1. NAFOA INSTITUTE: APPLY FOR LEADING PEOPLE AND INVESTING TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES (LPIBSC)
Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities (LPIBSC) is a collaboration among Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education, NAFOA, and AFOA Canada. Its mission is to inspire and support Native finance professionals and leaders, as well as equip them with the tools to lead high-performing, innovative communities or organizations.
Admission to the program is highly competitive and early application is encouraged. Applicants will be selected based on the quality of their application and professional experience. At the program’s conclusion, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Business School.
PROGRAM DATES: May 8-12, 2023
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 25, 2023, at 11:59 PM Alaska Time.
2. MEMBER TRIBE NEWS: CONGRESS HOLDS FIRST EVER HEARING ON A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT FOR THE CHEROKEE NATION
Congress held its first hearing about establishing a non-voting delegate seat for the Cherokee Nation on Wednesday. The historic move is the closest the federal government has gotten toward satisfying a promise it made to the Cherokee Nation nearly 200 years ago.
The federal government never fulfilled a provision made in the Treaty of New Echota in 1835, signed by then-president Andrew Jackson, promising the Cherokee Nation a seat in Congress after forcibly moving them off their ancestral land, an exodus known as the Trail of Tears.
Wednesday’s congressional hearing is the result of recently renewed efforts from Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. to have Congress finally act on the provision. In 2019, Hoskin appointed Kimberly Teehee as its first delegate to Congress, in anticipation of the federal government’s acknowledgement of the promised seat.
“It’s time for this body to honor this promise and seat our delegate in the House of Representatives,” Hoskin said at the hearing. “No barrier — constitutional or otherwise — prevents this.”
Source: NPR News
3. RESOURCES: COMMON AUDIT FINDINGS FOR TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS
The COVID-19 pandemic caused massive disruption of day-to-day processes, causing potential for a breakdown of internal controls. It’s important to stay ahead of common errors occurring because of disruptions to avoid the dreaded audit finding.
View Moss Adams’ webcast, Common Audit Findings for Tribal Governments. The session covers:
- The different types of audit findings and their impacts on a government
- Strategies to help your Tribal government remain compliant
- Resources available to help avoid and solve common single audit issues
4. FROM THE NAFOA NAVIGATOR: AMERIND EMPOWERS TRIBES TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR INSURANCE PROGRAMS
By Robert Dahl, Acting Chief Executive Officer, AMERIND
It’s time Tribes exercise their sovereignty and self-determination over their economies, including protecting their employees through unique Tribal Workers’ Compensation programs. When Tribes purchase conventional, statutory workers’ compensation policies, they are not only signing up for a standard, one-size-fits-all model, they are waiving their sovereign immunity and subjecting themselves to state jurisdiction and courts. Furthermore, statutory workers’ compensation policies leave Tribes vulnerable to the litigation that runs rampant in state systems. Utilizing an arbitration type format, AMERIND helps Tribes avoid lengthy court battles. This more informal process saves Tribes considerable legal expense. Owned by more than four hundred Tribes, AMERIND is tax-exempt and free from state workers’ compensation laws and regulation. Doing business sovereign to sovereign with AMERIND means saving money by avoiding state and federal taxes and fees. Thus, AMERIND’s expense ratio is typically 10-15% less than other insurance carriers.
5. JOBS: PASKENTA BAND OF NOMLAKI INDIANS IS SEEKING CONTROLLER
The Controller is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating complete financial functions for the Tribal government under the direction of the Chief Financial Officer. The position oversees the production of periodic financial reports, maintenance of an adequate system of accounting records and internal controls, and helps ensure that the reported results comply with generally accepted accounting principles. The Controller supports the department’s goals of managing financial risks, complying with regulatory oversight responsibilities, and meeting targeted financial goals and budgets.
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