Northern Arapaho Tribe
About The Northern Arapaho Tribe
Located between the scenic Wind River Range and Owl Creek Mountains, on the 2.2 million acre Wind River Reservation.
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PUBLIC STATEMENT OF THE NORTHERN ARAPAHO BUSINESS COUNCIL
Regarding Foundations for Nations and the August 31, 2026 Decision
The Northern Arapaho Business Council (“NABC”) issues this statement in response to recent reporting concerning Foundations for Nations (“FFN”) and NABC’s August 31, 2026 Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Final Decision.
Recent characterizations suggesting that NABC has “softened” its position concerning FFN are inaccurate. The August 31 Decision does not grant FFN permission, approval, recognition, or authorization from the Northern Arapaho Tribe. To the contrary, after providing FFN notice and an opportunity to participate in the Tribe’s consultation process, NABC expressly denied FFN authorization to initiate or expand organized activities within the lawful jurisdiction of the Northern Arapaho Tribe.
Ownership of Land Is Not Tribal Authorization
The distinction is straightforward:
“Ownership of land is not the same thing as authorization from the Northern Arapaho Tribe.”
FFN may possess rights as the owner of privately owned fee land. NABC's August 31 Decision recognizes those property rights and does not purport to regulate otherwise lawful conduct on FFN's fee land where that conduct falls outside the Tribe's lawful jurisdiction.
But recognition of private property rights should not be confused with governmental approval.
FFN's ownership of fee land does not mean that FFN has been approved, endorsed, sponsored, recognized, or authorized by the Northern Arapaho Tribe. It does not authorize FFN to conduct activities on Tribal lands, establish relationships with Tribal departments or programs, obtain access to Tribal governmental resources, or otherwise bypass the Tribe's governmental processes.
This Is an Exercise of Tribal Sovereignty
The Northern Arapaho Tribe is a sovereign Indian Nation. Sovereignty necessarily includes the authority to govern the Tribe's own lands, institutions, programs, governmental relationships, and internal affairs within the limits of applicable law.
The Tribe—not an outside organization—determines whether an outside organization has received authorization to engage with the Northern Arapaho government and its programs.
NABC established a consultation and authorization process so that outside organizations seeking to initiate or expand organized activities within the Tribe's lawful jurisdiction must first provide sufficient information for the Tribal government to determine whether those activities are consistent with Tribal law, policy, and the welfare of the Northern Arapaho people.
FFN was provided that process.
NABC scheduled an in-person consultation for July 31, 2026. FFN received notice of the consultation but did not appear at the scheduled meeting. After reviewing the administrative record, NABC determined that there was insufficient basis to grant FFN Tribal authorization.
Accordingly, FFN remains unauthorized by NABC to initiate or expand organized activities through Northern Arapaho Tribal programs, partnerships, referrals, access arrangements, or on Tribal lands.
Tribal departments, programs, entities, and employees have likewise been directed not to establish new partnerships, referral arrangements, sponsorships, use agreements, or other formal relationships with FFN concerning such activities without appropriate Tribal governmental approval.
The August 31 Decision Did Not Reverse NABC's Position
The August 31 Decision did not “soften” NABC's position. It clarified the legal distinction between private property ownership and Tribal governmental authorization.
NABC recognizes that FFN may possess and use its privately owned fee land subject to applicable law. That recognition does not constitute Tribal approval of FFN or its activities.
Put simply:
FFN may exercise whatever lawful rights it possesses as a private landowner. But FFN does not presently possess authorization from the Northern Arapaho Tribe to conduct or expand organized activities within the Tribe's lawful jurisdiction.
Those two propositions are entirely consistent.
NABC's position protects both the jurisdictional limits identified in its Decision and the fundamental sovereign right of the Northern Arapaho Tribe to determine who is authorized to engage with its government, programs, lands, and institutions.
NABC Determines Who Has NABC Authorization
No outside organization may unilaterally declare itself approved by the Northern Arapaho Tribe.
FFN's ownership of private property does not permit it to represent that its activities have been approved, endorsed, sponsored, or authorized by NABC when no such authorization exists.
The August 31 Decision expressly preserves the Tribe's sovereignty, jurisdiction, treaty rights, governmental authority, remedies, and sovereign immunity. It also preserves NABC's ability to consider a future request from FFN through the Tribe's established governmental process.
Until NABC formally grants such authorization, FFN remains unauthorized by the Northern Arapaho Business Council.
The Northern Arapaho Business Council will continue to protect the sovereignty of the Northern Arapaho Tribe while respecting the lawful rights of private landowners. There is no inconsistency between those principles.
Ownership of land is not the same thing as authorization from the Northern Arapaho Tribe.
Northern Arapaho Business Council
Wind River Indian Reservation
Regarding Foundations for Nations and the August 31, 2026 Decision
The Northern Arapaho Business Council (“NABC”) issues this statement in response to recent reporting concerning Foundations for Nations (“FFN”) and NABC’s August 31, 2026 Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Final Decision.
