Our Crowdfunding Groups
Who We Are:
translating research and policy analysis into applied knowledge
creating partnerships between academia and Indian Country
serving communities via innovative capacity-building initiatives
driving change through community embeddedness
We strive to provide thought leadership on American Indian policy in order to enhance our local impact and social embeddedness serving Native Nations. By providing progressive policy analysis, research, and executive education, we seek to elevate Native Nations in local, regional, national and global communities while creating a dynamic dialogue through multiple communication modalities.
Our Work:
In 2018, AIPI’s monthly Policy Update covered 77 bills considered by Congress that had Tribal implications. AIPI’s updates also notified subscribers of 51 Federal Register Notices that were directed towards Tribes. In 2018, there were 15 bills signed into law that were Tribal-specific or had a Tribal impact.
In Fall 2019, AIPI released a research study three years in the making: The Tribal Technology Assessment: the State of Internet on Tribal Lands. Access to high-speed Internet service has become an essential component of the nation’s economy, education, and healthcare. However, federal data continues to show that tribal lands are the least connected areas of the country. AIPI launched a survey to collect information from residents of tribal reservations to determine what levels of Internet access they had and what types of devices they use to access it. The study also identified potential barriers to access, such as the lack of availability or its unaffordability for residents to purchase. Our survey found that residents on tribal lands are predominantly using smartphones to access the internet, while many are also accessing it through public Wi-Fi or at a friend/relative’s house. However, the data should not be interpreted or used to defend “mobile only” as the singular solution to providing internet service. In this study 50% of respondents stated that their internet use was limited because they did not have enough data in their cell phone plan. Further research is needed to ascertain if there are specific limitations of mobile use in certain situations, such as the reliability or preference of using mobile over hardline connections for certain activities.
Support tribally-driven work at ASU. Your gift supports AIPI in its service to Native Nations and Tribal organizations.
Help us support individual tribal members to attend the TFMC training at ASU. AIPI, the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA), and Thunderbird School of Global Management host the Tribal Financial Managers Certificate (TFMC) Program twice a year at ASU.
This 3-day intensive certificate training for tribal government financial management professionals provides in-depth training on tribal government finance, Indian law, taxation, and economic development. The registration cost is $1850 per person plus travel and hotel costs. Your donation will go towards a registration wavier for a tribal representative or a member designated by a tribe to attend either the June or December 2020 training.
Help us serve Native Nations by providing the data they need as they work towards digital equity and bridging the digital divide.
AIPI researchers are experts in telecommunications and emerging technology research for and about Native Nations. We advocate for tribes to have a seat at the table via tribally-driven research. Our 2019 Tribal Technology Assessment is the first study of its kind measuring individual user level access to broadband on tribal lands and reservations.
Your donations go towards tribally-driven and community-based research in order to gather needed data for grants and other tribal projects.
