United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc.

08/21/2026

The 2026 Indigenous Foodways Summit connected Tribal food sovereignty leaders across the USET region to share their knowledge and weave a food sovereign future. Participants gathered at Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe for three days of hands-on workshops, tours, and presentations.

Participants learned about resilient farm planning, small scale conservation, historical agriculture, seed stewardship, and clay pot cooking. We planted the seeds of future food sovereignty leaders by opening the event to the whole community. Highlights included a plant walk, barter market, and demonstrations for safe consumption of fish and wildlife.

Learning to care for our relatives, human and more-than-human, forms the heart of food sovereignty. USET thanks our host, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, and our partners, Natural Resources Conservation Council and the Native American Agriculture Fund.

08/19/2026

One week away! Join us for an engaging session with the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana as they explore how substance use and mental health recovery can be supported through multi-disciplinary coordination on Wednesday, August 26 at 11:30 am Central/12:30 pm Eastern. This session will share strategies to manage co-occurring mental health disorders in rural and tribal settings. Learn more and register: https://ow.ly/rEWg50Z926N.

08/19/2026

Join us next Tuesday at 1:00 pm Central/2:00 pm Eastern for the Reclaiming Native Psychological Brilliance webinar series! Learn more and register: https://ow.ly/9qTq50XXqMU.

08/14/2026

Do you want a career that is more than just a paycheck? Are you looking to do work that matters? The USET Office of Tribal Public Health is hiring an Evaluation Specialist! Check out our USET Careers page to learn about joining our team.

08/12/2026

American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and communities have experienced significant swings in federal funding over the past several years. Federal investment more than doubled between fiscal years 2020 and 2021 as pandemic-era relief reached Tribal governments, then reverted to pre-pandemic, inflation-adjusted levels by 2022 and 2023—even as overall federal nondefense spending remained well above pre-pandemic levels. A new analysis from The Brookings Institution examines this pattern and what it means for Tribal nations, citizens, and communities going forward.

The gap between funding and need remains substantial across nearly every area examined. Federal investment in Native American language revitalization, for example, covers less than 3% of the government's own estimated annual need. The National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup calculates that Indian Health Service funding needs total $73 billion a year—more than ten times the enacted FY 2024 budget of $7.1 billion. Philanthropic giving hasn't closed the gap either: just 0.88 percent of U.S. foundation and corporate giving in 2024 went to Native-serving causes, well below Native Americans' share of the U.S. population.

The Brookings Institution outlines concrete steps for policymakers and philanthropic funders to close these gaps, including better use of mandatory congressional funding, more accessible federal investment data, and reforms to how philanthropy approaches Native-serving causes.

Federal and philanthropic funding for Tribal nations and Native-serving organizations continues to fall short of need. This report examines investment gaps in Indian Country and outlines policy solutions to strengthen long-term Tribal prosperity.

08/05/2026

Join us at 10:00 am Central/11:00 am Eastern on August 13 to learn about the Mi’kmaq Nation’s work to increase soil health and productivity on their Farm. Learn more and register: https://ow.ly/mZat50ZvUSe.

08/04/2026

Inaccurate identification of Native Americans in public health and vital records creates a distorted picture of health outcomes, leading to gaps in morbidity and mortality data that can misdirect public health initiatives at the local, state, and national levels. This in-person session on Tuesday, September 15 at 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Eastern, will examine the impact of inaccurate data collection and reporting, highlight best practices for improving the accuracy of records, and provide insight into the lived experiences of Tribal Nations in the USET region as they navigate the challenges created by incomplete and non–Tribal Nation-specific data. Learn more and register at https://ow.ly/sW7550ZvWL6.

07/30/2026

The 13 acres overlooking the river that bears their name have long been a part of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe’s ancestral homeland. The land in King William County, Virginia, was taken from them centuries ago, but through a recent $1.9 million deal, the Tribal Nation regained ownership and plans to expand its cultural and economic presence in the region.

The Native American tribe regained a piece of its ancestral homeland in a $1.9 million deal.

07/29/2026

Join us for an engaging session with the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana as they explore how substance use and mental health recovery can be supported through multi-disciplinary coordination on Wednesday, August 26 at 11:30 am Central/12:30 pm Eastern. This session will share strategies to manage co-occurring mental health disorders in rural and tribal settings. Learn more and register: https://ow.ly/1IlF50Z926L.

07/27/2026

USET SPF Tribal leaders, including our Executive Officers, have spent recent weeks on the Hill advocating for critically necessary changes to H.R. 3633, the CLARITY Act, to protect Tribal sovereignty, self-governance, and economic development. We urge Senators to oppose any version of the bill that does not include language preventing the conduct of traditional forms of gaming on prediction markets and ensuring the bill does not preempt existing gambling laws, including Tribal law. Read USET SPF’s most recent letter to the Senate opposing the CLARITY Act in its current form: https://ow.ly/eNLN50Ztlvp.