Associate, Tribal Funding

CHILDREN’S FUNDING PROJECT is a nonprofit social impact organization that helps communities, states, and Native Nations expand equitable opportunities for children and youth through strategic public financing. Through our hands-on technical assistance and collection of resources, we help advocates, policymakers, public agencies, Tribal Nations, and funders identify and align existing funding, generate new revenue, and implement strategies to administer funds in ways that maximize their impact. This growing organization is dynamic and seeks to meet the needs of the child and youth field and provide a healthy work environment. Read more about us at: https://www.childrensfundingproject.org.

About the Position

Children’s Funding Project seeks an Associate, Tribal Funding, to join our Native Children’s Funding Project team. This team helps Native nations design, build, and sustain funding systems that reflect their cultural priorities and community values for Native children and youth. The Associate will help develop fiscal maps and other strategic public financing tools and analyses that support the well-being of Native children and youth while centering Tribal sovereignty, respectful relationship-building, and a commitment to equity-driven research and capacity-building. The Associate will also help other Children’s Funding Project teams where priorities align and where collaboration strengthens the Native team’s work, including the development of shared tools and processes that advance cross-team products. This full-time, exempt position reports to the Director of Native Children’s Funding Project.

This role is ideal for someone who shares our belief that every young person deserves access to opportunity and that Native nations hold inherent sovereignty, cultural strength, and community knowledge essential to designing the systems that support their children. We are specifically seeking candidates who are passionate about:

• Championing Native nations’ sovereignty over fiscal data and funding systems
• Driving greater transparency, accessibility, and community leadership in public finance
• Increasing investment in programs and systems that uplift Native children and families
• Building expertise in tribal governance, public finance, and equitable funding strategies

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strengthen Tribal Public Finance Systems for Children and Youth

• Develop Tribal fiscal maps and public finance tools for Tribal leaders, Tribal child practitioners, and Native nations.
• Analyze Tribal, federal, state, and local funding streams in alignment with Tribal data governance.
• Support the development of finance recommendations grounded in each Native nation’s priorities and other knowledge and/or trends in funding.

Build Trusting Partnerships

• Engage with Tribal governments and community partners to support capacity building for fiscal mapping, cost analysis/modeling, and revenue generation.
• Honor Tribal sovereignty by adhering to culturally grounded, ethically rigorous research protocols.

Research, Learning & Communication

• Conduct fiscal data research to create fiscal maps and cost analysis/models.
• Complete reports, memos, presentations, and communication materials.
• Conduct interviews and listening sessions with Tribal leaders and community members.

Project Coordination

• Coordinate meetings, timelines, and deliverables.
• Support internal capacity building on Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous data governance to support financing for children and youth systems.
• Support and contribute to other projects as assigned.

 SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Post-secondary coursework in a relevant area (ex. public administration, Public Policy, Indigenous Studies, Finance, Accounting, Data Science, Education, Public Health, or related field) and/or early career experience in a Tribal government or Tribal-serving organization.
• Lived experience in a Native community
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite (e.g., using Gmail, Google Docs, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint)
• Basic to intermediate quantitative research skills and experience with systems that organize large amounts of information (e.g., completion of research methods or statistics coursework; other undergraduate research experience)
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail (e.g., experience editing documents, organizing personal paperwork)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (e.g., experience facilitating meetings, explaining procedures, writing essays, preparing and delivering PowerPoint presentations)
• Ability to explain complex concepts in a manner that can be understood by a broad audience
• Team-oriented attitude with an ability to work both collaboratively and independently in a remote environment (e.g., experience completing group projects at school, co-developing and editing documents or presentations online, taking online courses)

Experience with or desire to learn about:

• Public sector budgeting (tribal, federal, state, and/or local levels)
• Tribal sovereignty, government-to-government relationships, and Indigenous data sovereignty
• Advanced data analysis and visualization techniques using PowerBi, Excel, and/or Tableau
• Early childhood, K–12, youth development, or related sectors.
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills.
• Commitment to child equity and community-led decision-making.
• Strong organization and time-management skills.
• Indigenous research methods and/or participatory approaches

LOCATION: This is a fully remote position (employee may work anywhere within the continental U.S.). Some domestic travel is required. 

COMPENSATION: This position falls into the associate level of our salary structure with a starting full-time annual salary of $58,000. Children’s Funding Project offers a generous benefits package, a great (and growing) team, and a working environment that emphasizes professional development and growth.

TO APPLY: A cover letter is required for consideration and should address your specific interest in the position as well as relevant professional and lived experiences. The cover letter will weigh heavily in the selection process. Applications must be received by January 16, 2026. Please note that authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment and applicants for this position will not be sponsored for work visas.

Children’s Funding Project commits to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that reflects the breadth of communities and clients we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer dedicated to hiring socially conscious individuals with diverse experiences and knowledge that deepen our organization’s impact. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. People of color, members of Tribal Nations and Native communities, LGBTQ-identified people, gender-nonconforming people, people with disabilities, veterans, and people who speak a language in addition to English are strongly encouraged to apply.