Tribal Community Resilience Resource Directory

The Branch of Tribal Community Resilience has gathered a collection of tools, resources, and publications to support community adaptation planning and community resilience for Tribal Nations and Alaska Native villages.

Regional Contacts and Resources

For region-specific community resources and contact information for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Regional Coordinator and Tribal Community Resilience Liaison near you, choose a region below:

• Analysis of an Inventory of Community Resilience Frameworks, article by the National Institute of Standards & Technology analyzing several data-based approaches to measuring resilience.
• Best Practices for Incorporating Climate Change Science into DOI Analyses, Consultations, and Decision Making, 2024 Department of the Interior technical and applications guide for those who conduct, manage, and/or interpret technical workflows within the department.
• Climate Adaptation Partners Program, program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that connects teams of local climate scientists and researchers to advise governments on community adaptation. 
• Climate Adaptation Science Centers, network of centers administered by the U.S. Geological Survey and hosted at universities throughout the United States that sponsor climate education, research, and partnerships with local resource managers.
• Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report, 2023 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the current state of climate change and climate adaptation knowledge. 
• Climate Hubs, collection of science-based, region-specific climate information gathered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and associated agencies.
• Drought Assessment in a Changing Climate, report on how drought assessment methods have changed due to a warming climate and how drought assessment impacts justice, equity, and risk-management.
• Global and Regional Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States, report by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Association outlining data-driven sea level rise scenarios until 2150 and associated government action plans.
• National Fish, Wildlife & Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy (2021), report by the National Fish, Wildlife & Plants Adaptation Network analyzing the impact of climate change on ecosystems and providing sample climate adaptation plans to respond.
• Tackling the Climate Crisis, detailed information and resources describing how the Department of the Interior is fulfilling Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.”
• Fifth National Climate Assessment, report by the U.S. Global Change Research Program compiling the latest scientific research on climate change and its specific impacts on regions throughout the United States.
• Global Tree Assessment, online assessment tool by Botanic Gardens Conservation International of the conservation status of tree species around the world.
• Guidelines for the Study of Climate Change Effects on Harmful Algal Blooms, report on research techniques to analyze the effects of climate change on harmful algal blooms in ocean ecosystems.
• Opportunities and Actions for Ocean Science & Technology (2022-2028), report by the Committee on the Environment, National Science and Technology Council identifying research needs and opportunities in ocean science and technology for 2018-2028. 
• State of the Climate, annual peer-reviewed report compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information published as a supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
• State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets, 2021 report analyzing an international anonymized survey of voluntary carbon offsets. 
• Status of Tribes and Climate Change (STACC) Report, report convened by the Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals that analyzes the impacts of climate change on Tribal communities and offers policy recommendations to support Tribal resilience, sovereignty, and self-determination.
• The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, report documenting progress toward the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals around hunger and malnutrition.
• White House Tribal Nations Summit Progress Report, 2023 report on the Biden-Harris administration’s progress supporting Tribal Nations and Native communities, including a chapter on environment, energy, and infrastructure accomplishments. 

