About ANA

The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) was established in 1974 through the Native American Programs Act (NAPA). ANA is the only federal agency serving all Native Americans, including 562 federally recognized Tribes, American Indian and Alaska Native organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations and Native populations throughout the Pacific basin (including American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).

Our Mission

The mission of ANA is to promote the goal of self-sufficiency and cultural preservation for Native Americans by providing social and economic development opportunities through financial assistance, training, and technical assistance to eligible Tribes and Native American communities, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islanders organizations.  ANA provides funding for community-based projects that are designed to improve the lives of Native children and families and reduce long-term dependency on public assistance.  Competitive funding authorized under the Native American Program Act of 1974 as amended for community-based projects is provided through three (3) competitive discretionary grant programs to eligible Tribes and non-profit Native American organizations:  social and economic development, language preservation, and environmental regulatory enhancement.

Goals

1. Foster the development of stable, diversified local economies and economic activities which will provide jobs, promote community and economic well-being, encourage community partnerships and reduce dependency on public funds and social services;
2. Support local access to, control of, and coordination of services and programs that safeguard the health and well-being of Native children and families; and
3. Increase the number of projects involving youth and intergenerational activities in Native American communities.
   

Examples of the range of ANA projects include:

• Creation of new jobs and development or expansion of business enterprises and social service initiatives;
• Establishment of new Tribal employment offices;
• Formulation of environmental ordinances and training in the use and control of natural resources;
• Enactment of new codes and management improvements to strengthen the governmental functions of Tribes and Native American organizations; and
• Establishment of local court systems.

Priorities

ANA promotes the goal of economic and social self-sufficiency for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native American Pacific Islanders. To achieve the goal of self-sufficiency, ANA projects are planned, designed, and implemented by Native American community members to address the particular needs of their society. ANA subscribes to the philosophy that sustainable change must originate within the community.

Native Americans both on and off reservations continue to face many profound social and economic challenges. According to 2000 U.S. Census data, 25.7% of American Indians/Alaska Natives live in poverty; 31% of Native American children under age 18 live in poverty. These percentages rank Native American poverty at more than twice the overall US rate. ANA addresses economic, social, and governance challenges facing Native American communities through the Social Economic Development Strategies Program.

Tribes face a multitude of risks and damage to human health and the environment posed by pollution of the air, water, and land in Indian country and other Tribal areas including Alaska. Tribal governments' jurisdiction over environmental issues is complicated by their land borders and in many cases by weak, under-funded and ill-defined Tribal authorities. The ANA Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Program empowers Tribes to overcome environmental challenges by building internal capacities to develop, implement, monitor and enforce their own environmental laws, regulations and ordinances in a culturally sensitive manner.

In the early days of the United States, more than 300 Native languages were spoken. Today, that number has dropped to 175 with only 20 taught to children; the remainders are classified as deteriorating or nearing extinction. Faced with this impending crisis, ANA's Language Preservation and Maintenance Program enable's Native communities to preserve traditional language and culture.