About the ANA
Promoting the Goal of Social and Economic Self-Sufficiency for Native
Americans
Who We Are
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
ANA promotes the goal of self-sufficiency for Native Americans by providing
social and economic development opportunities through financial assistance,
training, and technical assistance to eligible Tribes and Native American
organizations representing nearly 4.3 million individuals. To achieve this
mission, funding is provided through discretionary grants to eligible Tribes and
Native organizations on a competitive basis. In Fiscal Year 2003, Congress
appropriated $45.5 million for Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS)
Projects, Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Projects and Native Language
Preservation and Maintenance Projects.
Our Goals
Major goals are to:
- Assist Tribal and village governments, Native American
institutions, and local leadership to exercise control
and decision making over their resources;
- Foster the development of stable, diversified local economies
and economic activities which will provide jobs, promote
economic well-being, and reduce dependency on public
funds and social services;
- Support local access to, control of, and coordination of services and
programs that safeguard the health and well-being of people and are essential
to a thriving and self-sufficient community.
Examples of the range of projects which help to promote the economic
and social development of Native Americans are: 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.
Intra-Departmental Council on Native American Affairs
The Commissioner of the ANA is the Chair of the Intra-Departmental Council on
Native American Affairs (ICNAA) within the Department of Health and Human
Services, and advises the Secretary on Native American issues. The Council is
composed of 25 of the heads of the Department's major agencies.
The ICNAA is the Departmental focal point for all
initiatives affecting Native American people.
Under its Charter, the ICNAA coordinates and encourages the cooperation of
the Department's and other federal agencies' resources for Native American
people. It also develops and implements a meaningful policy on Native American
affairs for the entire Department. It ensures that this policy will be applied
consistently throughout the Department and, where possible, throughout the
Federal Government.