Ecosystem Restoration and Nature-Based Solutions

• Compendium of Federal Nature-Based Resources for Coastal Communities, States, Tribes, and Territories, 2022 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration guidebook that compiles and summarizes reports, resources, and tools for implementing nature-based solutions from throughout the federal government.
• Engineering with Nature (EWN), an initiative of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to collaborate on expanding implementation of natural infrastructure, including a strategic plan, a podcast, an Atlas series that showcases projects around the world, a news forum, and many more resources.
• Evaluation of Publicly Accessible Nature-Based Solutions Databases as Sources for Evidence of Effectiveness, Duke University Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability report evaluating current data on the effectiveness of nature-based solutions to increase their viability with engineers, local decision-makers, grant-makers, and the insurance industry.
• International Guidelines on Natural and Nature-Based Features for Flood Risk Management (2021), comprehensive report by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on planning and implementing nature-based solutions in different environments.
• International Standards for Native Seeds in Ecological Restoration, special issue of the journal Restoration Ecology featuring peer-reviewed research on the use of native seeds in ecological restoration.
• Investing in Nature for Development: Do nature-based interventions deliver local development outcomes?, a report by the International Institute for Environment and Development analyzing how nature-based solutions can contribute to economic development.  
• National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration, report by the Plant Conservation Alliance outlining strategies, core principles, and research and development needs for nation-wide stabilization, rehabilitation, and retoration of native plants.
• National Seed Strategy Progress Report (2015-2020), report by the Plant Conservation Alliance on the progress made on the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration.
• Nature-Based Mitigation Goals and Actions in State and Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plans, review and analysis of state and Tribal government nature-based hazard mitigation plans compiled by the Environmental Law Institute.
• Opportunities to Accelerate Nature-Based Solutions: A Roadmap for Climate Progress, Thriving Nature, Equity & Prosperity, 2022 White House report offering recommendations to governments to bolster the use of nature-based solutions. 
• Nature-Based Solutions Resource Guide, 2022 White House compendium collecting 30 examples of nature-based solutions implemented by federal agencies as well as their associated guidance, resource documents, tools, and technical assistance.
• Nature-Based Solutions Roadmap, 2023 Department of the Interior and Duke University comprehensive resource guide to support department staff, partners, and anyone interested in implementing nature-based solutions.
• The Network for Engineering with Nature, an active community of researchers, practitioners and educators who are addressing major infrastructure challenges while creating opportunities that align ecological, social and engineering processes via knowledge sessions, tools, publications, and forums.
• Principles for Guiding Ecosystem Restoration to Guide the United Nations Decade 2021-2030, presentation on the principles supporting international ecosystem restoration efforts created by the United Nations and its international partners.
• Restoration and Resilience Framework, 2024 Department of the Interior StoryMap organized by ecosystem types to guide strategic, collaborative, equitable, and landscape-level investments for transformative restoration outcomes.
• Seeds of Success National Seed Collection Program, program administered by the Bureau of Land Management to collect wildland native seed for research, development, germplasm conservation, and ecosystem restoration.

Indigenous Knowledges

• Guidelines for Considering Traditional Knowledges (TKs) in Climate Change Initiatives (2014), guidance documents prepared by the Climate and Traditional Knowledges Working Group on integrating Traditional Knowledges in climate work.
• Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Indigenous Knowledge, White House memorandum providing direction to federal agencies on how to integrate Indigenous Knowledge into their work. 
• Indigenous Knowledge Handbook, a U.S. Department of the Interior guide for responsibilities and procedures to respect and equitably promote the inclusion of lndigenous Knowledge in the Department's decision making.
• Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge Resources, online hub to learn about, share, and build policy using Indigenous Knowledge and Traditional Ecological Knowledge hosted by the National Park Service.

• Department of the Interior Equity Action Plan, report detailing the U.S. Department of the Interior’s plan to fulfill executive order 13985 “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” including the department’s trust responsibilities to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated Island Communities.
• Environmental Justice, hub for the U.S. Department of the Interior’s environmental justice policies, public information, and training. 
• EJ Screen, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental justice screening and mapping tool.
• EPA Report on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases: Estimates Incorporating Recent Scientific Advances, 2023 report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency quantifying the social costs of carbon emission for the purpose of cost-benefit analysis. 
• Guidelines for a Just Transition Towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies for All, report developed by the UN International Labour Organization examining the transition to sustainable practices from a labor perspective.
• Justice40 Initiative, policy page for the White House’s commitment that 40% of the benefit of all federal climate, clean energy, affordable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantages communities.
• Social Cost of Carbon Plan, 2021 report by the U.S. Department of the Interior quantifying the social costs of carbon emission for the purpose of cost-benefit analysis.
• Unmet Infrastructure Needs of Tribal Communities and Alaska Native Villages in the Process of Relocating to Higher Ground as a Result of Climate Change, report by the BIA Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience its partners that catalogs data on urgent Tribal infrastructure needs. 

