The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development | http://hpaied.org/

Founded by Professors Stephen Cornell and Joseph P. Kalt at Harvard University in 1987, the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development (Harvard Project) is housed within the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Through applied research and service, the Harvard Project aims to understand and foster the conditions under which sustained, self-determined social and economic development is achieved among American Indian nations. At the heart of the Harvard Project is the systematic, comparative study of social and economic development on American Indian reservations. What works, where and why? Among the key research findings:

Sovereignty Matters. When Native nations make their own decisions about what development approaches to take, they consistently out-perform external decision makers on matters as diverse as governmental form, natural resource management, economic development, health care, and social service provision.

Institutions Matter. For development to take hold, assertions of sovereignty must be backed by capable institutions of governance. Nations do this as they adopt stable decision rules, establish fair and independent mechanisms for dispute resolution, and separate politics from day-to-day business and program management.

Culture Matters. Successful economies stand on the shoulders of legitimate, culturally grounded institutions of self-government. Indigenous societies are diverse; each nation must equip itself with a governing structure, economic system, policies, and procedures that fit its own contemporary culture.

Leadership Matters. Nation building requires leaders who introduce new knowledge and experiences, challenge assumptions, and propose change. Such leaders, whether elected, community, or spiritual, convince people that things can be different and inspire them to take action.

Aboriginal Leadership at the Banff Centre | http://www.banffcentre.ca/departments/leadership/aboriginal/

For more than 36 years, Aboriginal Leadership and Management has been providing relevant, impactful leadership development programs designed for community leaders to lead change and achieve results.

Governance Development Network | http://www.governance.firstnation.ca/

The Governance Development Network assists Ontario First Nations in recognizing the significance of communicating and building new relationships through networking, both face-to-face and virtually. Targeting all First Nation communities in Ontario, the group has organized several successful workshops with a high level of attendance and participation.

Institute on Governance | http://iog.ca/

Founded in 1990, the Institute On Governance (IOG) is an independent, Canada-based, not-for-profit that advances better governance in the public interest, both in Canada and abroad. The IOG’s work is marked by independent thought, innovation, collaboration, excellence, and a responsive and principled approach.http://iog.ca/