Program Application Deadline: February 20, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. Eastern Time (ET)

Federally-recognized Tribes are eligible for United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Community Connect Grants. These grants provide financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband service for eligible applicants which include federally-recognize Tribes. The Funds can be used for the following:

• The construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land or buildings used to deploy broadband service for:
  • All residential and business customers located within the Proposed Funded Service Area (PFSA)
  • All participating critical community facilities (such as public schools, fire stations, and public libraries)
• The cost of providing broadband service free of charge to the critical community facilities for 2 years.
• Less than 10% of the grant amount or up to $150,000 may be used for the improvement, expansion, construction or acquisition of a community center that provides online access to the public.

For questions about the Community Connect Grant Program, please email Community Connect or call the Loan Origination and Approval Division at (202) 720-0800.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Learn More and Apply

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) released GASB Statement No. 102 titled Certain Risk Disclosures. Statement No. 102 establishes new reporting requirements for state, local, and tribal governments to disclose information about risks related to certain concentrations or constraints.

The summary states that if the criteria for a concentration or constraint has been met, it needs to “disclose information in notes to financial statements in sufficient detail to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature of the circumstances disclosed and the government’s vulnerability to the risk of a substantial impact”

The requirements of the statement will take into effect for fiscal years starting after June 15, 2024, and all reporting period thereafter.

Source: GASB Statement No. 102, Certain Risk Disclosures Learn More

The Tribal Financial Management Center, within the Office of Justice Programs in the U.S. Department of Justice, is providing training and technical assistance for tribes to successfully manage the financial aspects of their federal awards. The TFMC will provide the following services to tribal grantees at no cost:

• Support the financial management and reporting requirements of their award
• Individualized financial training and technical assistance
• Financial needs assessments
• Dissemination of best practices and peer sharing through regional training sessions and interactive webinars
• Clearinghouse of current, relevant, and effective tools plus promising new practices in financial and grants management
• Assistance preparing applications for grants

Financial specialists are available to contact for technical assistance and general questions through the Virtual Support Center at tfmc@ovctfmc.org or by phone at 703.462.6900

Source: U.S. Department of Justice Learn More

Alicia Fulton (Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe) is the youngest nominated to the board of directors for Noo-Kayet Investments (NKI). NKI is a section 17 corporate charter for tribally owned enterprises and oversees most economic development for the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. This past summer, Fulton attended the Leading People And Investing To Build Sustainable Communities Program (LPIBSC) which was developed in collaboration with the Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education, NAFOA, and AFOA Canada. The program is designed to support Native finance professionals and leaders and equip them with tools to lead high-performing, innovative communities and organizations. Located on the Harvard Business School campus, the program runs four days where attendees are immersed in a collaborative learning environment.

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Based in Irvine California, under the direction of the Chief Investment Officer (CIO), the Director, Investment Strategies is responsible for broad asset class investments including developing and recommending investment structure and policy, monitoring managers, and implementing Investment Board approved plans on a risk-relative basis to attain portfolio-optimization.

With the long-term financial health of the tribal nation in mind, the Director, Investment Strategies works closely with the CIO to implement a portfolio across traditional and alternative asset classes, helping to manage investment team members. This position also manages, implements, maintains and explains strategies, and readily addresses a wide range of markets and issues.

Learn More & Apply at nafoa.org/jobs