Indian Land Tenure Foundation

Programs: General program:the indian land tenure foundation (iltf) continues to reach out to native american communities and the general public to broaden their understanding of the complex issues of land ownership in indian country. Among these activities are grant-making, presenting at conferences and other gatherings, distribution of our relevant publications, outreach through social media and program update reports as well as through the foundation's website. The foundation takes an active role working with native nations addressing issues by hosting regional meetings, meeting with federal officials, and other outreach to tribal leaders. Specific outreach efforts include offering continuing legal education (cle) courses through thomson reuters west legaledcenter and guided by iltf's native land law publication; developing and presenting trainings for native american landowners, estate planning and will writing, carbon credit markets; and developing and presenting lessons of our land curriculum information to teachers, school administrators, students, and tribal elders, leaders, and other citizens.

estate planning services for american indians and alaska natives:this group of seven related projects received significant federal support to address issues related to the ownership, management, and inheritance of lands held in trust by the federal government on behalf of individual native americans. The most significant activity under the project portfolio provided direct american indian probate reform act (aipra)-compliant estate planning services. A concerted effort was made to advance alternative forms of management of trust land that mitigate fractionated real estate title through the creation of family/co-owner trusts and corporations. Fractionated ownership has a direct impact on management decisions and communication with owners. Coordinated management has the capacity to effectively control indian lands in a way that promotes development when desired or preservation when needed. Additional activities support the reduction of fractioned title at a local level. Iltf promoted the development of tribal probate codes to more effectively process probate hearings. The foundation has also pursued the development of electronic estate planning forms, electronic storage and filing of estate planning documents, and transfer of death deeds to facilitate the transfer of small estates to the next generation. This portfolio of projects delivered information the foundation used to generate an alternative funding source that pairs public/private partnerships to solve a social problem.

pe sla land recovery:beginning in 2012, iltf has played a support role in assisting our sioux nation tribes, oceti sakowin (seven council fires of the sioux nation), with organization, financial planning and advice concerning the recovery and management of the holy site, pe sla. Together we have been quite successful: raising $11,075,000 for pe sla recovery of the 2,450+ acres of land and securing $625,000 for fencing, water improvements and equipment through bia and usda nrcs. Recently, we were apprised that the san manuel band of mission indians has approved the crow creek sioux tribe's pe sla $1,067,000 funding request for the 175 acres of land and buildings at the borderlands ranch. The goal of recovering pe sla as a sacred site for the lakota, nakota, dakota oyate has been to preserve the area in its natural state as a place for worship and prayer, traditional ceremonies, restoration of buffalo and significantly, native youth camps to help connect our young people with their traditional cultural and religious identitiesthereby reducing drug and alcohol abuse and the difficulties that youth face in today's society. In 2017, the rosebud sioux tribe organized a youth culture camp with approximately 50 young people, medicine men, cultural leaders and youth advisors.

conservation innovation grant:the national indian carbon coalition (nicc) was the recipient of a 2015 conservation innovation grant (cig) and a 2016 regional conservation partnership program (rcpp) through the indian land tenure foundation (iltf) and the intertribal agricultural council (iac). The funding is utilized to assess and evaluate the potential for carbon credit projects in indian country. The ongoing projects include approximately 12,000 acres of the lower brule sioux tribe with an emphasis on avoided conversion of grasslands and shrub lands to crop production; potential of up to 65,000 acres of the santa ana pueblo with an emphasis on compost additions to grazed grasslands; approximately 1,700 acres of the comanche nation with an emphasis on avoided conversion of grasslands and shrub lands to crop production; and potentially 250,000 acres of the choggiung limited and akiachak native community, village corporations formed under the alaska native claims settlement act (ancsa). Nicc consults, advises, and develops data, in conjunction with other non-for-profit partners, to determine feasibility of carbon projects on tribal land utilizing web-mapping and carbon assessment tools.