The Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska (SEDS-AK) program provides grant funding for village-specific projects to improve and strengthen the administrative and management capacity of Alaska Native village governments and organizations, which are central to social and economic self-sufficiency in Alaska. The SEDS-AK program responds to the unique governmental structures in Alaska and supports the principle that social and economic development are interrelated and essential for the development of thriving Native communities.
Below is a list of SEDS-AK Grant Recipients:
Recipient: Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission
Project Title: Ahtna Cultural Preservation Capacity-Building Project
Project Description: The Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission (AITRC) will create a Tribal Historic Preservation Office to protect Ahtna cultural sites and resources. Currently, cultural sites and resources have been destroyed on federal and state land by transportation and development projects. The Native Village of Chitina (NVC), one of AITRC’s constituent tribes, is facing immediate impacts due to a trail/road improvement project that is taking place on its traditional lands which bring increased traffic. This project will develop a Tribal Historic Preservation Plan and a Cultural Heritage Plan to establish a Tribal Historic Preservation Office. Project candidates will complete a training program that certifies them to become Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and a cultural geodatabase will be created to catalog key resources. Ultimately, this project will develop capacity to assert Tribal jurisdiction and enhance their intergovernmental relations with federal and state agencies.
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Location: Glennallen, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska — SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 09/30/2021 to 09/29/2024
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FY 2023 Award: $199,302
Recipient: AK Asa'carsarmiut (AK)
Project Title: Asa'carsarmiut Tribal Government & Capacity Building
Project Description: The Asa’carsarmiut Tribe will increase the capacity of the Tribe to recruit and retain competent, professional staff who can effectively and professionally manage the tribal government and its related programs and projects. The Tribe is currently experiencing high staff turnover and workforce challenges due to the impact of economic hardship caused by environmental changes. More than one-third of residents are living below the poverty level and the state has reduced services due to the declining oil industry. Only 56.7% of the population is in the labor force and school enrollment has dropped by 10%. This project will enhance tribal employment practices, policies, and procedures by completing a workforce analysis and a compensation analysis that together lead to the development of: (1) job-related guidance materials (including updated job descriptions, newly created employee handbooks, and an up-to-date Policies & Procedures (P&P) manual); (2) a comprehensive professional development plan for all tribal staff positions; and (3) a comprehensive staff recruitment and retention plan. Through these processes, the Tribe hopes to retain experienced employees and achieve the capacity to ensure community sustainability.
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Location: Mountain Village, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska —SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 9/30/2020 to 3/30/2024
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FY 2022 Award: $98,951
Recipient: Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, Tribal Government
Project Title: Strengthening Food Security through Enhancing Local Growing on St. Paul Island
Project Description: Aleut Community of St. Paul Island's goal is to outfit the community garden with raised bed cold frames to extend their outdoor growing season and effectively supplement their ability to supply fresh, affordable produce, year-round for the community. Community members on St. Paul do not have consistent access to fresh, affordable, year-round produce primarily due to the island's remote location and logistical transportation issues; the need for adequate climate-controlled space in which to reliably grow produce through greenhouse or hydroponic operations; and the lack of agricultural conditions or equipment to sustain an outdoor operation without subsidies. To achieve their project goal, they will install commercial grade cold-frame systems at the Aleut Community Outdoor Garden, locally produce about 200 pounds of marketable crops sold at the Aleut Community Store, train local store staff and residents, including youth in the use of hydroponic and traditional growing practices to produce crops year-round in St. Paul. They will also adapt and implement an agricultural curriculum as part of place-based courses of the Pribilof School District and Bering Sea Campus. With this, the community will have a variety of agriculture approaches for year-round food production.
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Location: St. Paul, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska —SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 9/30/2022 to 9/30/2024
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FY 2023 Award: $157,208
Recipient: Bristol Bay Native Association, Inc.
