Tribal Law and Policy Institute

What Tribal Law and Policy Institute does

Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) is a Native American operated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated on November 4, 1996 in Los Angeles, California, with a regional office in Edmond, Oklahoma. TLPI provides free training, technical assistance, and educational resources to Native nations and tribal justice systems across the United States. Its core offerings include the Tribal Court Clearinghouse (established 1997), specialized resource websites covering Healing to Wellness Courts, tribal youth programs, VAWA implementation, protection orders, child welfare, sex trafficking, and tribal-state collaboration, a publications program (manuals, handbooks, textbooks), and conference hosting. As of its 25th anniversary in November 2021, TLPI had 35 employees, had conducted over 500 onsite technical assistance visits, worked with hundreds of tribes, and trained thousands of Indian country service providers.

TLPI's business model is predominantly grant-funded. Primary revenue comes from federal grants administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Children's Bureau, and Office on Violence Against Women, which fund free services to tribal programs. A secondary fee-for-service stream provides customized technical assistance on a multi-year contract basis. Donations are accepted as supplemental support. All grant-funded services and digital publications are provided at no cost to tribal programs. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its infrastructure consists of a portfolio of content websites, webinars, publications, and in-person convenings. Distribution occurs through direct onsite technical assistance, self-serve web portals, email newsletters, social media, and national conferences.

TLPI is governed by a board of directors and led by Executive Director Jerry Gardner, who has served continuously since founding. All three original board members (Abby Abinanti, Margrett Kelley, and Pat Sekaquaptewa) remain on the board as of 2021, reflecting long-tenured institutional stability. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, and no M&A activity, consistent with its non-profit charter and mission-driven operating model.

Name

Tribal Law and Policy Institute

Legal name

Tribal Law and Policy Institute

Website

https://home.tlpi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tribal Law and Policy Institute is a Native American operated non-profit founded in 1996 that provides free training, technical assistance, publications, and resource websites to U.S. tribal nations and tribal justice systems, funded primarily by federal grants from DOJ, HHS, and OVW.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hollywood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Primary funding from federal grants including Bureau of Justice Assistance, Children's Bureau, and Office on Violence Against Women. Services provided at no cost to tribal programs.
2. Fee for Service: Additional technical assistance services available through fee-for-service arrangements for tribal programs needing customized support beyond grant-funded services.
3. Donations: Accepts charitable donations from individuals and organizations to support mission activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tribal Law and Policy Institute provides free training, technical assistance, publications, and resource websites to Native nations, tribal courts, tribal child welfare programs, and tribal healing-to-wellness courts. Services include direct onsite technical assistance, federally funded training programs, free digital publications, and specialized online resource portals covering tribal justice, child welfare, juvenile justice, VAWA implementation, and tribal-state collaboration.

Product overview

Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) is a Native American operated non-profit organization that offers a portfolio of resource websites and services rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include the Tribal Court Clearinghouse (www.TLPI.org) as the primary comprehensive resource hub, multiple specialized resource websites covering areas such as Wellness Courts, Tribal Youth, VAWA Implementation, Tribal Protection Orders, Enhancement Training, Child Welfare, Sex Trafficking Resources, and Tribal Legal Studies. TLPI provides free publications (manuals, handbooks, checklists), training and technical assistance services, and hosts national conferences. The organization partners with hundreds of Tribal programs to develop and support Tribal Courts, Indian Child Welfare programming, enhanced Tribal jurisdiction under VAWA, Tribal Youth projects, and Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tribal Court Clearinghouse: A comprehensive website established in June 1997 serving as a resource for American Indian and Alaska Native Nations, tribal justice systems, victim services providers, and others involved in tribal justice improvement.
• Wellness Courts
• Walking on Common Ground
• Tribal Youth Resource Center
• Tribal Implementation of VAWA
• Tribal Protection Orders
• Enhancement Training
• Center for Tribes
• Sex Trafficking Resources
• Indian Nations Conference
• Tribal Legal Studies
• Tribal Response

