Indian Youth Service Corps

The Indian Youth Service Corps is a Department of the Interior initiative designed to engage Native youth in meaningful public service projects on federal and Tribal lands for the benefit of Native communities.

Under this program, Tribal Nations, Tribally-affiliated organizations, and corps can enter into cooperative agreements with certain federal agencies to fund youth projects related to natural resources; parks and recreation; environmental conservation and restoration; infrastructure and construction; energy; and a broad range of cultural, historic, and archaeological resources. These projects provide education, employment, and training to Native American and Alaska Native individuals ages 16-30 (or veterans up to the age of 35) and can serve as an invaluable community resource and hiring pipeline to careers in several critical fields.

This funding spans several fields to meet the diverse needs of Indian Country. Youth activities and training opportunities vary depending on the nature of the funded project but can include: hands-on crew work, restoration of trails and ceremonial sites, scientific fieldwork, fire and forestry management, watershed restoration, invasive species removal, habitat surveying, climate mitigation activities, infrastructure projects, research projects, oral histories, language revitalization, agriculture and food sovereignty, community education, and more.

In August, 2024, DOI announced nearly $7 million for Indian Youth Service Corps projects, supported by the President's Investing in America agenda to strengthen Indian Country. A full list of FY 2024 projects is available on Interior's website.

In 2023, the Bureau of Indian Affairs allocated nearly $3.5 million to establish pilot projects in partnership with Tribal Nations and qualified youth and conservation corps. The 2023 Indian Youth Service Corps projects can be found in the press release.