# Honoring Nations ![Totem with trees in the background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6806/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-01/dsc00196_0_0.jpg?itok=WI7s1hf0) ## expand\_more ## About the Program Honoring Nations celebrates, documents, and disseminates the stories of the outstanding programs in self-governance that emerge daily from Native nations. Award-winning programs serve as important sources of knowledge and inspiration that are drawn upon throughout Indian Country and internationally. To date, the Honoring Nations family includes 148 exemplary programs from over 100 tribal nations. The high public visibility and news coverage of Honoring Nations also permit non-Native policymakers, the media, and the general public to see what Native nations are actually doing in the drive for self-determination. Honoring Nations helps expand the capacities of Native nation builders by enabling them to learn from each others’ successes. Established in 1998, Honoring Nations’ experiences are the foundation for the teaching, advising, and policy analysis from the partnership between the Project and the Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona. ### More About Honoring Nations expand\_more At the heart of Honoring Nations is the principle that tribes themselves hold the key to positive 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 shifting the focus from what does not work to what does, fostering pride and confidence in the ability of American Indian governments to make positive contributions to the wellbeing of their respective communities and citizens. The program is also founded on the idea that Native nations can benefit from having greater access to innovative ideas and effective governing approaches. Honored programs serve as important sources of knowledge and inspiration, and our experience shows that they are drawn upon by communities throughout Indian Country and far beyond. Honoring Nations invites applications from American Indian governments across a broad range of subject areas: education; health care; resource management; government policy development and reform; justice; intergovernmental relations; and economic, social, and cultural programs. A Board of Governors comprised of distinguished individuals from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors guides the evaluation process, in which up to ten programs are selected for “High Honors” or “Honors.” All honorees receive national recognition. At each stage of the selection process, programs are evaluated based on effectiveness, significance to sovereignty, cultural relevance, transferability, and sustainability. To facilitate the dissemination of best practices, honorees receive financial awards to share their success story with other governments. The Project also produces reports, case studies, and other curricular materials that are disseminated to tribal leaders, public servants, the media, scholars, students, and others interested in promoting and fostering excellence in governance. To date, Honoring Nations has recognized 148 exemplary tribal government programs, practices, and initiatives and held five tribal government symposia. Our Honoring Nations award cycle currently operates on a 2+ year cycle (one year for awards, one year for dissemination). ## 2025 Awardees Learn more about the 2025 Honoring Nations Awardees. [ 2025 Awardees arrow\_circle\_right ](https://ash.harvard.edu/articles/the-harvard-project-announces-2025-honoring-nations-award-winners/) ![Photo of the stage at NCAI](/sites/g/files/omnuum6806/files/styles/hwp_1_1__480x480/public/2026-04/awardees.png?itok=RfGJI6vL) ## Honoring Nations Honorees **Recent Honoree Profiles** Download 3 citations download- [BibTeX](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=3&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_honoreeyear%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_publicationstype1%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=175022&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_topic123456789101112%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_tribe%5D&&&format=bibtex) - [EndNote X3 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=3&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_honoreeyear%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_publicationstype1%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=175022&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_topic123456789101112%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_tribe%5D&&&format=endnote8) - [EndNote 7 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=3&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_honoreeyear%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_publicationstype1%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=175022&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_topic123456789101112%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_tribe%5D&&&format=endnote7) - [Endnote tagged](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=3&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_honoreeyear%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_publicationstype1%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=175022&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_topic123456789101112%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_tribe%5D&&&format=tagged) - [Marc](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=3&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_honoreeyear%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_publicationstype1%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=175022&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_topic123456789101112%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_tribe%5D&&&format=marc) - [PubMedId](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=3&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_honoreeyear%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_publicationstype1%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=175022&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_topic123456789101112%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_tribe%5D&&&format=pubmed_id) - [RIS](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=3&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_honoreeyear%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_publicationstype1%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=175022&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_topic123456789101112%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_tribe%5D&&&format=ris) ### Forthcoming [### Jicarilla Apache Nation’s Water Sharing Agreement | Jicarilla Apache Nation ](/publication/jicarilla-apache-nations-water-sharing-agreement-jicarilla-apache-nation)Report In a historic partnership, the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the state of New Mexico developed a first-of-its-kind arm's length agreement for leasing water. This effort was supported by The Nature Conservancy and other local and federal stakeholders and... description [### College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation | Cherokee Nation ](/publication/college-osteopathic-medicine-cherokee-nation-cherokee-nation)Report Simultaneously improving access to medical care for its citizens and building a pipeline of doctors, Cherokee Nation partnered with Oklahoma State University to open the first tribally affiliated medical school in the US. The school champions culturally... description [### Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and Bears Ears Commission | Intertribal ](/publication/bears-ears-inter-tribal-coalition-and-bears-ears-commission-intertribal)Report In a powerful assertion of sovereignty, leaders from the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, and Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray founded the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition. Rooted in Indigenous conservation and... description [ See all Profiles arrow\_circle\_right ](/search?search=) ## Nations in Action Explore ### The Benefits of Sovereignty When Native nations make their own decisions about matters as diverse as natural resource management, economic development, and social service provision, they consistently outperform non-tribal decisionmakers – and often generate benefits for non-Native communities. [ Explore the Benefits of Sovereignty arrow\_circle\_right ](https://sites.google.com/g.harvard.edu/mcgirt-rebuilding-nations/benefits-of-sovereignty) ![honoring_nations_symbol](/sites/g/files/omnuum6806/files/styles/hwp_1_1__480x480/public/2025-01/honoring_nations_symbol.jpg?itok=AYHQxl-0)