Nation Building Toolboxes are online, mixed media, learning tools which can assist in meeting the needs of Indigenous leaders and decision makers. Assembled from the real-world experiences of hundreds of Native nations, the toolboxes serve as a central resource of information on how to implement and sustain best practices in community self-governance. They are hosted and curated by the Native Nations Institute (NNI) at the University of Arizona and the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development (Harvard Project) at Harvard University, and feature contributions of partners with valuable knowledge to share.

The self-guided toolboxes enable Nation Builders to explore, develop and manage their understanding of key functions of tribal and other Indigenous governance structures and strategies. The Toolboxes provide Nation Builders with learning activities and resources they can use to assist Indigenous communities in their drive for self-determination. The content is supplemented with case studies, lessons learned, and first-hand explanations by fellow decision makers who have tackled the challenges of strengthening their own communities.

We can’t tell you what will work for your community, but we do hope that having access through these toolboxes to the lessons from, and experiences of, other Native nations will provide you with ideas and useable starting points as you tackle your own community’s needs. We hope you will join us for a live demonstration of these insightful tools and resources. By signing up through the form below, you will be guaranteed an official email invitation (with all event details) and a seat for the live demonstration on August 7 at 3:15pm EST at https://hks-harvard.zoom.us/j/124514041.

For questions or more information, please email moana_hoching@hks.harvard.edu.