The Administration for Native Americans Awards Nearly $20 million to Support Social and Economic Well-Being of Indigenous Communities

October 8, 2021

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Native Americans (ANA) presented 75 Tribes and Native organizations with $19.9 million in fiscal year 2021 grant funding last week. Each year, ANA seeks to improve the social and economic well-being of Native Americans by providing discretionary grant funding for community-based projects, as well as training and technical assistance, to eligible tribes and Native organizations across the United Sates, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Marian Islands.

The funds were awarded across six funding opportunity announcements:

  • Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) - $10,549,735
  • Social and Economic Development Strategies Alaska (SEDS-AK) - $599,734
  • Social and Economic Development Strategies for Growing Organizations (SEDS-GO) - $1,102,365
  • Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance-Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI) - $1,580,172
  • Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance (P&M) - $4,929,500
  • Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Grant Awards (ERE) - $1,206,665

“Congratulations to the 75 recipients of the fiscal year 2021 competitive award process,” said JooYeun Chang, ACF’s acting assistant secretary. “I’m excited to learn about the diverse projects Indigenous communities are going to implement to uplift, educate, and preserve their culture, and I look forward to seeing the positive impacts they will have.”

This year, ANA introduced new bonus points in the SEDS funding opportunity announcement, in accordance with the legislative economic development requirements included in the Indian Community Economic Enhancement Act of 2020. The funding announcement provided up to 10 bonus points in order to prioritize financial assistance to applications whose projects seek to develop the following:

  1. Tribal codes and court systems relating to economic development;
  2. Tribal business structures;
  3. Community development financial institutions (CDFIs);
  4. Tribal master plans for community and economic development and infrastructure.

“The new priority bonus points are targeted squarely on strengthening economies in Native communities,” said Michelle Suave, acting commissioner for the Administration for Native Americans. “The proposals our ANA grants office received ranged from sustainable community master plans to cultural tourism initiatives that promote, elevate and bring economic development into the community.”

Grantees received the grant awards on September 30, 2021 to start projects ranging from one to five years in duration. These competitive grants will support locally-determined projects designed to reduce or eliminate community problems and achieve healthier Indigenous communities and families. Some of the recently awarded tribes and Native organizations’ projects will help strengthen Native language vitality, protect the environment, and increase infrastructure and organizational capacity. For more information about the grantees’ projects, please visit our Current Grantees webpage.

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About the Administration for Native Americans

Established in 1974 through the Native American Programs Act (NAPA) (PDF), the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) serves all Native Americans, including federally and state recognized tribes, American Indian and Alaska Native organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations and Native Pacific Islander populations (including American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). ANA promotes self-sufficiency for Native Americans by providing discretionary grant funding for community-based projects as well as training and technical assistance to eligible tribes and native organizations. Visit the Administration for Native Americans website to learn more.

All ACF news releases, fact sheets and other materials are available on the ACF news page. Follow ACF on Twitter for more updates.

Quotes

Congratulations to the 75 recipients of the fiscal year 2021 competitive award process. I’m excited to learn about the diverse projects Indigenous communities are going to implement to uplift, educate, and preserve their culture, and I look forward to seeing the positive impacts they will have.
— JooYeun Chang, acting assistant secretary at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
The new priority bonus points are targeted squarely on strengthening economies in Native communities. The proposals our ANA grants office received ranged from sustainable community master plans to cultural tourism initiatives that promote, elevate and bring economic development into the community.
— Michelle Suave, acting commissioner for the Administration for Native Americans (ANA)

Contact

Administration for Children & Families
Office of Communications
330 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Phone: (202) 401-9215
Fax: (202) 205-9688
Email: media@acf.hhs.gov