A new agreement will make it easier for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe to apply for grants.
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chair W. Ron Allen signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last month with the state Department of Commerce. The MOU removes administrative barriers, improves communications, implements culturally appropriate data privacy and security measures, according to a news release.
“It means that the Department of Commerce, on behalf of the tribes, has come to a fundamental agreement to work with the tribe with respect to their unique political relationship as a government,” Allen said. “Tribes will not waiver their sovereign immunity. These commitments recognize that status and improves the process of getting resources that the Legislature approves and the governor signs off on.”
Allen signed the agreement Nov. 20 in Seattle with Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn, according to the news release.
“The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is honored to sign this MOU commitment between the State Department of Commerce and our Tribe,” Allen said in the release. “It exhibits the respectful government-to-government relationship and improved collaboration between our governments and advances our vision of a stronger state and tribal economy while respecting and upholding our sovereignty.”
The Department of Commerce has had a fairly good relationship with the tribes, Allen said, but the process to get funds in the past has been cumbersome.
“They had reimbursement programs so we had to spend the money and then get reimbursed, which is awkward because tribes don’t often have the money needed for projects,” Allen said. “This gets the money to tribes quicker with less bureaucratic challenges.”
The MOU with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is the 12th such agreement Commerce has made with tribal governments, according to the news release, and there are plans for similar agreements to be signed with tribes within the state in 2026.
“We are glad to enter into this agreement with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe,” Nguyễn said in the news release. “We recognize Jamestown S’Klallam’s continued presence as the strong people of a strong sovereign nation and their invaluable contributions to our state history, economy and culture.”
The tribe has several upcoming projects which will benefit from the more streamlined process, Allen said. Those projects include alternative energy efforts, environmental protection projects, such as restoring rivers and tributaries, and an effort to bring in broadband.
“Commerce processes a lot of different grants for a lot of different purposes that are not always directly economic development but are related to economic development,” Allen said.
The Commerce department was very persistent in making this MOU happen, Allen said, adding that he’s very pleased with the leadership of the department.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
