SEDS-AK Program Areas of Interest
Program areas of interest for this FOA include, but are not limited to, the following:
Governance: Governance is defined as increasing the ability of tribal, Alaska Native villages, and territorial governments to exercise local control and decision-making, and to develop and enforce laws, regulations, codes, and policies that reflect and promote the interests of community members. Examples include:
Administrative and program management capacity building – Planning and financial management capacity building to strengthen effective and accountable planning and management of village-level government operations and programs such as the creation or enhancement of judicial systems, housing authorities, or other tribal departments. (For Alaska-specific SEDS Projects, ANA will consider funding core administrative capacity building projects at the village government level if the village does not have governing systems in place.)
Comprehensive strategies – Developing village-level strategies to assess and address the needs of children, youth, and community members.
Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Recovery/Disaster Preparedness – Planning, analysis, and mitigation efforts to ensure needed services, increase communications, coordinate preparedness, enhance situational responsiveness, and strengthen recovery efforts at the village level.
Governmental administration – Improving village-level capacity related to regulatory, judicial, and administrative infrastructure, including developing personnel, financial, and program management policies; clarifying jurisdiction; training and developing elected officials, and employees; developing or amending governance codes and procedures; and addressing family and child welfare issues through locally managed programs.
Organizational Development - Increasing organizational capacity at the village level to successfully implement missions and goals and support program management.
Technology infrastructure – Establishing and implementing village-level systems to address information systems within the organizational structure, internet connectivity and broadband planning, technology upgrades, and related training to effectively use such tools.
Economic Development: Projects that support the creation of sustainable local economies and promote self-sufficiency. Examples of Alaska-Specific program areas of interest are:
Agriculture - Creating, developing, or enhancing agricultural enterprise and sustainable farming projects with a focus on distribution at local and commercial markets.
Asset Building - Increasing availability of effective financial education and other asset-building strategies for individuals and families.
Career Pathways - Using multi-sector partnerships with entities such as Alaska Native Colleges, workforce development agencies, social service providers, and employers to develop workforce training programs that respond to local employers’ hiring needs.
Commercial Trade - Strengthening local economies by increasing the availability of, or demand for, locally produced goods and services.
Economic Competitiveness - Creating, expanding, and retaining businesses to reflect distinct economies operating in rural and urban areas, in both mature and emergent sectors.
Economic growth and stability – Conducting the necessary planning and/or research to support achievement of long-range economic development goals at the village level. Examples may include performing gap or value-added analyses to identify strengths and weaknesses in the local village economy, or strengthening village capacity to deliver programs that promote economic development and security such as planning and capacity development of tribally owned enterprises; economic zones, hubs, incubators, or other tribally sponsored economic initiatives; and the development of economic or tax policies.
Economic Infrastructure - Addressing economic infrastructure needs that will strengthen business development and job creation in Native communities.
Energy-related activities – Projects that promote traditional energy activities and practices that support conservation and help to mitigate the high costs of the purchase, transportation, and storage of fuel in Alaskan Villages, especially strategic energy plans that have been identified in tribally approved strategic energy plans. Examples include projects to implement renewable energy resources at the Village level such as bio-energy, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind, or other methods appropriate to the geographical location.
Entrepreneurship and Microbusiness - Promoting entrepreneurial development through business incubators and other activities that support businesses and market the availability of local products or services.
Opportunity Zones- Stimulating economic development and job creation in distressed low-income communities by incentivizing long-term capital investment.
Place-based Economic Development - Using a village’s or community’s local or regional assets and resources and collaborating with multiple stakeholders to address economic development barriers.
Subsistence – Enhancing subsistence and agricultural activities to retain or revitalize traditional food sources and practices at the village level.
Tourism - Planning or developing resources, services, and businesses that promote travel, recreation, and tourism, or branding to tell the story of Alaska Natives. Projects may utilize the arts or other cultural resources to help revitalize Native communities, promote economic development, increase livability, and present the uniqueness of the Native communities to visitors in a way that celebrates the diversity of the United States.
Workforce Development - Developing activities that promote short- and long-term job creation by supporting targeted training of individuals to develop new technical skills, secure new credentials, and gain experience that will lead to jobs created and increased earned income.
Social Development: Projects that develop and implement culturally appropriate strategies to meet the social service needs of Alaska Natives. Examples of Alaska-Specific program areas of interest are:
Arts and culture – Developing or enhancing activities at the Village level that promote, preserve, or restore Native Village culture and arts.
Community health – Promoting improved access to health care and quality of care through coordinated Village and regional approaches, expanding access to healthy foods available in Native Villages, and supporting environmental health.
Community living – Development and coordination of services to assist people with disabilities by helping them reach their maximum potential through increased independence, productivity, and integration within the Village community.
Early childhood education and development – Supporting stable and high-quality, culturally responsive early childhood programs; creating early childhood education and development jobs; and improving Village level planning and coordination of early childhood education and development programs.
Human Trafficking – Development of Village-level assessments and strategies to address human trafficking, including efforts to bring awareness of human trafficking to the public; development of prevention strategies to address the needs of victims; and establishment of collaborative partnerships including those that train public safety officials to recognize traffickers and their victims.
Nutrition and Fitness - Promoting increased knowledge and participation in activities that promote healthy foods and active lifestyles, reduce obesity, and other healthy-living habits.
Responsible Fatherhood - Supporting responsible fatherhood through activities such as counseling, mentoring, marriage education, enhancing relationship skills and parenting, and activities to foster economic stability.
Strengthening Families - Incorporating culturally relevant strategies to strengthen families and promote family preservation, responsible parenting, and healthy relationship skills; and to foster the well-being of children residing in Villages.
Substance Abuse, Smoking, and Vaping - Community outreach, education programs, and coordination that support the prevention of substance abuse, including opioid addiction, smoking, and vaping.
Suicide Prevention - Promoting safety, resilience, and protective factors necessary to foster mental health and reduce incidences of suicide and suicidal ideation.
Youth development – Improving the well-being of youth through life skills training at the Village level, workforce development, mentoring programs, and substance abuse programs, and preventing suicides and juvenile crime.