Overview

The Project on Indigenous Governance and Development at the Harvard Kennedy School is the recognized leader in practical research, teaching, leadership development, policy analysis, and pro bono advising for Native communities. With Indigenous peoples so long shut out from access to world-class and relevant educational and economic opportunities, the core mission of the Project is to arm Indigenous people themselves with the tools needed to govern effectively and to strengthen their economic, social, and cultural fabrics. These nations are being rebuilt, poverty is being pushed back, and cultures are being strengthened as Indian communities take charge of their own destinies. Based at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, the Project focuses on what works to strengthen Indigenous communities—and what doesn’t work. Since 1987, the Project has worked to uncover and support the conditions under which sustained, self-determined political, social, cultural, and economic strengthening can be achieved by Indigenous communities. The Project has been awarded by tribes themselves for its pioneering work fostering the Indigenous renaissance that has taken hold in the US and beyond.