Dear Tribal Leader:

I write to invite you to the 28^th U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Annual Tribal Budget Consultation (ATBC),which will take place in-person on April 21-22, 2026,at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building at 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC. Tribes are once again invited to register for one-on-one consultations in conjunction with the ATBC. 

The ATBC will provide a forum for tribes to collectively share their views and priorities with HHS officials on national health and human services funding priorities and make recommendations for the Department’s FY 2028 budget request. We hope the consultation will provide a venue for a two-way conversation between tribal leaders and HHS officials on program issues and concerns that will lead to recommendations for action. The components of this year’s consultation are as follows:

Virtual ATBC Planning Sessions with Tribal Leaders
March 18 and April 1, 2026 

As in previous years, HHS will continue to work with you to improve the consultation process.  The Department understands the importance of hearing from tribes on national and regional issues, as well as tribal-specific concerns.

HHS will host two planning sessions to prepare for the consultation. The first session will provide an overview of HHS and its Operating Divisions. This informative session will be particularly beneficial for tribal leaders and staff that are new to HHS or who would like a refresher on the Department and its budget process. The second session will focus on receiving recommendations from tribal leaders for the development of the agenda for the 28^th HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation.

These planning sessions will take place on:

• Wednesday, March 18, from 3:00 – 4:00pm ET
• Wednesday, April 1, from 3:00 – 4:00pm ET

Please register to attend one or both of the consultation planning calls at the following link: https://hhsgov.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/W6sPH1xUSomFzS2sG0hO4g (-> click.connect.hhs.gov). More information about the agendas for these sessions is forthcoming.

28^th HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation in Washington, DC
April 21-22, 2026 

The Annual Tribal Budget Consultation provides a forum for HHS leadership and financial officers to consult with tribal leaders on funding and policy priorities for the Department budget. This year’s consultation will focus on identifying tribal funding and policy priorities for the FY 2028 budget. HHS will identify specific issues for consultation in collaboration with tribes during the planning calls scheduled for March and April. These issues will be sent to tribal leaders prior to the ATBC so that you can prepare your thoughts, ideas, and recommendations. If you plan to attend the ATBC in-person one or both days at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, please register here.

The Annual Tribal Budget Consultation also includes the opportunity for interested tribes to meet one-on-one with HHS Divisions to discuss tribal-specific priorities. These 30-minute sessions will be held in private meeting spaces within the Hubert H. Humphrey Building. Various HHS agencies will be available to listen and contribute to the conversation. Please note that all one-on-one meetings are in-person. To request a one-on-one meeting, please indicate the HHS agency or agencies you would like to meet with using this embedded registration link . Requests for one-on-one meetings must be received by 5:00pm ET on Wednesday, April 15.

ATBC Written Comment Period
Open until April 24, 2026

To further the meaningful impact of tribal feedback on the development of FY 2028 HHS budget, we ask that tribes please submit written comments for the consultation record by April 24, 2026, at 5:00pm ET to consultation@hhs.gov. Please include the subject line “HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation” with your transmittal.

Thank you for your continued support of the HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation process. We look forward to your participation and ongoing partnership. In the interim, please contact the IEA Tribal Affairs team at consultation@hhs.gov with any questions.