National Service Agency Invests in Service as Solution In Native American Communities

Washington D.C. -- The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced more than $3 million in new grants to support Native American communities in using national service as a solution to tackle social and economic challenges.

The 18 tribal grants will support a range of projects including cultural and language preservation, economic development, health and wellness, youth leadership, education attainment, and traditional lands preservation.

“Our work with Native American communities is producing real results -- better schools, improved health, a cleaner environment -- and these grants will further that impact,” said Corporation CEO Patrick Corvington. “We are committed to working with tribal nations on a government to government basis to find new ways to use service in addressing social and economic challenges.”

Ron Lessard, the Corporation’s Strategic Advisor for Native American Affairs, discussed the grants with tribal leaders attending the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) mid-year conference in Rapid City, South Dakota. Lessard works across all Corporation programs to increase Native American participation in national service and to develop and enhance programming to address the unique needs of Native American communities.

“Service has always been a strong tradition in Native culture, and service remains critically important as way for our communities to address social challenges,” said NCAI President Jefferson Keel. “I applaud the Corporation for National and Community Service for their commitment to expanding service opportunities for Native Americans and their investments in building stronger, healthier Native communities.”

The grants, made through the Corporation’s AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America programs, include:

• Nine grants to Indian Tribes totaling $2,169,958 to support 188 AmeriCorps members who will address key challenges facing Native American communities including building and renovating homes, tutoring youth, disaster response, substance abuse prevention, and economic development.
   
• Five Learn and Serve America grants totaling $650,070 to Indian Tribes to support service-learning projects in Native American communities including public health awareness, language and culture preservation, and environmental protection.
   
• Four AmeriCorps planning grants totaling $199,836 to help tribal organizations develop the tools and systems necessary to support an AmeriCorps program.

A full description of the grants is available by clicking here.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

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