June 5, 2024

Join EPA on June 26, 2024 for the in-person Regional Roadshow event in Anchorage, Alaska! This event provides opportunities for community leaders and potential grant applicants of Anchorage, Alaska to:

• Learn more about historic funding opportunities and technical assistance made available through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Meet with peers in Anchorage, Alaska to develop new or deeper community-based partnerships and cultivate ideas for appropriate funding opportunities.
• Brainstorm how to confront the climate crisis and advance environmental justice in your community. 

The Regional Roadshow is a part of EPA’s Community, Equity & Resiliency initiative, a groundbreaking effort to help communities across the nation navigate EPA’s Inflation Reduction Act investments and other new funding opportunities made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Through this new initiative, EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) and Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) will facilitate community-driven partnerships and provide a space for communities to learn, connect and cultivate ideas on how to access the historic resources, especially in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

Please register in advance as space is limited. Be sure to secure your spot today! 

March 22, 2024

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consorttia has relased a funding resource document for contaminated sites.

Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS), NALEMP, Brownfields, ANCSA Lands and EPA Enviromental Justice Change grants including eligibliity criteria are provided to help support the remediation process. 

Thank you ANTHC.!

February 29, 2024

Dear Alaska Native Corporation Leaders

Thank you for your continued assistance and hard work building Alaska, providing for our communities, and your unwaivering dedication to your shareholders and all Alaskans. Many of you reached out to my office to share the entirely unwarranted email from the Small Business Administration seeking five years of your financial statements within five business days.

As soon as this was brought to my attention, I stopped the meeting I was then engaged in and texted Administrator Guzman to insist on a meeting at 8pm that same evening. In my conversations with the Administrator that evening and again the next morning, I insisted that she withdraw the email and pur her own peope to work on obtaining any information needed by the Small Business Committee.The Small Business Administration must not burden Alaska Native Corporations with such an unreasonable and unnecessary administrative request.

As a result of our conversation, the Administrator sent a new email the very next day that rescinded the March 5, 2024 deadline and promised to provide more information.

Going forward, I expect the Small Business Administration to fully withdraw its request to the Alaska Native Corporations and to do the work itself to deliver to the Small Business Committee only the information requested by the Committee for authorized Congressional oversight. The Committee request is limited to information that is already reported annually to the Small Business Administration. Therefore the Small Business Administration will be responsible for delivering the information to the Committee.

I remain committed to seeing this matter through, and-as ever-to insisting on the unprejudiced inclusion of Alaska Native Corporations in federal programs.

Sincerely,

Dan Sullivan

United States Senator

February 27, 2024

Hello ANC Partners,

I feel like this is a good opportunity to reach out to all of you at one time.

First, I wanted to update you as to the status of the Alaska district office. We once again find ourselves the difficult situation of many firms and not enough BOS’s. Fortunately, favor has shown down upon us and SBA HQ has authorized 3 new BOS positions. I am enclosing the posting link if you would be so kind as to share it far and wide. It is an interesting FTE formula that DC uses to allocate positions to the field and I'm grateful that they paid attention to us. While these three positions won't give us a full team, it will get us moving in the right direction. I am working diligently to build an environment where our team members feel of value and give value. I certainly appreciate your patience as we once again cycle through this experience.

Business Opportunity Specialist, GS-1101-12,  Office of Field Operations, Alaska District Office in Anchorage, AK. Open to U.S. Citizens. Business Opportunity Specialist serves as a member of the District Office team and is responsible for the full scope of the Agency's government contracting and business development programs, as well as developing and conducting outreach and training to strengthen and improve business opportunities for eligible small businesses in each District.

Second, most of you have received a request from the SBA for financial statements covering the last five years. This is an unusual but legitimate e-mail related to a congressional inquiry.  I am sorry for the short turnaround, but we have a statutory timeline to respond and appreciate your prompt help. Please upload your financial statements using this link HERE no later than March 5, 2024.

Third, this past week the district office hosted Daniel Krupnick (Counsel to the Administrator), Katie Frost (Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access), Jackson Brossy (Assistant Administrator for the Office of Native American Affairs), and Beto Yarce (Newly appointed Region 10 Administrator). We spent Tuesday in Juneau and Wednesday in Anchorage. As part of our Anchorage activities, we had scheduled an ANC Roundtable with a discussion focused on Access to Capital. Unfortunately, there was a breakdown in the communications which resulted in the email invitations not being sent. Imagine my surprise when I walked into a mostly empty Bristol Bay conference room with my group of VIP's.  I sincerely apologize for the invitations not reaching all of you and having it give the idea that some were not invited. That was not the case and I’m sorry that it appeared so.  

I would be more than willing to set up a virtual meeting with our VIP’s for you if that would be of interest to you. Please let me know if you would like to participate in a virtual meeting revolving around Access to Capital/Surety Bonding.

And fourth, if you ever have questions, concerns or suggestions, you are most welcome to reach out to me. I would be glad to chat with you. 

We are all working in the same boat together; when you succeed, we succeed and when we succeed, you succeed. AND I believe you should succeed to the maximum benefit possible!

Thank you,

Steve

Steven Brown

District Director

Alaska District Office

U.S. Small Business Administration

(907) 271-4844

steven.brown@sba.gov

February 26, 2024

Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s cabinet for America’s more than 33 million small businesses, announced that for the first time since 2013, the SBA is increasing the statutory contract limits for the Surety Bond Guarantee Program (SBG). This regulatory change is expected to increase revenue opportunities through contracting for small businesses, supporting job creation and economic growth.

Effective March 18, the SBA will begin guaranteeing bid, performance, payment, and ancillary bonds up to $9 million for all projects and up to $14 million on federal contracts – up from $6.5 million and $10 million, respectively. The SBA is authorized to guarantee bonds on federal contracts over $9 million when accompanied by a federal contracting officer’s signed certification, or when located in a major disaster area.

“Surety bonds help small businesses win contracts by providing the customer with a government-backed guarantee that the work will be done,” said Administrator Guzman. “As the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda continues mobilizing historic levels of investments across the country, the SBA remains committed to helping small businesses compete for and win these contracts.” 

“This increase in the Surety Bond Guarantee Program comes at a critical time,” said Katie Frost, the Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is creating economic opportunities for small businesses, and surety bonds are an important component of accomplishing that work.”

The SBA helps small businesses by guaranteeing bid, performance, payment, and maintenance bonds issued by participating surety companies.  In addition to these larger contract bond guarantees, the SBA also offers a simplified bond guarantee application under its QuickApp, accommodating contracts up to $500,000 with limited paperwork and approvals within hours. Last December, the SBA announced the 2023 Surety Companies and Agencies Rankings.

For questions regarding the program, please visit the program website at www.sba.gov/osg or contact Rebecca Galanti at Rebecca.Galanti@sba.gov.
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January 30, 2024

The deadline to apply for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Round 2 has been extended. 

Applications must be submitted by March 22, 2024. The extension is intended to provide applicants with additional time to develop competitive project proposals. Eligible entities that previously submitted applications may submit revised applications. Note: entire application must be resubmitted on or before the new submission deadline. 

The program invites project proposals that address the digital divide, including broadband and digital inclusion efforts, training staff and tribal community members, and providing technical support and capacity building for tribal institutions.

In the fiscal year 2023 omnibus bill, Congress appropriated $20 million for EPA to establish and implement a grant program to assist tribal entities in Alaska with addressing contamination on ANCSA lands that were contaminated prior to the time of conveyance.  Grants may be used for site assessment and remediation, as well as related community outreach and involvement.

• Non-competitive funding for Cooperative Agreements.
• Funding requests accepted on a rolling basis, as funds remain available. 
• Up to $3M per project for 5-year project period.
• No matching funds required.
• Multiple projects may be requested per applicant.

Details on eligibility and how to apply are provided in the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program Guidance and on grants.gov.

Please contact EPA Project Managers prior to submitting funding requests.  Returning or current cooperative agreement recipients contact Jeff Estes.  New applicants contact Mahri Lowinger.

Applications are ready to be accepted on a rolling basis!

December 1, 2023

UAA College of Business and Public Policy and UAA College of Arts and Sciences is hosting a two-day gathering for an innovative approach to Board and Tribal trainings January 11 & 12, 2024 at UAA.

The two-day event will focus on trainings pertinent to Alaska Native Tribes, Corporations and non-profits.

Trainings and topics specific to Alaska Native Corporations include:

Hiring our People

Fiduciary Duty to the Generations Yet to Come

Reading Financial Statements 101

The Chairs Role for the Corporation

Options to Consider when Setting Open Enrollment Policy

Roberts Rules of Order - A Refresher

The Other Perspective: Improving Communication and Engagement with Staff

ANCSA Land, an overview and update from BLM

Storytelling for Community Success

Navigating Indian Country and Tribal Jurisdiction in Alaska

Putting Cultural Awareness and Indigenous Values in the Workplace

Oopsism: Communicating Effectively Across Cultures in the 21st Century

Working Together for Housing in our Homelands

November 21, 2023

EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments.

Alaska Native Villages have dedicated funds of at least $150 million to address contaminated lands, pollution reduction, and climate adaptation in Alaska.

November 20, 2023

The State of Alaska, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Alaska Broadband Office (ABO), is seeking public comment on the State of Alaska’s Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) “Initial Proposal, Volume 2” which provides the details on the State of Alaska Grant Program along with the other requirements of the BEAD Program.

The State of Alaska’s “Initial Proposal Volume 2” documentation is linked below for public review and comment. All interested parties are invited to submit comments on the “Initial Proposal Volume 2” using the ABO email address of ced.abo.general@alaska.gov by on December 20, 2023.

November 10, 2023

Too many communities in Alaska lack access to high-speed internet. Many more face affordability barriers. There is a stark divide between those who have internet access and those who don't. Digital equity means all have access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet to access education, healthcare, employment, and participate in today’s economy.  Starting November 9, 2023, and running through December 9, 2023, the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Alaska Broadband Office (ABO), is seeking public comment on the State of Alaska’s Digital Equity Plan.

The Digital Equity Act provides $2.75 billion nationwide to establish grant programs that promote digital equity and inclusion.  In advance of “Capacity Grant Awards” (managed by the State of Alaska ABO) the Rasmuson Foundation and their partners over the last year have collected and compiled data and drafted the initial State of Alaska Digital Equity Plan. 

The document outlines the inequities that exist in the state and develops Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are focused on reducing or eliminating digital inequity for eight covered populations identified in the Digital Equity Act.

Those populations are:

1. Individuals with Disabilities
2. Individuals with a Language Barrier
3. Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority
4. Individuals who Reside in Rural Areas
5. Aging Individuals
6. Veterans
7. Households at/or below 150% of the Poverty Level
8. Incarcerated Individuals

The State of Alaska’s Digital Equity plan and comment form are linked below for public review and comment. All interested parties are invited to submit comments on the Plan using the linked comment form by December 9, 2023.

September 1, 2023

The Alaska Native Village Corporation Association (ANVCA) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the hiring of Curtis J. McQueen as ANVCA Executive Director beginning September 15, 2023.

Curtis J. McQueen has a solid history of serving as an Alaska Native corportion CEO and serving on several for-profit and non-profit Boards throughout the State of Alaska.

“We are thrilled to have Curtis McQueen joining ANVCA. His experience, knowledge, and relationships of Alaska Native Corporations, village dynamics, and the public policy process are deep and profound, and we are confident that he will make a tremendous difference to the best interests of our members.” Nathan McCowan, ANVCA Chair of the Board.

From 2005 through August 2019, Curtis held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Eklutna, Incorporated, the village corporation for Eklutna and the largest private land owner in the Municipality of Anchorage and the Matanuska Susitna Borough. During his term, Curtis built multiple successful subsidiaries and grew the parent corporation to be a respected business organization throughout the State of Alaska. Curtis has worked extensively in the Native community, and with Fortune 100 and 400 National and International corporations, including many of Alaska’s corporate, local, State, and Federal leadership.

Curtis is a current Board Member of the Rasmuson Foundation, Alaska’s largest philanthropic foundation. Additionally, he serves as the Chairman of the advisory board overseeing the University of Alaska Anchorage Distinguished Rasmuson Chair of Economics. From 2013-2019 Curtis served as an Honorary Commander for Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, the forward command for the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army located in Anchorage Alaska.

“As a former CEO, a longtime supporter, and a former board member of ANVCA, I’m honored to join this incredible organization and support its mission to promote the success of our village corporations and the protection of our Native lands.”

Curtis is well known and respected for nurturing key relationships and has a proven track record of successful work with local, Federal and State governments, Tribes, and other businesses. Curtis is Tlingit from Southeast Alaska from the Eagle-Killer Whale Clan, is a Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Tribal Citizen, a Sealaska Corporation shareholder and is an adopted member of the Native Village of Eklutna.