• A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement, guide by the non-profit Native Governance Center to educate non-Indigenous individuals and organizations on why and how to craft an Indigenous land acknowledgement statement.
• Best Practices Guide for Federal Agencies Regarding Tribal and Native Hawaiian Sacred Sites, report developed by an interagency working group to help federal agencies better understand methods for protecting and supporting the rights of Indigenous peoples in agency decision making and regulatory procedures regarding sacred sites.
• Beyond Land Acknowledgement: A Guide, guide series by the non-profit Native Governance Center on how to pair an Indigenous land acknowledgement statement with concrete steps that support Indigenous communities into the future.
• Branch of Cultural Resources Management, a branch of the Bureau of Indian Affairs whose mission is to partner with Tribal Nations and Alaska Native Villages to protect, preserve and promote American Indian and Alaska Native cultural and historical resources.
• Building Authentic Collaborations with Tribal Communities: A Living Reference for Climate Practitioners, guidelines to educate non-Indigenous climate practitioners on the fundamentals of Tribal sovereignty and building respectful, meaningful relationships with Tribal communities.     
• Implementing Landscape Level Approaches to Resource Management, 2024 Department of the Interior guide providing explanations and implementation guidance for the accompanying revised department manual 604, Implementing Landscape-Level Approaches to Resource Management.
• Facilitating Tribal Co-Management of Federal Public Lands, research article by Kevin K. Washburn examining several case studies of Tribal co-management of federal lands, obstacles to Tribal co-management, and recommendations for successful co-management.
• "Interior Department Issues Guidance to Strengthen Tribal Co-Stewardship of Public Lands and Waters," a 2022 U.S. Department of the Interior press release which includes links to 2022 guidance by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on implementing Joint Secretarial Order 3404 on strengthening the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Tribal co-stewardship efforts.
• Tribal Co-Management of Federal Lands, statement of Charles F. Sams III, National Park Service director, before the House Committee on Natural Resources on Tribal co-management of federal lands.

• Branch of Renewable and Distributed Generation, branch Bureau of Indian Affairs with the mission to support the development of renewable energy on trust land by providing technical assistance and consultation to Tribal Nations.
• Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, office of the U.S. Department of Energy with the mission to maximize the development and deployment of energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
• Tribal Electrification Program, through the Inflation Reduction Act and Justice40 Initiative, the Indian Affairs’ Office of Indian Economic Development administers funding for clean household energy.

• Branch of Environmental Services, branch within the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Division of Environmental Services and Cultural Resources Management with the mission to work with Tribes to protect, develop, manage and enhance American Indian and Alaska Native environmental resources by providing technical assistance, service and support to Tribes and through administration of federal laws and regulations.
• Identifying Sustainable Food Service and Food Service Ware, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's online guide to more sustainable food service practices and products.
• Tribal Waste & Response Program, of the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, provides a plain language guide and other resources covering Superfund, UST, Federal Facility, emergency response, and other programs.

• Access to Capital Clearinghouse, searchable, filterable database of federal funding opportunities available to Tribal governments, Tribal enterprises, Native entrepreneurs, and Native Community Development Financial Institutions.
• Climate Change Funding Resources, list of current and upcoming federal, state, and nonprofit climate change funding resources for Tribal governments compiled by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals.
• Tribal Climate Change Guide, searchable database of available grants, adaptation plans, climate programs, and climate tools to assist Native peoples in addressing impacts of climate change operated by the University of Oregon.

• Climate Advocates Voces Unidas, supports local solutions to the climate crisis via visual storytelling and youth education programs including a free STEAM program for grades 3-12.
• Climate Kids, series of community-based collaborative projects by the Climate Science Alliance that provide youth education on climate change through science activities, storytelling, and art.
• Data Science and Climate Change, guide with TED Talk videos on how data is used to inform decisions around climate change.
• Indigenous Climate Action (ICA) programs produce youth reports, podcasts, webinars, zines, Climate Leadership Training, and offers jobs, resources, events, community, and additional opportunities to Indigenous youth of Turtle Island (North America). 
• Native Climate, K-12 program that offers educational resources aimed to foster climate awareness and action among Native American youth.
• Native Youth Climate Adaptation Leadership Congress, annual week-long program provided by multiple partners and geared towards Native student groups of rising high school seniors.
• Tribal Youth Programs, various programs and opportunities centering climate change and environmental action for Indigenous youth and young professionals; shared by the BIA Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience.