The Seven Directions training focused on applying the Indigenous Evaluation Framework, a Tribally developed framework that highlights proven traditional approaches and emphasizes community stakeholder engagement.

Fourteen participants representing nine (50%) of the Great Plains Area (GPA) Tribes attended, including department directors, program managers, and staff. Key outcomes include:

• Increased confidence in planning and implementing program evaluations. Prior to the training, participants were asked about their evaluation experience, with only three (3) indicating that they had previously planned or participated in an evaluation. By the end of the training, 100% of participants recognized evaluation as already part of their daily activities, which helped them identify and reconcile previously held assumptions and doubts concerning evaluation and their ability to plan and implement evaluation activities within their own programs.
• Increased ability to plan and implement program evaluations. By the end of the training, 100% of participants agreed that the knowledge, tools, and resources provided during the training would help them to respond to evaluation requirements within funding proposals, plan and implement evaluations that are meaningful to their communities, and utilize evaluation findings to improve program efficiency and effectiveness.
• Increased collaboration and partnerships. As participants shared their experiences and roles, the group recognized one another as valuable resources. By the end of the training, participants wished to formalize their collaborations into a group with regularly scheduled meetings, thus establishing a Great Plains Tribal Evaluation Community of Practice. GPTEC evaluation staff will facilitate group logistics and discussions, while Tribal staff set group goals, agendas, and activities. The first meeting is planned for July 2026.