[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 215 (Thursday, November 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65974-65976]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26426]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

[CFDA Number: 93.612]


Proposed Adoption of Administration for Native Americans Program 
Policies and Procedures

AGENCY: Administration for Native Americans, ACF, HHS.

ACTION: Notice for public comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) invites public 
comment pursuant to Section 814 of the Native American Programs Act of 
1974

[[Page 65975]]

(NAPA), as amended, which requires ANA to provide members of the public 
with the opportunity to comment on proposed changes in interpretive 
rules, general statements of policy, and rules of agency procedure or 
practice that affect programs, projects, and activities authorized 
under the NAPA, and to give notice of the final adoption of such 
changes at least 30 days before the changes become effective. In 
accordance with notice requirements of NAPA, ANA herein describes its 
proposal to fund projects, beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, under 
Alaska-Specific SEDS.

DATES: Submit written or electronic comments on this Notice, on or 
before December 8, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send comments in response to this notice via email to 
Lillian A. Sparks, Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans, 
at [email protected]. Comments will be available for 
inspection by members of the public at the Administration for Native 
Americans, 901 D Street SW., Washington, DC 20447.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmelia Strickland, Director, 
Division of Program Operations, ANA, (877) 922-9262.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Funding Opportunity Announcements

    Beginning in FY 2015, ANA proposes to re-establish publishing a 
separate Alaska-Specific SEDS Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to 
target support and attention to core capacity building at the Alaska 
Native Village level. This Alaska-Specific SEDS FOA, Social and 
Economic Development Strategies for Alaska-SEDS-AK (HHS-2015-ACF-ANA-
NK-0960) is intended to respond to the unique governmental structures 
in Alaska. Re-establishment of Alaska-Specific SEDS, is designed to 
provide targeted support for Village-specific projects to improve and 
strengthen the administrative and management capacity of Alaska Native 
Village governments, governments that are central to social and 
economic self-sufficiency in Alaska. From FYs 1984 through 2009, ANA 
funded Alaska-Specific SEDS projects under 45 CFR 1336.33 (a)(2) and 
(b)(4). In 2009, ANA stopped funding projects under Alaska-Specific 
SEDS and, from FYs 2010 through 2014, projects that had previously been 
funded under Alaska-Specific SEDS were funded under the general Social 
and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) FOAs. This approach 
precluded implementation of 45 CFR 1336.33 (b)(4), a special provision 
applicable only to projects funded under Alaska-Specific SEDS, under 
which funding for core administrative capacity building projects at the 
Village government level is allowable, if the village does not have 
governing systems in place. Based on review of historical data covering 
the period from FYs 1984 through 2014, ANA has decided to re-establish 
Alaska-Specific SEDS in order to emphasize improving and strengthening 
the capacity of Alaska Native Village governments; focusing on the 
strengths present in Native Villages to generate evidence-based 
practices and sustainable approaches demonstrated to be effective at 
the Village level.
    In an effort to meaningfully create opportunities to build and 
strengthen core governmental capacity in the areas of administration 
and project management at the Alaska Native Village level, ANA will 
make up to $1,000,000 available for Alaska-Specific SEDS funding in FY 
2015 for new, community-based Village-level projects that will be 
available through competition under Social and Economic Development 
Strategies for Alaska-SEDS-AK (HHS-2015-ACF-ANA-NK-0960).
    All language in the standing FOA, Social and Economic Development 
Strategies--SEDS (HHS-2014-ACF-ANA-NA-0776) available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/index.cfm?switch=foa&fon=HHS-2014-ACF-ANA-NA-0776, will apply to the Alaska-Specific SEDS FOA, Social and 
Economic Development Strategies for Alaska-SEDS-AK (HHS-2015-ACF-ANA-
NK-0960), except as follows:

B. Alaska-Specific SEDS Program Areas of Interest

    ANA has identified the following program areas of interest for the 
Alaska-Specific SEDS FOA, however funding is not restricted to those 
listed below:
    (a) Governance: Governance is defined as increasing the ability of 
tribal and Alaska Native Village governments to exercise local control 
and decision-making, and to develop and enforce laws, regulations, 
codes, and policies that reflect and promote the interests of community 
members. ANA recognizes the structure of governance that controls 
Native lands and communities in Alaska are more complex than in the 
lower 48 states. With some exceptions, most tribes in the lower 48 
states escape the complicated jurisdictional and administrative 
situation that prevails in rural Alaska, where powers over lands, other 
resources, and relevant governmental programs are fragmented and widely 
dispersed among tribes, corporations, municipalities, governmental 
agencies, and other bodies. Examples of Alaska-Specific program areas 
of interest are:
     Administrative and program management capacity building--
Planning and financial management capacity building to strengthen 
effective and accountable planning and management of Village-level 
government operations.
     Governmental administration--Improving Village-level 
capacity related to regulatory, judicial, and administrative 
infrastructure, including clarifying jurisdiction, developing or 
amending codes and procedures, enforcing contracts and property rights, 
and addressing family and child welfare issues.
     Comprehensive strategies--Developing Village-level 
strategies to assess and address the needs of children, youth, and 
community members.
     Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Recovery/Disaster 
Preparedness--Planning, analysis, and mitigation efforts to ensure 
needed services to better communicate and coordinate preparedness, 
response, and recovery efforts.
     Adaptation and mitigation of impacts of climate change--
Assessment, planning, and implementation of efforts to adapt to climate 
change and to effectively respond to its impacts at the Village level, 
including efforts to address the effects of climate change on local 
fisheries and fresh water supplies, effects that increase the risk of 
flooding and wildfires, assessment and planning for relocation, and 
mitigation of impacts of erosion and permafrost melt.
     Technology infrastructure--Establishing and implementing 
Village-level systems to address internet connectivity and broadband 
planning as well as technology upgrades at the Village level.
    (b) Economic Development: Projects that support the creation of 
sustainable local economies and promote self-sufficiency. Examples of 
Alaska-Specific program areas of interest are:
     Economic stability--Conducting the necessary planning and/
or research to support achievement of long-range economic development 
goals at the Village level. Examples may include performing gap or 
value-added analyses to identify strengths and weaknesses in the local 
Village economy, strengthening Village capacity to deliver programs 
that promote economic development and security.

[[Page 65976]]

     Energy-related activities--Projects that promote 
traditional energy activities and practices that support conservation 
and help to mitigate the high costs of the purchase, transportation, 
and storage of fuel in Alaskan Villages, especially strategic energy 
plans that have been identified in tribally approved strategic energy 
plans. Examples include projects to implement renewable energy 
resources at the Village level such as bio-energy, geothermal, 
hydropower, solar, wind, or other methods appropriate to the 
geographical location.
     Infrastructure--Developing Village-level infrastructure 
(transportation systems, communication, distribution networks, 
financial institutions, etc.) to support the Village workforce and to 
make sustainable business activity possible.
     Subsistence--Enhancing subsistence and agricultural 
activities to retain or revitalize traditional food sources and 
practices at the Village-level.
    (c) Social Development: Projects that develop and implement 
culturally appropriate strategies to meet the social service needs of 
Alaska Natives. Examples of Alaska-Specific program areas of interest 
are:
     Community living--Development and coordination of services 
to assist people with disabilities by helping them reach their maximum 
potential through increased independence, productivity, and integration 
within the Village community.
     Early childhood education and development--Supporting 
stable and high-quality, culturally responsive early childhood 
programs, creating early childhood education and development jobs, and 
improving Village level planning and coordination of early childhood 
education and development programs.
     Youth development--Improving the well-being of youth 
through life skills training at the Village level, workforce 
development, mentoring programs, substance abuse programs, and 
preventing suicides and juvenile crime.
     Community Health--Promoting improved access to health care 
and quality of care through coordinated Village and regional 
approaches, expanding access to healthy foods available in Native 
Villages, and supporting environmental health.
     Arts and culture--Developing or enhancing activities, at 
the Village level that promote, preserve, or restore Native Village 
culture and arts.
     Rescue archaeology--Recovery of cultural material due to 
climate change such as exposure of cultural artifacts due to permafrost 
melting.
     Organizational Development--Increasing organizational 
capacity at the Village level to successfully implement mission and 
goals.
     Nutrition and Fitness--Promoting increased knowledge and 
participation in activities that promote healthy foods, active 
lifestyles, the reduction of obesity, and other healthy-living habits
     Strengthening Families--Incorporating culturally relevant 
strategies to strengthen families and promote family preservation, 
responsible parenting, and healthy relationship skills; and to foster 
the well-being of children residing in Villages
     Responsible Fatherhood--Supporting responsible fatherhood 
through activities such as counseling, mentoring, marriage education, 
enhancing relationship skills, parenting, and activities to foster 
economic stability
     Suicide Prevention--Promoting safety, resilience, and 
protective factors necessary to foster mental health and reduce 
incidences of suicide and suicidal ideation
     Human Trafficking--Development of Village-level 
assessments and strategies to address human trafficking, including 
efforts to bring awareness of human trafficking to the public, 
development of prevention strategies to address the needs of victims, 
and establishment of collaborative partnerships including those that 
train public safety officials to recognize traffickers and their 
victims.

C. Eligible Applicants

    Applicants eligible under the Alaska-Specific SEDS FOA are those 
listed in 45 CFR 1336.33(a)(2): that is, ``(i) Federally recognized 
Indian tribes in Alaska; (ii) Alaska Native villages as defined in the 
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANSCA) and/or non-profit village 
consortia; (iii) Incorporated nonprofit Alaska Native multi-purpose 
community-based organizations; (iv) Nonprofit Alaska Native Regional 
Corporations/Associations in Alaska with village specific projects; and 
(v) Nonprofit Native organizations in Alaska with village specific 
projects.'' As this listing already appears in our regulations we are 
not seeking comment on this aspect of the Alaska-Specific SEDS 
Projects.

    Statutory Authority:  This notice for public comment is required 
by Section 814 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (NAPA), 
as amended.

Kimberly Romine,
Deputy Commissioner, Administration for Native American.
[FR Doc. 2014-26426 Filed 11-5-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-34-P