The tanana chiefs conference (TCC) seeks to establish a culturally grounded youth justice system through the tribal youth justice and development program

The Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded $100,000 to Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) on October 1, 2025, under the Tribal Youth Program (CFDA 16.731) to establish a culturally grounded youth justice system through planning activities.

The planning grant funds development of a strategic framework for a tribal youth program and related services addressing juvenile delinquency and promoting positive youth development for youth under age 21 across the TCC region. This planning phase will bring together key stakeholders—youth, families, tribal court judges, and community members—to define program scope and ensure alignment with TCC core values of trust, unified support, and voice. TCC will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment identifying service gaps and challenges across the region through surveys, focus groups, and community discussions. The proposed tribal youth program will emphasize restorative justice, mentorship, peer mediation, and family counseling, rooted in tribal values and practices. The planning effort responds to the closure of the Fairbanks Youth Court in 2020 and the urgent need for a culturally appropriate alternative.

Performance occurs in Fairbanks, Alaska, with a period of performance extending from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. TCC is a tribally owned Alaska Native non-profit corporation and consortium of 37 federally recognized tribes serving approximately 16,000 Alaska Natives across 235,000 square miles of interior Alaska. The Tribal Youth Program supports tribal juvenile justice system improvements for American Indian and Alaska Native youth.

This planning grant will support the development of a strategic framework for a tribal youth program and related services to address juvenile delinquency and promote positive youth development. Following the closure of the fairbanks youth court in 2020, the need for a culturally appropriate alternative is urgent. This planning phase will bring together key stakeholders, gather community input, and outline steps to create a sustainable, sovereignty-based youth justice system rooted in tribal values and practices. The proposed tribal youth program will emphasize restorative justice, mentorship, peer mediation, and family counseling, serving youth under age 21 with a focus on healing and accountability. TCC will engage youth, families, tribal court judges, and community members to define the programs scope and ensure alignment with TCC core valuestrust, unified support, and voice. A comprehensive needs assessment will identify service gaps and challenges across the TCC region through surveys, focus groups, and community discussions. Conference activity description: N/a