WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.

FCC Informational Webinar on Affordable Connectivity (ACP) Outreach Grant Program Available Online

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) hosted an informational webinar on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, on the Affordable Connectivity (ACP) Outreach Grant Program, Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Round 2.

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The ACP Outreach Grant Program seeks to enlist trusted community messengers to develop innovative outreach strategies to reach qualifying, low-income households living on Tribal lands, to increase awareness of and encourage participation in the ACP.

The Tribal webinar provided a detailed overview of the second NOFO (Round 2) that includes the National Competitive Outreach Program (NCOP) and the Tribal Competitive Outreach Program (TCOP), including eligibility, how to navigate the application process, and what to expect after submitting an application.

TCOP eligibility will be limited to Tribal governmental and non-governmental entities that will conduct ACP outreach and enrollment assistance to eligible households on qualifying Tribal Lands:

• Tribal governments and subdivisions thereof;

• Tribal designated housing entities;

• Tribal designated community-based organizations to include social service organizations;

• Tribal designated community anchor institutions;

• Tribal designated public service organizations; and

• Consortia of the entities listed above.

The TCOP grant application deadline is July 28, 2023, 6:00 p.m. EST.  

If you were unable to attend the webinar, you may access both the full recording and other pertinent information at the event page here:  https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/events/2023/06/acp-outreach-tribal-webinar

$8 Million Available to Promote Native American Languages

The Department of Education announced more than $8 million in grant funding across three key initiatives to Raise the Bar for Native students.

The funding includes three competitive programs to increase to Native American languages in schools, support the success of Native American teachers, and ensure Tribal Educational Agencies can coordinate grant resources alongside state and local partners.

Approximately $2.9 million in funding will support a new Native American Language Resource Centers (NALRC) Program.

The NALRC Program furthers policies set forth by the Native American Language Act and ensures the revitalization and reclamation of Native American languages.

Three Tribal Nations to Modernize America's Electric Grid

As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced seven states, three tribal nations and the District of Columbia were selected as the second cohort to receive more than $77 million in Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants.

Supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the grants will help modernize the electric grid to reduce impacts of extreme weather and natural disasters while also ensuring power sector reliability. This historic funding is helping deliver on the President’s goal of ensuring all communities have access to affordable, reliable, 100% clean electricity.

Three tribal nations were selected to participate in this grant cycle:

• The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana will use funding to develop distributed energy resources that provide grid resilience during disruptive events and allow the Tribal community to capture energy savings, generate revenue for reinvestment into the community, and control its energy future. Selected projects will strengthen the community through partnerships with training providers and strong labor standards and protections. (Amount: $711,000)

• The Mohegan Tribe will work to ensure that critical community facilities and the operation of essential programs and services are protected from disruptive events and extreme weather. Selected projects will address outdated and failing monitoring and control technology infrastructure and build the Tribal workforce by ensuring that any new resilience measures can be operated and maintained by Tribal members and tribal employees. (Amount: $317,000)

• The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians will fund activities that increase resilience to the devastating effects of wildfires and support electric production during planned and unplanned regional power outages. Selected projects will also increase the tribe’s skilled workforce that implements activities to increase resilience against the wildfires. Projects will also advance the economic vitality of the tribe through creating and sustaining good-paying jobs. (Amount: $266,000)

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