What is the name of your organization?
Wawokiye LLC
What is the name of your solution?
Sovereignty in Action
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Exercising Sovereignty: A Study of Tribal Governance Transformations
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Denver, CO, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
USA
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Across the United States, tribal governments navigate complex governance structures shaped by federal policies that do not align with Indigenous governance traditions. The Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of 1934 imposed a standardized governance model on many tribes, while others transitioned to self-governance through laws such as the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act (2020). There is little comprehensive research on how these governance transitions impact tribal sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency, and decision-making power.
Research from Harvard’s Project on Indigenous Governance and Development and the Native Nations Institute demonstrates that strong, self-determined governance structures are key to long-term tribal community resiliency. Tribes continue to face systemic barriers within federal frameworks, limiting their ability to exercise full sovereignty. Lack of accessible, comparative data on governance models prevents tribal leaders from making informed decisions about governance reform, policy development, and economic planning.
Our research systematically examines IRA and self-governance tribes to identify patterns, challenges, and strategies in governance transitions. By documenting case studies and analyzing how tribes have exercised sovereignty effectively, we aim to create an Indigenous-led knowledge base that supports tribal leaders, policymakers, and researchers in making governance decisions that align with tribal self-determination and sovereignty.
What is your solution?
Our solution is a research initiative that systematically examines the governance structures of Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) tribes and self-governance tribes in the lower 48 states. Informed by Harvard’s Project on Indigenous Governance and Development and the Native Nations Institute, this research addresses the lack of accessible data on how governance transitions impact sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency, and decision-making power.
We apply Indigenous-led data governance principles to analyze how tribes navigate federal policies, strengthen sovereignty, and implement self-determined governance models. Our methodology includes policy analysis, case studies, structured data collection, and geospatial mapping to identify governance patterns, challenges, and strategic solutions. Unlike existing federal reports, our work ensures that research remains controlled by and for Indigenous nations, preventing extractive use of governance data.
We will share findings through controlled-access reports, presentations, and strategic discussions with tribal leaders, policymakers, and Indigenous governance experts. Additionally, we aim to collaborate with Harvard Kennedy School’s Project on Indigenous Governance and Development and the Constitutions Toolbox to refine our analysis, ensuring our research directly supports tribal leaders in making informed governance decisions.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution serves tribal nations, leaders, policymakers, and Indigenous governance experts committed to strengthening sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency, and self-determined governance. Research from Harvard’s Project on Indigenous Governance and Development and the Native Nations Institute highlights that Indigenous nations thrive when governance structures are designed and implemented on their own terms. However, federal policies have historically imposed external governance models, creating structural barriers that tribes continue to navigate.
Our research examines Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) and self-governance tribes, identifying governance strategies, challenges, and solutions. By documenting case studies of nations that have advanced self-determined governance, we provide actionable insights that support constitutional reform, policy development, and economic planning.
Findings will be shared through controlled-access reports, direct engagement with tribal leadership, and strategic discussions to ensure that research serves the nations it is designed to support. Our work does not prescribe solutions but provides tribal decision-makers with comparative insights and governance strategies, reinforcing the knowledge and expertise that Indigenous nations have long held in shaping their governance on their own terms.
