Native Governance Center

What it reported doing in 2025

Tribal governance support: working side-by-side with tribes that have identified specific needs or issues, native governance center helps create and implement governance solutions through training, technical assistance, and consulting services. We listen to native nations' needs and provide them with a variety of indigenized tools and expertise for developing strong governance systems in support of their sovereignty. In 2025, we hosted 2 elected leader listening sessions in Nebraska and 1 in North Dakota. We met with 7 elected leaders and administrators from the ponca tribe of Nebraska and 4 elected leaders from the santee sioux nation. We held an elected leaders' dinner in North Dakota during the government to government conference with elected leaders from sisseton wahpeton oyate, spirit lake nation, and standing rock sioux tribe. The executive director of the nd indian affairs commission and nd representative jayme davis were also in attendance.we facilitated 4 customized tribal support projects with 4 native nations. Working with the mille lacs band of ojibwe constitutional delegates, we facilitated one training for 31 mlbo members. We provided technical support for 2 mlbo constitutional conventions: the district 1 convention had 105 attendees and the district 2 convention had 74. 2 additional conventions were held in the spring of 2026. We provided a two-day in-person training for 12 elected leaders of the rosebud sioux tribe in october 2025. In the fall of 2025, we facilitated two community input meetings for a land leasing policy for the lower brule sioux tribe. Meeting #1 had 49 attendees and meeting #2 had 16. Finally, we worked with the sisseton wahpeton oyate old agency district to facilitate community input on constitution reform. 5 elected leaders and elders, and 21 community members participated in the 2 meetings.tgs moderated 3 candidate forums in 2025 for 2 native nations. The bois forte band of chippewa had special primary and general election candidate forums for the position of chairperson. The primary election candidate forum had 61 attendees and the general election candidate forum had 46 attendees. The yankton sioux tribe candidate forum had 31 attendees.we facilitated the virtual indigenous leaders in governance workshop series for 2 native nations. Wichita and affiliated tribes had 18 participants, including elected leaders and administrators. Yankton sioux tribe had 5 participants that only included newly elected leaders.tgs developed 3 resources in 2025: a profile on the newly elevated governor larry rhoden for the native nations that share geography with South Dakota and workbooks for indigenous leaders in governance and tribal civics workshop participants.we hosted an open virtual webinar for 45 participants and presented to 12 attendees at the national congress of american indians. We tabled at three conferences in 2025.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 77.7%; rating input score 78
• Fundraising efficiency: $9 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.3%; rating input score 99; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -53%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.77; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 13.1% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 19.1% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings