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Our Work Strengthening American Indian Health Services

Expanding access to stable, high-quality, Native-led public health and health care.

We support Native nations and urban Indian health centers to progress toward their vision of a strong health system by building effective health care and public health program.

Native nations have built some of the best health systems in the U.S. However, many American Indian people, including in Montana, still lack access to quality preventive, primary, and specialty health care. Challenges include a lack of facilities and services, longstanding underfunding; shortages of trained health professionals; and complex state and federal regulations.

The principle of self-determination guides our work in this initiative. Native nations and urban Indians are in the best place to know their communities’ needs and build health systems to meet those needs. We work with Native American leadership, urban Indian health centers, and Native-led nonprofits to support their goals. We offer grants, but we also provide support through our staff’s expertise or by finding consultants who can help with specific projects.

We help tribes and urban Indian health centers implement new primary care services, school wellness centers, elder care programs, and public health services.

Spotted Bull Resource Recovery Center opens a new residential treatment program for the Fort Peck community.

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Our Approach

We provide grants and contracts for projects that will strengthen American Indian health services. We also support select organizations engaged in tribal health policy analysis. All funding under this initiative is by invitation only and is intended for the organizations participating in the American Indian Health Leaders group and Native-led nonprofits at the request of and in partnership with American Indian Health Leaders group members.

Funding Opportunity

In addition to meeting our standard selection criteria, tribal and urban Indian health programs or Native-led nonprofits that receive our grants will demonstrate:

  • A commitment to the project by tribal or organizational leadership.
  • Organizational capacity to carry out the project.
  • A lead staff member with appropriate skills or a viable plan to recruit and hire one.
  • A viable plan for creating, strengthening, or assuming management from the Indian Health Services of a specific program or service that responds to an identified health priority.
  • Source(s) or revenue to support the program beyond the term of the grant.

Contact

Need assistance?

Email Tressie White
Program Director