About

As part of the Obama/Biden Administration’s commitment to protect and promote the development of prosperous and resilient tribal communities, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) received funding in Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) to support and implement a program called the Tiwahe Initiative. Tiwahe (ti­ wah-hay) means family in the Lakota language and symbolizes the interconnectedness of all living things and one's personal responsibility to honor family, community, and the environment.

In 2015, the BIA offered four (4) tribal communities an opportunity to participate in the Tiwahe Initiative. Each Tiwahe Initiative tribal site will be given the financial and administrative resources to develop a coordinated service delivery model that is centered on the needs of the family and community. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe was selected to participate.

The Tiwahe Initiative has served as a network hub for collaboration and coordination of tribal programs such as Public Safety, Health & Human Services, Education, Workforce Development, and Judicial Services as well as any other program or department that provides services children, youth and families. Grant funding from all programs are coordinated to accelerate outcomes, leverage matching grants for new funding, expand and enhance the quality of and access to a coordinated system of care.

Since 2015, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has generated over $105 million in grant funds as a result of its coordinated efforts and the launch of the Tiwahe Initiative. The Tiwahe Initiative has helped to break down silos on the reservation and share resources among departments. This funding includes major capital projects as broadband, highway safety, water and wastewater, solar energy, health care facilities, language preservation, tribal education and more.