Fort Belknap Indian Community

What Fort Belknap Indian Community does

Fort Belknap Indian Community is a federally recognized tribal government headquartered at 158 Tribal Way in Harlem, Montana, serving approximately 7,000 enrolled members of the Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) Nations across a 675,147-acre reservation in north-central Montana (the fourth largest Indian reservation in Montana). Established by Act of Congress on May 1, 1888, the community adopted its constitution in 1935 under the Indian Reorganization Act and is governed by a 12-member Council led by an elected President and Vice President.

The community provides governmental services through departments including Child Care, Child Support, Courts, Credit, Enrollment, EPA, Fish and Wildlife, Head Start, Human Resources, Land, Law Enforcement, Planning, Senior Services, TERO, and the Tribal Health Department. It operates a diversified ecosystem of subsidiaries and affiliated enterprises spanning higher education (Aaniiih Nakoda College), housing (Fort Belknap Tribal Housing Authority), utilities (Prairie Mountain Utilities), economic development (Island Mountain Development Group), broadcasting (KGVA 88.1), healthcare, and language/cultural preservation. Funding flows from federal appropriations via the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service, tribal enterprise revenues, and settlement/grant sources — most notably the $1.3 billion Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes Water Rights Settlement Act passed by the U.S. Senate on June 20, 2024.

There is no commercial pricing or revenue model; the community is a sovereign governmental entity. Public communications are distributed through its website (ftbelknap.org), a Facebook page (@FORTBELKNAPCOUNCIL), and a monthly email newsletter, with services delivered in person through three administration centers in Harlem, Hays, and Lodge Pole. The core product is sovereign governance and service delivery to a defined tribal constituency — not a technology or revenue-generating commercial offering.

Name

Fort Belknap Indian Community

Legal name

Fort Belknap Indian Community

Website

https://ftbelknap.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fort Belknap Indian Community is a federally recognized tribal government serving approximately 7,000 enrolled Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) members across a 675,147-acre reservation in north-central Montana, delivering governance, healthcare, education, housing, and economic development services through federal appropriations and tribal enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tribal Government Services

NAICS

American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments (921150), American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments (92115)

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous/Tribal Education Authorities & Boards (EDADABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tribal/Indigenous Public Health Authorities (HLAJAAAD), Community/Tribal Two-Year Colleges (Associate Degree–Granting) (EDAHANAA), Tribal Four-Year Colleges & Universities (Bachelor’s–Granting) (EDAHANAB)

Keywords

• Tribal government services
• Indian reservation administration
• Tribal healthcare services
• Tribal education programs
• Tribal housing assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Harlem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Fort Belknap Indian Community is the federally recognized tribal government serving approximately 7,000 enrolled Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) tribal members across a 675,147-acre reservation in north central Montana. It provides a wide range of governmental, social, health, education, housing, law enforcement, and economic development services through multiple departments, funded primarily through federal trust relationships and grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tribal Governance and Council Administration Core governing services provided through the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council (President, Vice President, Secretary Treasurer, and eight Council Members) for the protection of the health, security, and general welfare of approximately 7,000 enrolled tribal members.
• Law Enforcement Services Tribal law enforcement services delivered through the Law Enforcement Department on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.
• Tribal Courts Judicial services provided through the Tribal Courts Department for reservation residents.
• Tribal Healthcare Services Healthcare coordination and services for tribal members delivered through the Fort Belknap Tribal Health Department, in coordination with the Indian Health Service.
• Head Start and Education Support Early childhood education through Head Start and educational support services for tribal members on the reservation.
• Child Care and Child Support Services Child care and child support services provided through the Child Care and Child Support Departments, including services delivered by affiliated entity Aaniiih Nakoda Family Healing (ANFHC).
• Tribal Housing Assistance Housing services for tribal members delivered through the Fort Belknap Tribal Housing Authority (fbtha.org).
• Senior Services Programs and services for elderly tribal members delivered through the Senior Services Department.
• Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) Employment rights and training programs for tribal members delivered through the TERO Department.
• Environmental Protection Services Environmental protection programs delivered through the EPA Department for the Fort Belknap Reservation.
• Fish and Wildlife Management and Licensing Fish and wildlife management and licensing services delivered through the Fish and Wildlife Department and the Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Licensing system (ftbelknap.nagfa.net/online).
• Land Management Services Land management and administration services delivered through the Land Department for tribal lands on the reservation.
• Tribal Credit Programs Credit and lending services for tribal members delivered through the Credit Department.
• Enrollment Services Tribal enrollment and membership services delivered through the Enrollment Department for the Fort Belknap Indian Community.
• Higher Education (Aaniiih Nakoda College) Higher education institution serving tribal members, delivered through affiliated entity Aaniiih Nakoda College (ancollege.edu).
• Economic Development Services Economic development programs delivered through the Fort Belknap Economic Development office and Island Mountain Development Group (islandmtn.com).
• Utility Services (Prairie Mountain Utilities) Utility services delivered through affiliated entity Prairie Mountain Utilities for reservation residents and businesses.
• Community Radio Broadcasting (KGVA 88.1) Community radio broadcasting services delivered through affiliated entity KGVA 88.1 (kgvaradio.org).
• Language Preservation Services Language preservation programs delivered through the Fort Belknap Language Preservation program (fort-belknap.web.app) to sustain Nakoda and Aaniiih languages.
• Water Rights Administration (Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes Water Rights Settlement Act) Water rights administration, settlement implementation, and infrastructure investment program made possible by the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes Water Rights Settlement Act of 2023, passed by the U.S. Senate on June 20, 2024, providing $1.3 billion for water infrastructure and economic development on the Fort Belknap Reservation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water settlement bill passed June 20, 2024 - $1.3 billion for water infrastructure and economic development

