Administration for Native Americans Grant for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Language Preservation

Public and non-profit private agencies serving Native peoples from Guam, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

The Administration for Children and Families, Administration for Native Americans (ANA) announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2021 funds made available from the ARP for Native languages. These funds will be used to make emergency awards to eligible recipients to ensure the survival and continuing vitality of Native American languages during and after the public health emergency with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic. Native languages and cultures are at a critical point in their existence due to the number of Elders and language speakers that have died as a result of the COVID-19 virus. Native languages are more than just words, as cultural values, tribal customs, and ceremony are embedded in them (Mmari, Blum, Teufel-Shone, 2010). Additionally, Indigenous languages serve as protective factors for Indigenous communities. Studies demonstrate that people who speak their Native language(s) have enhanced mental health and happiness, measured by lower rates of suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation than those without language knowledge (Hallett, Chandler, & Lalonde, 2007; Ball & Moselle, 2013; Dockery, 2011). This emergency funding is intended to support as many tribal and Native communities as possible in their efforts to maintain and preserve Native languages, as these are connected to also preserving Native culture and well-being.

Native American communities, including federally and state-recognized Indian tribes, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, have had disproportionately higher rates of virus infection cases and loss of life due to COVID-19. Social distancing and closures have limited the ability to meet in-person for language instruction, cultural activities, and ceremonial practices that utilize Native languages. Many Native communities are unable to conduct language programming virtually due to inadequate technology, broadband, and infrastructure. Native tribes and communities are at different stages of language preservation efforts. Because the needs are so diverse and great, ANA wants to strategically and equitably use this funding to support the needs of as many entities as possible that the legislative authority allows.

After conducting tribal consultation and listening sessions with ANA’s eligible entities, the funding will be distributed on an equal allocation basis to federally and state-recognized tribal governments or designees through emergency non-competitive awards. Some tribes and Alaska Native villages have tribally chartered non-profit organizations that they may wish to designate to apply on their behalf. Only one award will be made to each tribe. Eligible entities with a current ANA grant may be eligible to receive an ARP emergency award. ANA published a separate FOA on Grants.gov for ARP funds, HHS-2021-ACF-ANA-XN-0001 that will be awarded to federal and state-recognized tribes or their designees. 

ANA will accept an abbreviated application. Eligible applicants must submit approximately 5-10 pages of a project narrative, a line-item budget and justification, and a simplified workplan in addition to other required grant application forms such as the SF-424 and SF-424A. The proposed emergency language projects should be able to identify one or two of the following domains that will be the focus of the project:

·      Resources and Documentation (for example: language instruction modules, recordings, transcribing, curriculum development, dictionary building)

·      Instruction (teacher training, professional development, Master-Apprentice)

·      Technology and Infrastructure (computer and devices, internet enhancements, IT networking)

·      Planning (survey, community readiness or interest assessment, strategic plan)

·      Elder or intergenerational engagement (Elder language instruction, Elder storytelling in the language, Elder speaker recordings)

For emergency funds to be awarded to Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs), a portion of the emergency funds will be equally split among pre-selected public-serving organizations that support Native languages in Hawaii, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam (HI, AS, MP, GU). ANA has invited an entity within each government to receive an allocation which could be used to make subawards to other eligible applicants in their jurisdiction as listed in Section III. Eligibility Information. Pre-award negotiations will be made when ANA makes an allocation to the NHPIs.