Tribal leaders and Native advocacy organizations face a 2 p.m. ET deadline today to register for consultations next week on federal grant changes that Native organizations warn could disrupt funding across Indian Country.
The consultation is about proposed revisions to Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations would change rules governing administrative requirements, cost principles and audits for federal awards, including funding received by tribal governments and Native-serving organizations.
The Office of Management and Budget issued a letter dated Nov. 4 announcing consultations scheduled for Nov. 9 in Washington and Nov. 10 online. Director Russell Vought’s “Dear Tribal Leaders” letter included no meeting times, street address or virtual access instructions.
In an alert posted on its website, the National Congress of American Indians said the five calendar days’ notice was “an unacceptable and deeply inadequate timeframe for meaningful Tribal engagement.” The organization said it does not consider the process meaningful tribal consultation and called for more time to review and respond to the proposal.
A Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty alert this morning announced the registration deadline and listed Monday’s session as 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET. Participants should email MBX.OMB.Grants@omb.eop.gov to register and confirm logistics, according to the CTS alert.
Speakers will have three minutes each. Written feedback will be accepted for five business days afterward, compared with at least 30 days the coalition requested in July.
Tribal leaders and Native-serving organizations have warned that political review of awards, expanded termination authority and new payment documentation requirements could threaten funding stability and strain tribal administrative capacity, Tribal Business News previously reported.
The continuing resolution President Donald J. Trump signed Sept. 2 bars OMB from issuing or finalizing the grant overhaul through Dec. 11.
Tribal Business News reached out to OMB about whether it published a Federal Register notice for the sessions and how the notice time-period compares with its other tribal consultations, but has not received a response.