Products and services

• Tribal Court Clearinghouse A comprehensive website established in June 1997 serving as a resource for American Indian and Alaska Native Nations, tribal justice systems, victim services providers, and others involved in improving justice in Indian country. Contains extensive resources on tribal, state, and federal law.
• Wellness Courts A resource website containing publications, webinars, and numerous resources concerning Tribal Healing To Wellness Courts (tribal drug courts) and restorative justice in Indian country.
• Walking On Common Ground A website that promotes and facilitates tribal-state-federal collaborations, including tribal-state agreements, promising strategies, and information on all federally recognized tribes and tribal courts.
• Tribal Youth Resource Center A website developed under a grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, providing publications, resources and training information for Tribal youth prevention, intervention, and court-based programs.
• Tribal VAWA Implementation A website providing resources for Tribes concerning Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction over Non-Indians under the 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA 2022).
• Tribal Protection Order Resources A resource website designed to assist Native nations and those working in tribal justice systems with information on protection orders, including resources on the drafting and enforcement of tribal protection orders.
• Enhancement Training A tribal-specific national training for tribal problem-solving courts. The Enhancement Training features Wellness Court best practices and innovative strategies.
• Center for Tribes (Child Welfare Capacity Building) Provides assistance focused on the Indian Child Welfare Act, Tribal title IV-E programs, and continuous quality improvement and data systems. Includes the Tribal Child Welfare Information Exchange.
• Tribal Sex Trafficking Resources Resources created for sexual assault and domestic violence tribal coalitions containing information on sex trafficking in Indian country and a comprehensive victim services directory.
• Indian Nations Conference The oldest and largest DOJ Indian conference to serve the unique needs of crime victims in Indian country. TLPI coordinated 9 national conferences from 2002-2018.
• Tribal Legal Studies A collaborative project initiated in 1998 between UCLA Native Nations Law and Policy Center, TLPI, and four tribal colleges to develop, pilot, and implement Tribal Legal Studies curricula at tribal community colleges. Includes a textbook series.
• Tribal Response A national initiative that provides training, technical assistance and resources for tribal governments and programs that do not currently have Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grant funding.
• Publications Program TLPI offers free digital copies of publications including manuals, handbooks, checklists, and other resources supporting tribal governments and service providers. Publications cover subjects including Child Abuse and Neglect, Domestic Violence Courts, Healing to Wellness Courts, Juvenile Justice, Public Law 280, Sexual Assault, Sex Trafficking, Tribal-State Collaboration, Violence Against Native Women, and VAWA 2022 Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction.
• Technical Assistance Services TLPI provides free technical assistance services funded by the Children's Bureau, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and Office on Violence Against Women. Services include assistance focused on Indian Child Welfare Act, Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts, VAWA's Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction, and Tribal-State Collaborations.
• Tribal Legal Studies Textbook Series A book series developed to create legal and technical resources for tribal justice course offerings. Includes 'Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies', 'Tribal Criminal Law and Procedure', 'Sharing Our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence', and 'Structuring Sovereignty: Constitutions of Native Nations'.
• Video Resource Series Publications designed for use with companion videos, including 'Listen to The Grandmothers' (incorporating tradition into responses to violence against Native women) and 'Pathway to Hope: Healing Child Sexual Abuse'.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conducted over 500 onsite technical assistance visits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Courts Program OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998First direct federal funding source in 1998 to provide training and technical assistance to Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts. Established foundational federal partnership that continues to support TLPI's core mission.
• Children's BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal funding partner for child welfare technical assistance services to tribal programs, supporting Indian Child Welfare Act and Tribal IV-E program assistance.
• Bureau of Justice AssistancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal funding partner supporting tribal justice system training and technical assistance, including Tribal Legal Studies textbook development.
• Office on Violence Against WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal funding partner for violence against women programs and tribal jurisdiction technical assistance under VAWA.
• UCLA Native Nations Law and Policy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Tribal Legal Studies project initiated in 1998 to develop legal curricula for tribal community colleges. Joint development of educational materials and resources.
• Turtle Mountain Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner tribal college in Tribal Legal Studies collaborative to develop and pilot legal curricula at tribal community colleges.
• Salish Kootenai CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner tribal college in Tribal Legal Studies collaborative to develop and pilot legal curricula at tribal community colleges.
• Diné CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner tribal college in Tribal Legal Studies collaborative to develop and pilot legal curricula at tribal community colleges.
• Northwest Indian CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner tribal college in Tribal Legal Studies collaborative to develop and pilot legal curricula at tribal community colleges.
• National CASA AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly consulting partner providing first consulting contracts along with Grand Traverse Band and Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Capacity Building Center for Tribes (Child Welfare): Operated by TLPI itself as the Children's Bureau-funded Center for Tribes, but distinct peer unit providing child welfare capacity building to tribes. Listed here for ecosystem context; it shares TLPI's content distribution platform and federal-grant operating model.
• Indian Law Resource Center: Native-led legal nonprofit providing legal advocacy, training, and resources on indigenous peoples' rights and tribal sovereignty. Comparable to TLPI on training/TA for tribal justice systems, though with a stronger international indigenous rights focus.
• Native American Rights Fund: National Native-led legal organization that provides legal representation, advocacy, and training on tribal sovereignty issues. Highly comparable to TLPI in mission (Indian country legal capacity building) and audience (tribes and tribal justice systems), though NARF skews more toward litigation and legal advocacy while TLPI focuses on training/TA.
• National Indigenous Women's Resource Center: Native-led nonprofit addressing violence against Native women, including VAWA implementation and tribal jurisdiction work. Highly comparable to TLPI on VAWA-related training, technical assistance, and resource publishing for tribal communities.

Broad incumbents

• National Indian Health Board: National tribal advocacy organization for Indian health policy and federal funding. Comparable to TLPI as a federally-funded tribal-serving capacity-building nonprofit, though focused on health rather than justice/legal issues.
• Association on American Indian Affairs: Long-established Native-focused nonprofit (founded 1922) working on tribal sovereignty, ICWA, and Indian child welfare. Comparable to TLPI in mission areas (especially ICWA) and audience (tribes), though with a broader advocacy posture.
• National Congress of American Indians: The oldest, largest national organization advocating for tribal sovereignty and federal Indian policy. Comparable to TLPI in serving tribal nations on legal/policy matters, but operates as a broad membership-based advocacy and convening organization rather than a training/TA provider.
• National Indian Education Association: Native education advocacy and professional association. Comparable to TLPI in serving tribal education priorities and operating as a federally engaged nonprofit, though NIEA's focus is K-12/postsecondary education rather than legal/judicial training.

Regional players

• National CASA Association: National organization supporting Court Appointed Special Advocates for children, with early consulting ties to TLPI. Comparable as a court-adjacent capacity-building nonprofit serving vulnerable populations, though focused on volunteer advocacy for foster children rather than tribal justice.

Others

• Bureau of Justice Assistance: Federal grant-making agency within DOJ that funds TLPI's tribal justice and Wellness Courts work. Included as the primary federal funding partner/ecosystem participant rather than a peer organization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/tlpi1996
• Facebookfacebook.com/tlpiorg?fref=ts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tribal Law and Policy Institute