The Office of Self-Governance has announced a deadline of March 1, 2025, for Indian tribes or consortia to submit applications to start participating in the tribal self-governance program in fiscal year 2026 or calendar year 2026. To be eligible, tribes must have completed planning, shown fiscal stability, and meet specific audit requirements. The announcement provides guidance on the application process, anticipating that initial negotiations may take about two months, aiming to have agreements signed by July 1 for fiscal year arrangements and October 1 for calendar year agreements.
Simple Explanation
The Office of Self-Governance is telling Native American tribes that they have until March 1, 2025, to apply if they want to manage their own programs by 2026. To do this, tribes need to show they've planned well, managed money carefully, and passed recent audits.