Many of the efforts to increase American Indian and Alaska Native higher education and training emphasize the role of the federal government in providing financial aid and the ways largely non-tribal postsecondary institutions can create more welcoming environments for individual Native students.iii However, by exploring national data trends on American Indian and Alaska Native demography and higher education and six cases, this brief suggests that tribal investments in postsecondary education and training can both benefit the individuals who complete their education and can strengthen the capacity of Native nations to serve as governments and as cultural communities.