The Tribal Law and Policy Institute, based in Los Angeles, California – with additional offices in Anchorage, Alaska; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and now also Helena, Montana - was awarded a 5-year cooperative agreement from the Children’s Bureau in October 2009 to establish the National Resource Center for Tribes (NRC4Tribes). TLPI is joined by the Indian Child and Family Resource Center in Helena, Montana; the Native American Training Institute in Bismarck, North Dakota; and the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver to implement the work of the NRC4Tribes.

As lead agency, the Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) is a 100% Indian owned and operated non-profit corporation established in 1996 to design and develop education, research, training, and technical assistance programs which promote the enhancement of justice in Indian country and the health, well-being, and culture of Native peoples. TLPI’s organizational vision is to empower Native communities to create and control their own institutions for the benefit/welfare of all community members now and for future generations. TLPI’s mission is to enhance and strengthen tribal sovereignty and justice while honoring community values, protecting rights, and promoting well-being. This vision now expands to encompass the work of the NRC4Tribes.

The Indian Child and Family Resource Center (ICFRC), Helena, Montana, is a Native American non-profit agency guided by a board of directors who, like the partner agencies, have “been there” for many years doing the work of Indian child welfare: tribal social workers, ICWA advocates and tribal leader. Established in 2004 to provide training and technical assistance resources for tribal child welfare programs, ICFRC has worked closely for several years with the National T&TA Network of the Children’s Bureau to offer tribes throughout the country quality, no-cost technical assistance and training opportunities.

The Native American Training Institute (NATI), an inter-tribally controlled, tribally chartered, non-profit entity located in Bismarck, ND, was originally established in 1995 to address the great need for local, culturally appropriate training and professional development opportunities for North Dakota tribal child welfare agencies, staff, and foster partners. Since that time, the NATI has expanded its services to include training, technical assistance curricula and other products to strengthen the capacity of community members, practitioners and agencies to improve positive outcomes for Native American children, youth and families in urban, tribal and first nation communities in the United States and Canada.

Evaluation partner, the Butler Institute for Families (BIF) at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, has a strong history of evaluation of federally funded initiatives. Butler’s evaluation team is comprised of experienced researchers with expertise in sampling, design, instrumentation, data management and verification, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, contextualization and interpretation of results, and reporting. Since it’s founding in 1994, Butler’s mission has been to enhance the well being of children, youth and families through research, education, and consultation. The Institute has grown to become a resource for building professionalism through training and technical assistance and discovering effective practices and policies for child and family programs through evaluation and research The Butler Institute is committed to research that produces pragmatic, practice-based information that can be used to improve interventions and help inform the field of evidence-based practice.