Montana’s Hope & Realization Initiative Earns National Award
WASHINGTON – The Montana Department of Labor and Industry was honored with the prestigious William J. Harris Equal Opportunity Award for its Office of Tribal Liaison – Hope and Realization Initiative at the 2026 National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) Winter Policy Forum in National Harbor, MD. This award, presented by NASWA’s Equal Opportunity Committee, recognizes a state demonstrating excellence and innovation in the area of equal opportunity.
Montana’s Hope & Realization Initiative is a tribally centered effort that strengthens workforce access across the state. Built through the Office of the Tribal Liaison, the initiative deepens government-to-government engagement through Tribal Workforce Roundtables, tribally hosted Job Expos, and youth focused Think Tank Sessions, all designed to identify barriers and expand opportunities for tribal citizens.
These coordinated efforts have improved service delivery, engaged more than 550 tribal job seekers, elevated youth perspectives from all seven reservations, and increased visibility of native success through the Workforce Warriors Initiative. The Workforce Warrior Initiative increases the visibility of tribal successes, educates employers, challenges bias, and normalizes tribal participation in all workforce pathways. Together, they demonstrate a meaningful, culturally grounded model for advancing nondiscrimination and equal opportunity across Montana’s workforce system.
“Montana’s Hope & Realization Initiative is a powerful example of what community-centered workforce innovation looks like,” said Scott B. Sanders, NASWA President and CEO. “By working in true partnership with tribal nations, Montana has created a model that opens doors, strengthens trust, and expands opportunity for tribal communities statewide.”
“Real progress happens when we listen, collaborate, and build solutions together,” Montana Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Sarah Swanson said. “We are proud of the work of Tribal Liaison Donnie Wetzeland and his team in working shoulder to shoulder with tribal leaders to build a stronger workforce system. Their leadership is not only expanding employment and training opportunities for tribal citizens across Montana, but also helping to set the standard for how states honor tribal partnerships, remove barriers to work, and ensure every person has a pathway to a career and a plan to achieve it."
For more information, visit NASWA’s Winter Policy Forum and Equal Opportunity Committee webpages.
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About the Montana Department of Labor & Industry (www.dli.mt.gov): At the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, we believe that when Montanans succeed, the Treasure State thrives. Guided by our mission to empower every Montanan through work and opportunity and the 406 JOBS vision to ensure every Montanan has a pathway to a career and a plan to achieve it, we are expanding access through initiatives like Hope & Realization, 406 JOBS, Registered Apprenticeship, and our network of Job Service offices. Together, these efforts connect people with employers, resources, training, and strong protections that safeguard workers’ rights and equal opportunity, moving Montanans to the next level—urban and rural, on and off reservation, and in every corner of the state.
