Corporate Structures

Overview & Learning Objectives

The corporate vehicle a nation chooses — Section 16 governmental entity, Section 17 federal charter, Section 3 Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act corporation, ANCSA corporation, or a tribally chartered company under the nation’s own code — shapes taxation, immunity posture, financing options, and the separation of business from government. This module walks each structure and the step-by-step path to chartering a tribal corporation.

• Distinguish Section 16 governments from Section 17 federally chartered corporations
• Explain Section 3 OIWA and ANCSA regional and village corporations
• Compare tribally chartered corporations with federal charters
• Outline the steps to charter a tribal corporation

Reading Sections

Reading sections for this module are being prepared from the Institute’s book manuscript and will publish here as they are finalized.

Case Studies

Ho-Chunk, Inc. — the tribally chartered EDC model

Launched in 1994 by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska under the Tribe’s own business code, Ho-Chunk, Inc. is wholly tribe-owned and deliberately separated from tribal government — a nationally recognized model for insulating enterprise from politics while returning profits to the nation.

A live Section 17 enabling code

The Ho-Chunk Nation’s Section 17 Federally Chartered Corporations Act shows how a nation legislates the framework for federal charters — governance, ownership, and the relationship between corporation and tribal government — before any charter issues.