SCAG Releases Report Examining Native American Tribes’ Data Challenges and Calls for Regional Action in Southern California

“Good Data, Stronger Tribes: Overcoming Native American Data Challenges in Southern California”—a new joint report from SCAG and Brooking Metro—examines persistent barriers to reliable data for Native American Tribes in the SCAG region and outlines a regional roadmap for change. Reliable data are essential for effective policymaking and community well being, yet Native American Tribes face persistent data challenges that undermine tribal governance and sovereignty.

The report is published to implement SCAG’s Inclusive Economic Recovery Strategy, adopted by the SCAG Regional Council in 2021, which outlines over 50 recommendations for equitable recovery in housing, transportation, and workforce and economic development.

The report draws on over 30 interviews and site visits with Tribal leaders and stakeholders in the SCAG region, identifying five core data limitations affecting tribes—including small sample sizes, misclassification, and limited access. The report also highlights six insights from Tribal leaders in the SCAG region, ranging from the need for more accurate population and land data to the critical role of data in accessing funding and supporting self-governance. The report also recommends a four-part framework for action to improve Tribal data resources and capacity:

1. Developing indigenous data strategies and formal partnerships.
2. Building Tribal data capacity through funding, tools, and training.
3. Supporting Tribal sovereignty by increasing access to and control over data.
4. Improving the quality and relevance of government data for indigenous communities.

While the focus is regional, the report’s recommendations have national relevance: As access to federal data shrinks, regional agencies have a growing role to play in supporting Indigenous data sovereignty and inclusive decision-making.

Read the full report: “Good Data, Stronger Tribes: Overcoming Native American Data Challenges in Southern California”