The Insects Moved Faster Than the Paperwork
A burned forest, an eight-month wait, and what the federal approval process still costs the tribes already inside it.
Rules & Results
Data-driven analysis of institutional barriers to prosperity in Native American communities.
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Colville Wired Itself
Private carriers would not wire 2,100 square miles of mountains, so the tribe built the network itself. The reservation’s income and employment rose.
Ten Years, Three Tribes
Of fifty-five Intertribal Timber Council member tribes, three made it through
Congress Made Two Kinds of Tribes in 1953
Thirteen years of VAWA implementation data say which tribes can use what Congress passed.
Congress Keeps Giving Tribes Powers They Can’t Afford to Use
Three federal laws. One pattern. The same broken promise.
Why 73% of Tribes Can't Use a Law Designed to Help Them
The HEARTH Act cut lease approval times from 18 months to six weeks. New data shows why most reservations still can't take advantage.
When Washington Shuts Down: How Institutional Quality Kept Tribal Services Running
New data show which reservations maintained services during the October 2025 federal shutdown and why
The Fractionation Tax: How Federal Land Policy Costs Tribes Billions
Even after $1.9 billion in consolidation, the problem will spiral back by 2038
Why Some Reservations Prosper While Others Struggle: The Data
Median household incomes across tribal nations vary by a factor of six. The Reservation Economic Freedom Index 2.0 shows institutional quality explains the gap.
Small Donor Campaign Contributions, Big Signal: House Campaign Participation Under $500
When small-dollar donors rally behind challengers, electoral margins tend to tighten—especially in midterm wave elections.