Archives West Finding Aid

Established September 1999 the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI) worked in collaboration with Indian leaders, public agencies, educators, students and community groups to assist tribes towards meeting their goals as it related to cultural revitalization, resource management, economic sustainability, tribal governance and tribal administration. The institute worked to develop curricula on the Northwest Tribes which matches the Essential Learning Requirements for Washington State History and Social Studies passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2005. NIARI offered educational resources, culturally responsive curricula for secondary schools, and research assistance.

NAIRA expanded its’ services that the college can offer the tribes, enabling Evergreen to assist local tribes to meet their economic, governance and resource goals. At the same time, the Institute provided additional, real-life learning opportunities for Evergreen students. The Institute has engaged in designing and conducting research projects, workshops, symposia, and conferences on Indian issues in the following programmatic areas: Cultural Revitalization, Governance, Natural Resource Management, and Economic Sustainability.This Public Service Center ended its existence in 2012.