Legal Reform Grants

Program Focus: Advances ideas and policies granting Indian landowners and tribes greater control of their land assets by reforming the legal and administrative systems.

Overview:
Some of the most crippling systemic barriers to Indian land use and control – fractionated ownership, checkerboarding, abuse of the federal trust relationship – are due to complex and unjust regulations, court rulings and laws involving Indian land. Some of the most shortsighted, racist and damaging federal Indian policies, such as the policy of allotment, were devised in the 1800s when most people believed that Native Americans would either disappear or assimilate into American society. Many of these policies, and their devastating effects on Indian people, remain today.

Example Projects:

• Estate planning and probate reform in tribal communities
• Land policy development or reform
• Landowner associations
• Engaging local, state and federal government leaders in dialogue about tribe exercising its sovereignty over tribal land
• Initiatives to improve the legal landscape for owning and managing Indian land

Eligible Entities:

• Tribal, local and state governments
• Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) designation
• Institutions

Activities NOT Funded:

• Advocacy and lobbying efforts to influence legislation
• Endowments
• Land purchases
• Benefits, fundraisers, walk-a-thons, telethons, galas, etc.
• Scholarships, tuition assistance or other direct funding to individuals
• Special events (except when event is key strategy in continuum of efforts to achieve community goals)

How to Apply

1. Submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
- Review eligibility requirements and funding priorities before submitting
- Review list of activities ILTF does not fund
- Send letter of inquiry to ILTF

Contact Information: