Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council

New Member Nominations

GAO is now accepting nominations for up to five Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council (TIAC) positions to be effective September 2025. Nominations must be submitted to TIAC@gao.gov no later than June 06, 2025. Required nomination materials for each position are listed below:

• All candidates: A resume or biography of approximately 2500 characters detailing the nominee’s current position, key experiences, and any subject matter expertise with respect to federal programs and grants serving tribal citizens, tribal economic development and enterprises, infrastructure, criminal justice and land management, or other topics that may be relevant to GAO’s oversight.
• Federally Recognized Tribal Nations: Nominees who are elected leaders or appointed representatives of Federally Recognized Tribal Nations should provide evidence of their nomination by their Tribal government. This could include, but is not limited to, nomination via Tribal resolution, a letter of nomination from the senior Tribal executive leader or tribal council on official letterhead.
• Alaska Native Corporations: Nominees who are representatives of Alaska Native Corporations should obtain a signed letter on official letterhead transmitting their nomination from their organization.

Individuals selected for appointment to the TIAC will be invited to serve terms of 3 years. Subject to availability of federal funding, the TIAC will meet two to three times annually, in person and virtually, though GAO may periodically ask members to provide information or perspectives on selected issues between TIAC meetings. Appointed TIAC members will receive per diem and reimbursement for eligible travel expenses incurred for attending TIAC meetings.

GAO will endeavor to ensure that the membership of the TIAC is balanced in terms of points of view, demographics, geographics, and other characteristics of Tribes and Indigenous communities represented. Appointments shall be made without discrimination on the basis of age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or cultural, religious, or socioeconomic status. Read our Announcement for New Members.

Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council Overview

GAO’s Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council is composed of 14 to 16 tribal and indigenous leaders who provide advice to GAO in carrying out its mission to support Congress. Given the broad design of federal programs, in addition to leaders of federally recognized Tribal Nations, GAO also seeks perspectives from representatives of other Indigenous people served by federal programs. This includes a representative of a state-recognized tribe, an Alaska Native Corporation, and an organization representing Native Hawaiian communities.

GAO conducts reviews of federal agencies and programs, including those that serve Tribes, their citizens, and descendants. (GAO generally does not audit Tribes' activities.) GAO reviews span a broad range of topics of concern to Tribes, including health care, education, economic development, environmental protection, justice, and infrastructure, among others.

The TIAC advises GAO on vital and emerging issues affecting Tribal Nations and their citizens and informs GAO’s strategic goals and priorities with respect to the agency’s related work. Among other things, this may include:

• Alerting GAO to emerging factors or circumstances of interest or concern;
• Providing advice to GAO on building its internal capacity for tribal work and GAO’s processes for working with Tribes;
• Providing advice on GAO’s development of strategic goals and objectives regarding its tribal work;
• Helping identify relevant tribal stakeholders to ensure GAO tribal work includes a diverse range of tribal perspectives; and
• Providing perspectives on new and ongoing GAO tribal work.