Using Research to Support Indian Country in Shaping

its’ Own Future

Sarah Hicks, Ph.D.

Director, Policy Research Center

National Congress of American Indians

Overview

• NCAI Policy Research Center Vision

• Core Values

• Advisory Council

• Recent Products

• Ongoing Projects

• New Projects

• 2009 Mid-Year Conference Activities

PRC Vision

supporting Indian Country in shaping its own future.

PRC Values

• Research in service to community

• Direct implications for communities and improving their well-being

• Community-driven agenda and all aspects of the work

• Honor community and cultural contributions to the work

PRC Values

• Partnership with communities and other organizations

• Respect tribal sovereignty and ownership of data

• Indigenous knowledge is as valid as academic knowledge

• Research should build community capacity

PRC Advisory Council• Hon. W. Ron Allen• Sherry Salway Black• Prof. Eddie Brown• Elizabeth Cheney• Terry Cross• John Echohawk• Greta Goto• Senator Carol Juneau• Andrew Lee

• Hon. Juana Majel-Dixon• Prof. Alan Parker• Jacqueline Johnson Pata• Lt. Gov. Benny Shendo• Prof. Victoria Sutton• Eddie Tullis

Recent Products

• Tribal Options for Expediting Land Title Processing

• Indian Country Counts: Outreach for 2010 Census Participation

• CoP Website

Ongoing Projects

• Labor Ordinances Survey

• Recovery Act Impact Survey

• Carsey Institute: Rural Environmental, Economic, and Social Change

New Projects

• Joint Urban Institute/NCAI Fellowship

• Partnership for Tribal Governance: Framework for Action and Related Tools- Assessment, Planning, and Evaluation

New Projects

• Native American Research Centers for Health: Promoters and Inhibitors of Community-Based Participatory Research

2009 Mid-Year Conference Activities

• Census Pre-meeting

• Research Curriculum Breakout

• 4th Annual Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum

• Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum Proceedings and Website Postings

Contact Information

Sarah Hicks

Director, NCAI Policy Research Center

Phone: (314) 602-6630

Email: shicks@ncai.org