NilaVena
Sharing Strength. Building Capacity. Leading Together.
Tribal sovereignty is not a theory—it is a practice. It happens every day when Indigenous governments manage programs, steward land, and make decisions rooted in the values of their people. However, the work of building governance systems often occurs in isolation. Each Tribe is forced to start from scratch, repeating the same learning curves, facing the same administrative burdens, and navigating the same policy roadblocks without a roadmap.
The Nila Vena Sustainability Forum is working to change that.
We believe that when one Tribal government thrives, we all benefit. That’s why we’re creating, testing, and sharing tools, templates, and models that can help other governments build programs faster, more effectively, and in ways that reflect Indigenous priorities.
NilaVena
What We Offer
As a regional collective grounded in community experience, NVSF serves as both a convener and a contributor. Our role is not to prescribe—but to make the path clearer for others.
We’re committed to:
- Sharing resources publicly—from sample grant proposals and policy templates to job descriptions and program frameworks.
- Documenting what works in real time, including lessons learned from projects in housing, stewardship, language revitalization, and broadband.
- Uplifting Tribal decision-making models that reflect Indigenous systems of governance—both historical and modern.
- Creating toolkits for launching initiatives like forums, intertribal coalitions, or local working groups.
- Participating in national and global Indigenous-led efforts to model what collaboration, mutual aid, and non-hierarchical leadership can look like on a broader scale.
All resources will be freely available on our website as they are developed and refined.
NilaVena
Why This Matters
Tribal governments are often required to compete with one another for resources while managing crushing workloads, underfunded programs, and constant compliance demands. But what if we could lighten that burden by sharing knowledge?
By pooling experience and offering tested materials to other Tribes, NVSF works to create:
Faster program development
Stronger grant applications
Greater administrative confidence
Less duplication of effort
More time spent on the work that really matters
NilaVena
Our Role in Global Indigenous Networks
NVSF is proud to be part of initiatives that reflect Indigenous leadership at a regional, national, and international level. Through our work with programs like Indigenous Guardians, we’re helping to demonstrate how intertribal collaboration can create a real, lasting impact across communities and borders.
As Indigenous peoples around the world reclaim governance and build new systems for land care, digital equity, education, and health, we believe the Bristol Bay region has an important story to tell—and lessons to offer. We are also inspired by our relatives globally and remain committed to learning from others who are walking the same path.
NilaVena
Looking Ahead
NVSF is working to build a future where Tribal governance is stronger, more visible, and better resourced across the region. We’re developing a living library of adaptable tools, supporting peer-to-peer learning, hosting strategy sessions, and advocating for funding structures that recognize the value of intertribal collaboration. By modeling sovereignty in action and sharing what we learn, we aim to reduce duplication, support capacity-building, and strengthen self-determined leadership across communities.
