Programs and Projects:

Tribal Governance & Justice:

TNI assists tribes in developing and reforming their local institutions, agencies, governing documents and laws. Additionally, we help tribes develop and enhance their courts and justice systems.

TNI provides technical assistance and training to local tribal leaders, agencies, and organizations in all areas within TNI's mission.

Tribal Dispute Resolution Services Program:

Our founding project at TNI is the Tribal Dispute Resolution Services Program (DRS). The program seeks to empower indigenous communities by providing them with effective tools and resources to resolve family, property, governance, and other disputes, in a predictable, non-adversarial manner, while respecting community priorities and values.

The DRS Program provides the following services:
• Training, certification and administrative support for community member mediators
• Direct mediation and arbitration services
• Technical assistance to tribal communities, courts, agencies and organizations in alternative dispute resolution education and law development and reform

Inter-disciplinary Tribal Summer (ITS) Field Schools “TNI is working to develop ITS Field Schools that will bring faculty and graduate students from different academic disciplines together on-site in different tribal communities each summer. Participants will work with the community to conduct research on that community's most pressing issues.

TNI is committed to supporting research and publications focused on the priorities, issues, and value-debates identified by Native communities and tribal governments.