What happens to the money the government allocates for Native Americans?
The BIA reports that 90% of appropriations are expended at the local level, of which 62% are provided directly to tribes and tribal organizations through contracts, grants, and compacts — in other words 55%. These funds typically apply to infrastructure and natural resource concerns. Examples are energy and economic development, housing, irrigation and power systems, road maintenance, probate, land and records, forestry, agriculture, education, human services, justice services, range lands development, wild land fire management, water resources, and fish and wildlife management. Other monies go to running over 260 BIA offices throughout the country. It is said that barely 10 to 15 percent of BIA spending is thought to actually reach its supposed beneficiaries.
