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Tahlequah Today
By the People, for the People
Cherokee Nation Boosts Grassroots Support Across Communities
New initiatives empower local organizations and leaders to shape the future of tribal communities.
Published on Feb. 16, 2026
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The Cherokee Nation is strengthening its communities through a renewed focus on grassroots organizing and support. Led by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., the tribe has launched a Community Organizing Task Force to review existing efforts and identify ways to better assist local groups. This includes adding new field technical assistant positions, increasing training opportunities, and expanding grant funding to address capacity and operating needs.
Why it matters
The Cherokee Nation's shift towards collaborative governance and empowering citizens as 'architects of their own communities' represents a proactive approach to strengthening tribal sovereignty by investing in the foundations of community resilience. This model has implications beyond the Cherokee Nation, as tribes across the U.S. focus on digital inclusion, data sovereignty, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and economic diversification to support local communities.
The details
The Cherokee Nation's Community Organizing Task Force, led by Deputy Secretary of State Canaan Duncan, found that grassroots organizations are 'indispensable' for preserving Cherokee language, culture, and community bonds. To better support these groups, the tribe is adding new field technical assistant positions to serve as on-the-ground resources, increasing training and skills development for local leaders, and expanding grant funding to address capacity and operating needs. Channce Condit, an experienced Cherokee Nation community leader, will lead efforts to support at-large organizations.
- The Cherokee Nation Community Organizing Task Force recently released its report.
- New field technical assistant positions and increased grant funding will be rolled out in the coming months.
The players
Chuck Hoskin Jr.
Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Canaan Duncan
Deputy Secretary of State for the Cherokee Nation and leader of the Community Organizing Task Force.
Channce Condit
An experienced Cherokee Nation community leader and county official in California, who will lead efforts to support at-large organizations.
Cherokee Nation
The largest tribe in the United States, with over 450,000 tribal citizens.
What they’re saying
“The true strength of the Cherokee Nation, as Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. Recently emphasized, isn't confined to Tahlequah. It resides within its communities, fueled by the spirit of Gadugi – working together for the common good.”
— Chuck Hoskin Jr., Principal Chief
What’s next
New field technical assistant positions and increased grant funding will be rolled out in the coming months to support grassroots organizations across the Cherokee Nation.
The takeaway
The Cherokee Nation's shift towards collaborative governance and empowering local communities demonstrates a proactive approach to strengthening tribal sovereignty. This model has broader implications for how tribes across the U.S. can invest in the foundations of community resilience through digital inclusion, data sovereignty, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and economic diversification.