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• Senator Steve DainescoreOthers · 2 July 2024Senator Steve Daines' bill to resolve the final Indian water rights settlement in Montana passed the U.S. Senate, achieving a fair settlement for Fort Belknap farmers, ranchers, and Montanans.
• U.S. SenatecoreOthers · 20 June 2024The U.S. Senate passed the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes Water Rights Settlement Act of 2023 on June 20, 2024. This legislation resolves water rights issues for the Fort Belknap Indian Community and provides $1.3 billion for water infrastructure development and economic benefits.
• Senator Jon TestercoreOthers · 15 June 2023Senator Jon Tester reintroduced the $1.3 billion Fort Belknap Water Settlement Bill to the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support for the first time. His bill cleared the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and heads to the Senate floor.
• Montana State Water CourtcoreOthersFollowing Congressional approval of the Water Settlement Act, the FBIC, state of Montana, and United States will submit the Water Compact to the Montana State Water Court to issue a decree recognizing the FBIC reserved water rights.
• Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)coreOthersAs part of the treaties and agreements between the U.S. Government and Indian tribes, the BIA provides health services and agency support. The Fort Belknap Agency was established in 1888 at its present location.
• Indian Health Service (IHS)coreOthersHealth services are provided to tribal members through the Indian Health Service, which was established in 1955 as part of the U.S. Government's obligation in exchange for lands ceded by tribes.
• Montana Congressional DelegationcoreOthersMontana's congressional leaders are working together on the $1.3 billion Fort Belknap Water Settlement Bill with bipartisan support for the first time.
• Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders CouncilmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council provides support letters and advocacy for tribal water rights settlements and tribal sovereignty issues.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes: Montana tribal government operating Flathead Reservation with analogous sovereign administrative structure, federal-tribal funding mechanisms, and an enterprise portfolio including utilities, gaming, and natural resource management.
• Crow Nation: Large Montana-based tribal government with similar sovereign governance, federal trust relationships, and a comparable suite of tribal enterprises across healthcare, education, housing, and economic development.
• Chippewa Cree Tribe (Rocky Boy's Reservation): Smaller Montana tribal government with parallel sovereign governance and federal-trust service delivery model; shares the same Montana water-rights settlement context as Fort Belknap.
• Blackfeet Nation: Federally recognized Montana-based tribal government (Piegan Blackfeet) with similar sovereign structure, federal trust relationship, IHS/BIA service delivery, and operating enterprises. Directly comparable in scale and operating model to Fort Belknap.
• Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes: Montana tribal government sharing geography and federal-tribal service structure with Fort Belknap. Operates parallel departments (health, education, housing, courts) and represents a near-identical public-administration model.
• Northern Cheyenne Tribe: Federally recognized Montana tribal government with parallel sovereignty, IHS/BIA service structure, and a comparable enrolled-member population to Fort Belknap. Directly comparable peer for governance and enterprise scope.

Others

• Indian Health Service (IHS): Federal partner agency providing healthcare services to Fort Belknap members. While not a peer governance entity, IHS is the primary external service provider shaping Fort Belknap's healthcare capacity and outcomes.
• Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council: Inter-tribal advocacy organization that partners with Fort Belknap on water rights and sovereignty issues. While not a competing tribal government, it is a directly named collaborator and ecosystem peer for Montana tribal nations.

Broad incumbents

• Navajo Nation: Large federally recognized tribal government exercising the same sovereign administrative functions (council governance, BIA/IHS partnership, enterprise subsidiaries) at significantly greater scale and budget. Useful comparable for institutional structure rather than direct competition.
• Cherokee Nation: Large federally recognized tribal government operating the broadest portfolio of tribal enterprises (health, education, housing, commerce) under the same federal-tribal trust framework. Comparable in operating model, with materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FORTBELKNAPCOUNCIL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fort-belknap-indian-community

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fort Belknap Indian Community