Registration is officially open for NAFOA’s 40th Annual Conference to be held April 4-5, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency Seattle in Seattle, Washington.

Our conference brings together tribal, state, federal and industry partners in one educational forum to discuss important economic issues facing Indian Country. Register today to take advantage of great networking and the informative educational sessions. We can’t wait to see you in Seattle to help us celebrate 40 years of NAFOA!

Register Today

Apply the 2022 Leadership Summit taking place Sunday, April 3 in Seattle, WA.

Summit attendees learn directly from tribal leaders and business professionals during a full day of programming that provides panel discussions regarding graduate school, career advancement, along with business and tribal economic development topics. Following the Summit, participants attend the 40th NAFOA Annual Conference. The two-day conference provides networking opportunities and facilitates important dialogues about tribal finance and economic issues impacting tribal economies.

The Leadership Summit funding provides support for the costs associated with participation in the program. Funding is available for travel/transportation, hotel costs, conference registration fees, and the NAFOA Leadership Summit program fees.

Native American/indigenous young professionals between 21-26 years old are encouraged to apply by Monday, January 31, 2022.

The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program (SLFRF), authorized in the American Rescue Plan, allocates $20 billion for Tribal governments to support their response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. After carefully considering feedback received through Tribal consultations and written comments from Tribal governments, the U.S. Treasury has made revisions to the SLFRF program in a Final Rule adopted on January 6, 2022.

Treasury published a user-friendly overview of many of the major provisions of the final rule. The final rule provides broader flexibility and greater simplicity in the program, in response to public comments.

NAFOA, in coordination with Treasury, is hosting a webinar on January 18, 2022, at 3:00pm EST to walk through the SLFRF Project & Expenditure report for Tribal governments. You may register for the webinar here.

The Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED), through its Living Languages Grant Program (LLGP), is soliciting proposals from federally recognized Tribes for grants to fund Native language instruction and immersion programs for Native students not enrolled at Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools, including those Tribes in States without BIE-funded schools.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET on January 25, 2022.

OIED anticipates award of approximately fifteen (15) to sixty (60) grants under this announcement ranging in value from approximately $25,000 to $200,000. The program can fund projects only one year at a time.

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE FINALIZES RULE FOR BUY INDIAN ACT[/sub] The Indian Health Service is announcing the final rule on the Buy Indian Act to strengthen its requirements to set aside contracts for Indian-owned and controlled businesses.

“Supporting the growth of Native-owned and controlled businesses serving their communities is critical to supporting families facing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “This effort is just one example of our commitment to tribal communities in support of the President’s Build Back Better framework to deliver meaningful outcomes for American Indians and Alaska Natives.”

“With this final rule, we are clarifying the preference for Indian-owned businesses and removing barriers by alleviating unnecessary regulatory burdens,” said IHS Acting Deputy Director Elizabeth Fowler. “We are committed to improving economic conditions and providing more opportunities for Native-owned businesses.”

Read more in Indianz.Com.