Sneak Preview: Consistent Data Sought for Native American Funding
(The following was excerpted from a recent Thompson Grants Compliance Expert article.) Although aware of the challenges involved, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) intends to issue guidance to help federal agencies provide budget data on Native American programs in a more consistent manner to help Congress and other stakeholders make decisions about these programs, in response to a recent recommendation from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Federal agencies are required to provide a variety of services to tribes and their members. However, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 2018 reported that the federal government does not keep complete records of federal funding for programs serving tribes. OMB provides information — known as the Native American Crosscut — on federal funding for programs that benefit Native Americans, but tribal stakeholders have expressed concerns about its transparency.
According to the crosscut, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided $11.6 billion in federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 (up from $9.1 billion) to Native American programs. Other agencies providing a considerable amount to Native American programs include the Department of Education (ED), $6 billion in FY 2022 compared to $5 billion in FY 2021; Department of the Interior (DOI), $4.8 billion in FY 2022, $3.4 billion in FY 2021; Department of Agriculture (USDA), $3 billion in FY 2022, $2.1 in FY 2021; and the Department of Transportation (DOT), $500 million in both FY 2022 and FY 2021.
However, GAO found that these agencies interpret guidance from OMB differently when identifying programs to include in the crosscut, and take different approaches to reporting this data. DOI and USDA report appropriations for agencies that have tribal programs and may report estimated amounts for those that do not. ED reports direct support data as well as estimates for programs that serve all students, including Native American students. HHS components report a combination of appropriations, budget authority provided through appropriations, obligations and projected spending, depending on the program. DOT reports appropriations for programs specific to tribes that receive dedicated budget authority and does not include other programs in the crosscut, even if a program may, in part, benefit tribes and their members.
(The full version of this story has now been made available to all for a limited time here.)
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