Recent characterizations suggesting that NABC has “softened” its position concerning FFN are inaccurate. The August 31 Decision does not grant FFN permission, approval, recognition, or authorization from the Northern Arapaho Tribe. To the contrary, after providing FFN notice and an opportunity to participate in the Tribe’s consultation process, NABC expressly denied FFN authorization to initiate or expand organized activities within the lawful jurisdiction of the Northern Arapaho Tribe.
Ownership of Land Is Not Tribal Authorization
The distinction is straightforward:
“Ownership of land is not the same thing as authorization from the Northern Arapaho Tribe.”
FFN may possess rights as the owner of privately owned fee land. NABC's August 31 Decision recognizes those property rights and does not purport to regulate otherwise lawful conduct on FFN's fee land where that conduct falls outside the Tribe's lawful jurisdiction.
But recognition of private property rights should not be confused with governmental approval.
FFN's ownership of fee land does not mean that FFN has been approved, endorsed, sponsored, recognized, or authorized by the Northern Arapaho Tribe. It does not authorize FFN to conduct activities on Tribal lands, establish relationships with Tribal departments or programs, obtain access to Tribal governmental resources, or otherwise bypass the Tribe's governmental processes.
This Is an Exercise of Tribal Sovereignty
The Northern Arapaho Tribe is a sovereign Indian Nation. Sovereignty necessarily includes the authority to govern the Tribe's own lands, institutions, programs, governmental relationships, and internal affairs within the limits of applicable law.
The Tribe—not an outside organization—determines whether an outside organization has received authorization to engage with the Northern Arapaho government and its programs.
NABC established a consultation and authorization process so that outside organizations seeking to initiate or expand organized activities within the Tribe's lawful jurisdiction must first provide sufficient information for the Tribal government to determine whether those activities are consistent with Tribal law, policy, and the welfare of the Northern Arapaho people.
FFN was provided that process.
NABC scheduled an in-person consultation for July 31, 2026. FFN received notice of the consultation but did not appear at the scheduled meeting. After reviewing the administrative record, NABC determined that there was insufficient basis to grant FFN Tribal authorization.
Accordingly, FFN remains unauthorized by NABC to initiate or expand organized activities through Northern Arapaho Tribal programs, partnerships, referrals, access arrangements, or on Tribal lands.
Tribal departments, programs, entities, and employees have likewise been directed not to establish new partnerships, referral arrangements, sponsorships, use agreements, or other formal relationships with FFN concerning such activities without appropriate Tribal governmental approval.
The August 31 Decision Did Not Reverse NABC's Position
The August 31 Decision did not “soften” NABC's position. It clarified the legal distinction between private property ownership and Tribal governmental authorization.
NABC recognizes that FFN may possess and use its privately owned fee land subject to applicable law. That recognition does not constitute Tribal approval of FFN or its activities.
Put simply:
FFN may exercise whatever lawful rights it possesses as a private landowner. But FFN does not presently possess authorization from the Northern Arapaho Tribe to conduct or expand organized activities within the Tribe's lawful jurisdiction.
Those two propositions are entirely consistent.
NABC's position protects both the jurisdictional limits identified in its Decision and the fundamental sovereign right of the Northern Arapaho Tribe to determine who is authorized to engage with its government, programs, lands, and institutions.
NABC Determines Who Has NABC Authorization
No outside organization may unilaterally declare itself approved by the Northern Arapaho Tribe.
FFN's ownership of private property does not permit it to represent that its activities have been approved, endorsed, sponsored, or authorized by NABC when no such authorization exists.
The August 31 Decision expressly preserves the Tribe's sovereignty, jurisdiction, treaty rights, governmental authority, remedies, and sovereign immunity. It also preserves NABC's ability to consider a future request from FFN through the Tribe's established governmental process.
Until NABC formally grants such authorization, FFN remains unauthorized by the Northern Arapaho Business Council.
The Northern Arapaho Business Council will continue to protect the sovereignty of the Northern Arapaho Tribe while respecting the lawful rights of private landowners. There is no inconsistency between those principles.
Ownership of land is not the same thing as authorization from the Northern Arapaho Tribe.
Northern Arapaho Business Council
Wind River Indian Reservation
UPDATED: Tribal Office Closure Notice
The Northern Arapaho Tribe offices will be closed on the following dates:
• Friday, September 4, 2026 — Funeral for Northern Arapaho Church Wyoming Chapter President Jacob Small
• Monday, September 7, 2026 — Labor Day
• Thursday, September 10, and Friday, September 11, 2026 — Fall Fast
The Northern Arapaho Tribe offices will be closed on the following dates:
• Friday, September 4, 2026 — Funeral for Northern Arapaho Church Wyoming Chapter President Jacob Small
• Monday, September 7, 2026 — Labor Day
• Thursday, September 10, and Friday, September 11, 2026 — Fall Fast
Enrolled Members
