Waves crash along the shore in the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA.

Respectful Engagement and Consultation with Tribal Governments

Our team is proud to share that we recently completed a strategic plan for a training program on respectful engagement and consultation with Tribal governments. This work was part of our partnership with the West Coast Ocean Alliance (WCOA) to develop its five-year strategic plan. Developed in collaboration with the Tribal Caucus, this program aims to improve knowledge and fluency across Federal and State governments in the principles of meaningful Tribal engagement. This milestone reflects months of collaborative effort, careful listening, and trust-building—all essential for ensuring the program reflects Tribal priorities and the practical realities of implementation.

Co-creation with WCOA Tribal Caucus

In our conversations with the Tribal Caucus, we learned about their strong commitment to reshaping Tribal engagement to prioritize reconciliation, Tribal sovereignty, cultural protocols, and consensus-based decision-making. By engaging the Tribal Caucus through ongoing discussions, informal interviews, online surveys, and a review of the draft strategic plan, we co-created an innovative and adaptive program that earned their enthusiastic support. We are honored by the depth of insight and guidance the Tribal Caucus shared with us. This not only shaped the program but also deepened our understanding of the relational work needed to support long-term, effective collaboration.

Developing a Flexible and Responsive Approach

We are particularly excited by this program’s blend of flexibility and its grounding in Indigenous-centered practices. WCOA and the Tribal Caucus can tailor implementation to current priorities, available funding, existing knowledge, and evolving needs. Considering these elements, the program provides a “choose your own adventure” approach. It offers traditional educational pathways and decolonized strategies to actively improve communication and relationships between Tribal, Federal, and State governments.

We share the hope for a future where the WCOA Tribal Caucus experiences respectful consultation with its State and Federal partners, and benefits from ongoing, transparent communication with its government counterparts. 

Learn more about this entire project online by reading our WCOA client case study here.

Photo credit: Kevin Ortiz, Unsplash

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