Native Americans on reservations face another decade of underfunding from federal programs because thousands were not counted in the 2020 census — a problem shared by minority communities across the country.
Tribal governments use those federal funds for basic needs on reservations, where poverty rates historically have been among the highest in the nation. The federal government distributes $1.5 trillion annually based on census results, which missed 5 percent of Native Americans this time.
That will mean less money for food programs, building roads and keeping schools operational, said Joshua Arce, president of Partnership with Native Americans, a nonprofit providing education, infrastructure and other grants to tribes across the country.