Project Title: Bristol Bay Cuilistet
Project Description: Bristol Bay Native Association will pilot a program to help employ emerging Indigenous leaders ages 18- 28 with tribes and regional organizations to equip them with skills, capacity, and support systems needed to build self-determined, resilient communities with place-based economic opportunities connected to lands and waters and traditional ways of life . There is currently a significant shortage of career counseling in public schools and young people, more often than not, lack direction and are not well prepared to set goals and make progress toward a chosen career path. The Bristol Bay region has a high average unemployment rate of 9.9% with a net outmigration of 14.8% over the past decade. Through this project, youth adults will increase their knowledge and ability to access resources on Alaska Native governance, land and natural resource management, and tribal administration by creating internship positions for those who complete the program. Their preparation includes foundational knowledge, soft skills, and guidance to prepare them to lead the next generation. Youth adults will also gain an understanding of the complexities of governance in Alaska, natural resource management systems, and their inherent sovereign rights as Indigenous peoples. They will receive guidance and join a network of new and established leaders in the region. Ultimately, this project will increase support to, capacity of, and economic opportunities for Bristol Bay tribes as they educate, inspire, and prepare people to live with strong, never-ending connections to the lands and waters.
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Location: Dillingham, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska — SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 09/30/2021 to 09/29/2024
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FY 2023 Award: $132,005
Recipient: Chilkoot Indian Association
Project Title: Chilkoot Cultural Journey
Project Description: Chilkoot Indian Association will create a unified point of contact and central authority for job training, education, and economic opportunities in traditional art forms. Although they are in an isolated, rural community of Southeast Alaska, their mission is to integrate Chilkoot culture, values, and beliefs into daily life and work to improve the quality of life for their members and community. Currently, Chilkoot only has few traditional craftspeople or practitioners, most of whom are elderly. Youth also leave the area to gain other employment prospects as job opportunities are scarce. By creating a Cultural Department within the Tribe, the Chilkoot Indian Association will improve cultural services to the community. They will also revitalize Chilkoot culture and enhance economic opportunities through apprentice training and public education of their traditional arts and language.
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Location: Haines, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska — SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 09/30/2021 to 09/29/2024
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FY 2023 Award: $200,000
Recipient: Doyon Foundation
Project Title: Doyon Foundation's Information Technology Workforce Development Project
Project Description: The Doyon Foundation, a non-profit unit of an Alaska Native Corporation, seeks to increase opportunities in workforce development for shareholders and their descendants. Currently, the median income for Alaska Native households is less than half of the national average. With the Information Technology (IT) Workforce project, the foundation will train interns in IT, which is a growing industry in Alaska, contributing to the development of a skilled workforce and increased income. The IT internship program will be designed to provide hands-on experience in developing and implementing information technology solutions. The project will serve 20,000 Doyon shareholders and countless other descendants who want assistance completing their education or vocational training, finding internships, professional development, and job placement. Ultimately, the project will increase educational, career, and cultural opportunities that enhance Doyon Shareholders’ identity and quality of life.
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Location: Fairbanks, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska —SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 9/30/2023 to 9/29/2024
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FY 2023 Award: $224,400
Recipient: Galena Village
Project Title: Enaa Neenyo Early Childhood Development Program
Project Description: The Galena Village will develop a sustainable, culturally aligned early childhood program in partnership with the Galena City School District that will serve all children 0-5 and their families in Galena Village. Currently, Galena Village, also known as Louden Village, has no early childhood programs for children under four. The project will develop culturally aligned curriculum in early childhood learning for children 0-5 and well-qualified staff to operate the program. The project will also implement an early childhood learning career track for juniors and seniors at the for high school students. The project will enable parents to work, through receiving post-secondary early childhood certifications or degrees, families to seek economic prosperity, job sites to recruit employees, and children to develop social and academic skills needed for success in school.
