Leaders of tribal colleges say recent increases in federal funding have not erased concerns about the long‑term reliability of U.S. commitments. At institutions such as Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, administrators say enhanced dollars are welcome but insufficient without predictable, sustained support for programs like food sovereignty, student services and research capacity. Tribal leaders emphasize that one‑time or short‑term boosts don’t solve structural disadvantages—smaller endowments, higher service needs and geographic isolation—that require durable funding strategies and federal partnership to address historic inequities in higher education.