2025 Awards
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Our Honoring Nations award cycle currently operates on a 2+ year cycle (one year for awards, one year for dissemination). Register for our newsletter so you can be notified about all Harvard Project news, including our next awards cycle! Newsletter Signup
Honoring Nations invites applications from American Indian governments across a broad range of subject areas, including:
Cultural Affairs | Government Performance |
Economic and Community Development | Health and Social Services |
Education | Intergovernmental Relations |
Environment and Natural Resources | Justice |
Partnerships between tribal governments and other entitites are welcome to apply and multiple applications from a single tribal nation also encouraged.
The Honoring Nations Board of Governors guides the evaluation process in which programs are selected and receive national recognition as well as a monetary award. At each stage of the selection process, programs are evaluated on the basis of their significance to sovereignty, effectiveness, cultural relevance, transferability, and sustainability.
At the heart of Honoring Nations is the principle that tribes themselves hold the key to generating social, political, cultural, and economic prosperity and that self-governance plays a crucial role in building and sustaining strong, healthy Indian nations. Honoring Nations serves as a vehicle for collectively celebrating our many and diverse successes, fostering pride and confidence in the ability of American Indian governments to improve the well-being of their respective communities and citizens. Another fundamental principle of the program is that American Indian nations benefit from access to innovative ideas and effective governing approaches.
Award-winning programs serve as important sources of knowledge and inspiration that are drawn upon throughout Indian Country and far beyond. To date, the Honoring Nations family includes 142 exemplary programs and 12 All-Stars from over 100 tribal nations.
General Information
Applications submitted for Honoring Nations 2025 must be received by 5:00 pm EST on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
Eligibility
No, nonprofits cannot apply. However, Honoring Nations will accept applications that are partnerships between tribal governments and other entities (nonprofits, private organizations, or other governmental entities) as long as that tribal government is leading the initiative. All applications must be submitted by a tribal government or tribal government entity.
Multiple applications from a single nation are welcome. Programs that have previously applied are encouraged to re-apply if they were not previously awarded.
Absolutely! We just ask that one tribal government take the lead on filling out the application and facilitating interviews/site visits/etc.
Selection Criteria
Selection Process
- Application Deadline: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 by 5:00 pm EST
- In February 2025, 18 programs will be chosen as semifinalists. Harvard Project staff will conduct a short telephone interview with representatives of each of the semifinalist programs. Each semifinalist will then be asked to submit supplemental information and a letter of endorsement from the chief executive of the nation (i.e. Chief, Chairperson, President, Governor, etc.).
- In May 2025, up to 6 programs will be selected to receive a site visit. Site visits will be conducted by small teams of 2 to 3 people from the Harvard Project staff, Board of Governors, and/or experts within the field.
- In June, July, and August 2025, site visits will be conducted. Finalists will be notified shortly after.
- In October 2025, the Board of Governors will deliberate, select, and announce the awardees and associated award designations.
Please ensure that the department/agency director and/or other relevant authority(s) have approved the completed application prior to submission. If selected as a semifinalist, you will also need to submit supplemental information and a letter of endorsement from the chief executive of the nation (i.e., Chief, Chairperson, President, Governor, etc.).
If you have any questions about the program, please contact:
Jael Whitney Brothers
Assistant Director of Honoring Nations
jael_brothers@hks.harvard.edu
(617) 496-2413
