Apply for NCAI’s COVID-19 Response Fund for Indian Country

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With the generous support of our donors, NCAI is providing financial relief support to tribal nations affected by COVID-19 through NCAI’s COVID-19 Response Fund for Indian Country. If you are a tribal nation, tribal nursing home, Tribal College or University or Native serving non-profit in need, you may access information about applying for financial support under the “Get Involved” tab on our website.  
Through our COVID-19 Relief Fund, we have awarded 41 tribal nations, 12 Native non-profits, one tribal college, and nine tribal nursing homes thus far.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling deadline until available funds are exhausted. Applications guidelines are located here.
NCAI Contact: Keona Royal, Membership Coordinator, kroyal@NCAI.org

NCAI’s Disaster Preparedness Grant Funding Opportunity for Tribal Nations

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Over the past several years, natural disasters have become more frequent in Indian Country. Tribal nations and their citizens have endured tremendous loss of life, livelihood, property, and resources. Unlike states, tribal nations have no consistent grant program that provides each tribal nation with much-needed emergency management capacity building funds.
The NCAI Disaster Preparedness Grants are shaped to flexibly cover the needs of tribal nations and/or tribal citizens (who live near their nations) as they prepare for future natural disasters such as: tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes, severe storms, severe winds, blizzards, and more. 
Individual grant awards will be capped at $10,000. This grant program will conclude once the $185,000 has been fully obligated or no later than November 30, 2020. Please click hereto access the application. 
NCAI Contact: Keona Royal, Membership Coordinator, kroyal@NCAI.org

The National Park Service Submits Final National Historic Preservation Act Rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

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On March 1, 2019, the National Park Service (NPS) proposed revisions to the regulations governing the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) that would affect the nomination process of properties eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. More recently, on October 8, 2020, NPS submitted the final rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 12866. 
There is still an opportunity to comment on the effects the Rule would have on the cultural heritage of your nation. To request an EO 12866 meeting with OIRA, click here. 
You may also request government-to-government consultation with OIRA pursuant to EO 13175. To request EO 13175 consultation send a letter via email to:
Paul J. Ray, AdministratorOffice of Information and Regulatory AffairsRegulatory Information Service Center (RISC)General Services Administration 1800 F Street, NWWashington, D.C. 20405oira_submission@omb.eop.govmatthew.p.oreska@omb.eop.gov
To view NCAI’s submitted comments in response to the proposed rule, please click here. 
To view NCAI’s July 2019 comments, please click here.
NCAI Contact Info: Darren Modzelewski, Policy Counsel, dmodzelewski@ncai.org

U.S. Department of Energy Announces Formal Process to Request Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs Cost-Share Reduction

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Requests due no later than December 3, 2020 

On October 30, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (OIEPP) announced a formalized process for tribal nations and eligible tribal entities to request cost-share reductions under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. OIEPP provides funding for technical assistance and financial assistance to tribal nations and eligible tribal entities to develop, plan, and implement energy projects.
OIEPP will accept cost-share reduction requests within the next 30 days – due no later than December 3, 2020 – and will review requests in the order they are received.
For more information about the cost share reduction, click here.
NCAI Contact Info: Darren Modzelewski, Policy Counsel, dmodzelewski@ncai.org

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Announces $20 Billion in New Phase 3 Provider Relief Funding

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Submission Deadline: November 6, 2020 

On October 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its decision to allocate an additional $20 billion in new funding for providers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. The new phase three general distribution is open to providers that have already received Provider Relief Fund payments. Additionally, providers that were previously ineligible, such as those who began practicing in 2020, are now invited to apply. The phase three distributions also expand the group of behavioral health providers that are eligible for relief payments.
For more information, please click here.
NCAI Contact: Nicholas Courtney, Policy Analyst, ncourtney@ncai.org

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Extends Deadline for Written Comments on the Development of Internal Tribal Policies and the Implementation of the Juvenile Justice and Reform Act of 2018

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Written Comments Due:November 6, 2020
On June 25, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) hosted a virtual tribal consultation on the development of OJJDP tribal policies and implementation of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018. The 2018 Act amended the long standing Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act. OJJDP has extended their deadline for tribal nations to submit written comments. The National Congress of American Indians has provided draft comments for tribal nations to consider when crafting their own comments for submission.  To view the NCAI draft comments, please click here. 
To view the OJJDP tribal consultation framing paper, please click here. 
To view the text of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018, please click here. 
To view NCAI’s Tribal Juvenile Justice Webpage, please click here. 
Tribal nation comments can be submitted via email to OJJDPTribalConsultation@ojp.usdoj.gov. 
NCAI Contact: Kelbie Kennedy, Policy Counsel, kkennedy@ncai.org

Reform Act of 2018

HHS Extends Deadline for Tribal Nations to Choose COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

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New Deadline: November 6, 2020 

On October 30, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a Dear Tribal Leader Letter announcing Operation Warp Speed approval of a one-week extension for tribal nations with healthcare facilities to determine their vaccine distribution preference. Tribal nations with healthcare facilities now have until November 6, 2020, to contact Indian Health Service (IHS) if they would like to be included in IHS’s distribution plan, or contact their State health authority if they wish to be included in the state’s vaccine distribution. 
Tribal nations are encouraged to reach out to their state health authority and their IHS Area Office COVID Vaccine Point of Contact to better understand the details of their COVID-19 plan in order to make this decision based on the most updated information available. 
Indian Health Service Area Vaccine Point of Contact

For general questions or concerns, contact the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Federal Entities Planning Team at eocevent474@cdc.gov.NCAI Contact: Nicholas Courtney, Policy Analyst, ncourtney@ncai.org

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Native American Veterans Memorial Webinar

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November 4, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. EST 

On November 4, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Office of Tribal Government Relations (OTGR) will be hosting a webinar to discuss the history of the National Native American Veteran Memorial, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of the memorial. Speakers will include Rebecca Trautmann, Alexandra Harris, and Betsy Gordon. 
If you have questions, or require special accommodations, please contact Pete Vicaire at peter.vicaire@va.gov.To register for the webinar, please click here.NCAI Contact: Nicholas Courtney, Policy Analyst, ncourtney@ncai.org