The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families recently awarded 40 grant projects, totaling $11,237,594 with a goal to help strengthen Native communities throughout the United States.

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.

Funding through the Social and Economic Strategies (SEDS), Social and Economic Strategies for Alaska (SEDS-AK), and the Environmental Regulatory Enhancement (ERE) grants will assist Native governments and organizations with planning, developing and implementing projects that preserve Native culture and ceremonies, support economic development, utilize traditional practices to safeguard the land, water and air environments within and around Native communities, and strengthen inter-generational activities between elders and youth.

These grant projects, which have a project period between one to three years, support ANA’s mission to promote self-sufficiency and encourage communities to move toward social and economic well-being.

Each grant recipient proposed projects based on needs identified by their community.

One such example is the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. According to the State of Wisconsin, Menominee County has the highest three-year rate of drug overdose deaths involving opioids.

Using ANA funds, the Tribe aims to establish three satellite mental health offices across rural villages on the reservation, while supporting four students to become alcohol and other drug abuse counselors.

The following Native American governments and organizations are recipients of the Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska 2019 grant:

• Angoon Community Association (AK) – $159,640
• Nanwalek IRA Council (AK) – $124,458
The following Native American governments and organizations are recipients of the Social and Economic Development Strategies 2019 grant:
• Alaska Native Justice Center, Inc. (AK) – $400,000
• Knik Tribe (AK) – $400,000
• Empowering Pacific Island Communities (AS) – $400,000
• San Carlos Apache Tribe (AZ) – $392,985
• Native American Connections (AZ) – $100,000
• American Indian Recruitment Programs (CA) – $128,354
• California Indian Manpower Consortium (CA) – $128,914
• KAʻEHU (HI) – $399,484
• Partners in Development Foundation (HI) – $400,000
• Sustain Hawaii (HI) – $377,989
• Sustainable Molokai (HI) – $335,612
• Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (MI) – $400,000
• Michigan Indian Legal Services, Inc. (MI) – $102,117
• American Indian Family Center (MN) – $274,626
• Bdote Learning Center (MN) – $345,363
• Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (MN) – $280,724
• Lower Sioux Community Council (MN) – $255,109
• Prairie Island Indian Community (MN) – $229,637
• Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians (MN) – $381,847
• Comm. N. Mariana Islands Pub. Schools System (MP) – $147,755
• Friends of Mariana Trench (MP) – $250,720
• Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy Res. (MT) – $129,345
• Amer. Indian Science and Engineering Society (NM) – $310,023
• Dine Anai, Incorporated (NM) – $389,962
• Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio (OH) – $284,024
• National Indian Women’s Health Resource Center (OK) – $164,923
• The Klamath Tribes (OR) – $245,298
• Pine Ridge Area Chamber of Commerce (SD) – $400,000
• Lummi Indian Business Council (WA) – $355,308
• Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin (WI) – $240,527
• Red Cliff Band Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (WI) – $388,268
The following Native American governments and organizations are recipients of the Environmental Regulatory Enhancement 2019 grant:
• Native Village of Ekwok (AK) – $94,419
• Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (AK) – $274,927
• Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (CA) – $165,060
• Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation (CA) – $273,569
• Nez Perce Tribe (ID) – $118,573
• Cherokee Nation (OK) – $77,015
• Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma (OK) – $133,070