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Location: Galena, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska —SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 9/30/2023 to 9/29/2026
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FY 2023 Award: $298,369
Recipient: Ilisagvik College
Project Title: Napaġiaq: Supporting Workforce, Social, and Youth Development on the North Slope of Alaska at Iḷisaġvik College
Project Description: The Ilisagvik College will remediate the educational effects that Covid-19 had on North Slope community members by providing workforce training and adult education, pre-college exposure to career pathways, and pre-college cultural programming with the intent of increased job placement in the North Slope Borough and increase college matriculation rates for the region. The State of Alaska’s lingering economic recession of 2017-2018, further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, has had a negative impact on the North Slope households and job prospects for Alaska Native community members. 27% of Iñupiat households fall below the federal poverty line for Alaska. By instituting an adult education program, they aim to serve 25 adult learners on the North Slope and have 12 adult learners complete their GEDs. By instituting pre-college programs, they aim to serve 72 pre-college students. Thus, resulting in an overall increase in the number of community member served by workforce trainings by 39%. The project will specifically target community members ages 18-30. Ultimately, the project aims to empower economic, social, and youth development that will lead to a “home-grown” workforce and greater Alaska Native college matriculation on the North Slope of Alaska, home to the Iñupiaq people.
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Location: Barrow, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska — SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 9/30/2022 to 9/29/2025
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FY 2023 Award: $200,000
Recipient: OPT- In Kiana
Project Title: OPT- In Kiana Governance, Sustainability and Marketing and Outreach
Project Description: OPT- In Kiana is a community-based, all-inclusive, youth-founded, and youth-directed group. They will increase the organizational’ s capacity to support Inupiaq Youth Empowerment through Cultural and Leadership Development by integrally involving youth in all aspects of the organization. Currently with a population of 391, Kiana has one of the highest suicide rates in the US with triple the national average. Youth who struggle academically and behaviorally are often overlooked as potential leaders in school. By creating a self-sustaining organization, OPT- In Kiana will increase their capacity, based on a five-year plan and youth will increase their leadership and resilience by conducting outreach to two additional villages in the Northwest Arctic Region. Ultimately, this project aims to have all youth make positive contributions to their community.
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Location: Kiana, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska — SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 9/30/2022 to 9/29/2025
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FY 2023 Award: $299,981
Recipient: Yakutat Tlingit Tribe
Project Title: Tribal Governance and Economic Development Preparedness Project
Project Description: The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (YTT) will align tribal operations and programs that enhance and support sustainable self-governance and create meaningful economic opportunity. YTT is in a place that requires strengthening their governance, administrative, and financial foundation for their Tribal Nation. There is a great need to expand their existing programs to create more employment opportunities for their rural community. They will increase the capacity of tribal operations through implementation of updated Administrative Governance Policies and Procedures. YTT will also develop a strategic plan supporting the development of their new YTT Guardians job creation program providing essential economic opportunity to their remote economically challenged community. The project will support the YTT to preserve, maintain, and protect the unique culture, land, and resources of the 800+ Yakutat Tlingit people and achieve their mission to maximize their social, health & well-being while creating economic development benefits to all tribal members.
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Location: Yakutat, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska —SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 9/30/2023 to 9/29/2025
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FY 2023 Award: $137,682
Recipient: Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association
Project Title: Lower Yukon Youth Agriculture Project
Project Description: The Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association (YDFDA) will increase the availability of fresh and nutrient-dense food for community members through local greenhouse production. Currently, all food is imported from Anchorage, where transport is often delayed by weather and other variables. Consequently, long travel time on produce diminishes food quality as well as increase prices to an unaffordable level. Food insecurity in the Kusilvak Census Area was rated at 28% in 2018 by Feeding America. By building and operationalizing 6 new greenhouses, the project aims to increase local food production by 35%. As commercial fishing in the Yukon River has been closed since the 2020 summer season and will continue to stay closed for the upcoming season, the project will be implemented in the Yukon River community with the aid of the city and the Alakanuk School. Ultimately, the project goal is to increase food security in the YDFDA communities with access to locally grown nutritious food.
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Location: Anchorage, AK
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ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
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Program Area: Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska — SEDS-AK
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Project Period: 9/30/2022 to 9/29/2025
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FY 2023 Award: $114,522