capital project is designed to address a critical need of the community to be served by it.
For more information, see the Capital Projects Fund FAQ, Allocation Methodology for Tribal Governments, and Tribal Government Information Webinar Slideshow.
3. FROM THE NAFOA NAVIGATOR: INVESTING TRIBAL NATION ASSETS IN TODAY’S UNCERTAIN MARKET
By Patrick Bender, Senior Portfolio Strategist, KeyBank Native American Financial Services
Investment returns over the past three calendar years (2019-2021) have been among some of the strongest on record. However, as we turned the page to 2022, many headwinds became apparent such as increasing geopolitical tensions, rising interest rates, and historically high equity valuations. This has led to large gyrations in investment markets that tend to unnerve market participants.
Financial security is a critical pillar to support a Tribe’s Sovereignty. A crucial resource available to support this pillar is a disciplined, risk-focused investment program. Maintaining a disciplined approach is a challenge in settled times, but today’s environment raises concerns to even higher levels. As Tribal Leadership and Members pay even more attention to how geopolitical and economic conditions cause fluctuations in asset values, they may begin to question the wisdom of their present investment strategies.
Tribes that have built a documented process for their investment program with a communication plan that outlines the purpose and expected volatility of the investment strategies employed have better long-term success. That success can be measured by long term investment performance as well as the confidence that Tribal Leadership and Members have during volatile market periods.
4. EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO COLLEGE OF LAW FOR A POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW IN TRIBAL ECONOMICS
The University of Idaho’s College of Law is recruiting a full-time postdoctoral scholar. The initial appointment is one year with the possibility of extension.
The position will support interdisciplinary research in Native American law, economics in Indian Country, and tribal economic development with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement, community-based observing, and place-based approaches. Projects will include working directly with regional tribal communities to develop research that supports tribal economic development goals, provides College of Law students experiential learning opportunities, and significantly contributes to the scholarship in the Fellow’s fields.
Candidates with research interests that overlap with the College’s other Native American Law research and teaching priorities (natural resources, water law, treaty rights, climate change, family law, violence against women) are particularly encouraged to apply.
The successful candidate will be part of the UI Native American Law (“NAL”) Program and will help to develop program goals and support program students. The candidate will directly coordinate with the NAL Program Director to lead and/or co-lead NAL Program projects and to advance NAL Program strategic goals. This will entail working with, co-leading, and leading, college and university interdisciplinary teams to develop funding opportunities and enhance the co-production of knowledge in tribal economic development.
5. JOBS: CONNECT WITH A RECRUITER AT BANK OF AMERICA
Bank of America is a proud supporter of NAFOA. Register your contact information and a recruiter will contact you for a discussion about opportunities, from finance, sales, technology, and more.
Opportunities are available at multiple locations in the U.S. and globally. Some positions may be partially remote or hybrid.
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