Admin-Core

Under the auspices of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (FDL), the Administrative Core (AC) will provide programmatic leadership to ensure the goals of the proposed FDL Regional Research Institute (FDL-RRI) are achieved. Our overarching goal is to empower FDL and collaborating tribes and agencies to “elevate the health and social well-being of American Indian people through the provision of culturally appropriate services, research, education, and employment opportunities”. The overall objectives of the AC are to provide an administrative infrastructure for the successful implementation of FDL-RRI research and training projects; to facilitate productive communication among all collaborators; and to create linkages between FDL-RRI and tribal partners, universities, and other institutions. Through the efforts of the AC, FDL-RRI will be a regional resource for tribes, research scholars and students to assist them in conducting research in collaborative partnership with AIAN communities. The specific aims are to: Aim 1. Develop FDL-RRI AC leadership roles and procedures through the establishment and coordination of an Executive Advisory Committee to guide all projects, partnerships, research, and training activities. Aim 2. Guide systems for operational management, coordination of activities, and communication. This will include strategic planning; budgetary and grant management; guiding purchasing decisions; hiring, training and supervising staff; and overseeing event/travel coordination. Aim 3. Oversee human subjects research protection and promote tribal data governance and sovereignty. We will work with tribal and university IRBs to ensure all human subjects research are in full compliance with tribal data governance structures, protect data sovereignty, and that culturally appropriate safeguards are established and utilized for ongoing data safety and data monitoring. Aim 4. Support advisory committees and community involvement in FDL-RRI program development and oversight to ensure scientific and cultural integrity of the projects. Aim 5. Foster synergy and development of new opportunities across all projects and promotion of FDL- RRI regionally. This will include facilitating communication with the public; creating a website; consulting with tribal communities regarding health disparities information; research and development of new tribally-initiated research protocols; creating and supporting new student research opportunities; and fostering knowledge sharing opportunities. Aim 6. Conduct formative and summative evaluation with annual member surveys, interviews, retreats, and documentation of key priorities.