FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Contact: Tara Wall
(202) 401-9215
Grants Announced To Promote Self-Sufficiency,
Strengthen Alaska Native Heritage and Culture
WASHINGTON , D.C. ---The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced the award of $2.6 million in grants to 16 tribal organizations in Alaska to promote economic self-sufficiency and preserve Native languages and culture. The announcement coincided with site visits in Alaska by Quanah Crossland Stamps, Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans (ANA).
“These grant awards promote the Bush Administration’s goal of community self-sufficiency for Native Americans by providing funding for unique projects that make a difference in the lives of our Native children, youth, and families,” Commissioner Stamps said. “Through these grants, we are committed to providing project support at the community level, which will provide resources and programs that safeguard the health and economic well-being of Alaska Native people.”
Commissioner Stamps visited four Native communities, in Sitka, Hoonah, Juneau and Haines, to view first-hand ongoing ANA projects and meet with village leaders. In addition, the commissioner led a training and technical assistance meeting in Seldovia on how to ensure the grants will promote social and economic self-sufficiency for Native Americans.
Currently, ANA has grant projects in Alaska totaling $4.36 million for social and economic development strategies, Native language preservation and maintenance and environmental regulatory enhancement. Today’s awards of $2.6 million bring the total ANA funding amount for Alaska Native projects to $7 million.
The grants announced today in Alaska are as follows:
Alaska Social and Economic Development Strategies Grants
- $107,237 for one year to the Akiachak Native Community to develop a plan for growth and environmental protection.
- $72,961 for one year to the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope to improve the capacity of the tribal government by updating a policies and procedures manual.
- $237,117 for two years to the Native Village of Koyuk to strengthen youth self-esteem through intergenerational activity.
Social and Economic Development Strategies Grants
- $1,297,291 for three years to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to design, develop and implement a self-sustaining statewide Alaska rural utility collaborative that will provide 15 villages with the capacity to operate their water and sewer systems in a sustainable manner.
- $242,867 for two years to the Chilkoot Indian Association to develop a human resources development system.
- $85,121 for one year to the McGrath Native Village Council to reconstruct lost tribal enrollment records through a youth genealogy project and a survey of community members.
- $206,526 for one year to the Metlakatla Indian Community to prepare for road access scheduled to open in 2009.
- $469,760 for two years to the Native Village of Eyak to develop an artist’s consortium that will provide a venue for artists to sell their traditional arts and crafts.
- $204,714 for two years to the Native Village of Georgetown to plan and implement two training programs that will introduce youth to career and economic opportunities near Georgetown.
- $452,120 for two years to the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council to fund an energy project director, install energy conservation measures and initiate renewable energy programs.
Native Language Preservation and Maintenance Grants
- $99,736 for one year to the Kenaitze Indian Tribe to revitalize the Kenaitze language through the Dena’ina verb project.
- $552,140 for three years to the Nuniwarmiut Piciryarata Tamaryalkuti, Inc. to develop and implement a grade 4-12 Cup’ig cultural curriculum with a focus on natural and cultural history.
- $58,644 for one year to the Telida Village Council to conduct a language assessment of the Upper Kuskokwim Athabascan language.
- $600,000 for three years to the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe to facilitate the transference of language skills from one generation to another by simultaneously teaching their language to children, youth and parents.
Native American Healthy Marriage Initiative Grant
- $996,937 for five years to the Native Village of Afognak to educate youth and their parents in making informed decisions about maintaining healthy relationships through culturally-appropriate pre-marital and family communication to help them form and sustain healthy marriages.
Environmental Mitigation Grant
- $124,958 for one year to the Native Village of Point Hope to enable the community to implement mitigation activities and products that will resolve the environmental impacts of old munitions activities in and near the village.
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Note: All ACF news releases, fact sheets and other materials are available at www.acf.hhs.gov/opa/index.html.