Alaska Native Villages
Recent Federal Assistance Exceeded $3 Billion, with Most Provided to Regional Nonprofits Gao ID: GAO-05-719 August 2, 2005This report responds to section 112, Division B, of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, which directs GAO to review federal programs benefiting rural communities in Alaska. After discussions with congressional staff, GAO agreed to examine federal programs benefiting Alaska Native villages. Specifically, this report (1) provides information on the amount of federal assistance provided to Alaska Native villages during fiscal years 1998 through 2003, (2) describes how selected federal funds have been used to assist Alaska Native villages, and (3) provides data on the number and average cost of houses built by villages and Alaska Native regional housing authorities.
GAO's analysis of available data indicates that Alaska Native villages and regional Native nonprofits--including Native associations, and regional health and housing nonprofits--received over $3 billion in federal assistance from fiscal years 1998 through 2003. Specifically, total federal funding included approximately $483 million to 216 Alaska Native villages and about $3 billion to 33 regional Native nonprofits. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) accounted for 63 percent of all funding over the period. According to federal and state officials, Alaska Native villages also likely benefited from federal funding to the state of Alaska and to cities and boroughs that contain villages, such as when federal funding is used by municipalities to provide water services. Based on data GAO obtained from the state of Alaska, during fiscal years 1998 through 2003, the state passed through more than $105 million in federal funding to Native villages and regional Native nonprofits. Based on available information for 13 programs GAO reviewed, federal funding was used to provide Alaska Natives with assistance in health care, housing, infrastructure, and other areas. For example, according to information from HHS, its Tribal Self-Governance Program was used by 13 regional Native nonprofits, three Native villages, four groups of Alaska Native villages, and one statewide Native health care provider to provide clinical services at tribally run hospitals and health clinics that had over 1 million total visits throughout Alaska in 2002. Another program, HUD's Indian Housing Block Grant, provided funds used by villages and regional housing authorities to build, rehabilitate, modernize, and operate single-family homes and multifamily housing properties. However, the extent of readily available information on how funds were used from the 13 programs GAO reviewed varied, in part due to different agency reporting requirements. Results from GAO's survey of Alaska Native villages and regional housing authorities indicated that, during calendar years 1998 through 2003, responding entities constructed a total of 874 single-family units. GAO's survey indicated that the average cost of units constructed by responding entities varied by region and by whether they were developed by villages or housing authorities. For example, the 6-year average regional cost (in 2003 dollars) of all units constructed ranged from a low of $138,944 per unit, or $122 per square foot, to a high of $305,634 per unit, or $267 per square foot. GAO also found that the cost of new housing units developed by housing authorities was slightly higher than units developed by Native villages, and that regional housing authorities constructed more than three times the number of units compared with villages. However, various factors could account for differences in the cost and number of units completed among regions or between villages and regional housing authorities.
GAO-05-719, Alaska Native Villages: Recent Federal Assistance Exceeded $3 Billion, with Most Provided to Regional Nonprofits
This is the accessible text file for GAO report number GAO-05-719
entitled 'Alaska Native Villages: Recent Federal Assistance Exceeds $3
Billion, with Most Provided to Regional Nonprofits' which was released
on August 2, 2005.
This text file was formatted by the U.S. Government Accountability
Office (GAO) to be accessible to users with visual impairments, as part
of a longer term project to improve GAO products' accessibility. Every
attempt has been made to maintain the structural and data integrity of
the original printed product. Accessibility features, such as text
descriptions of tables, consecutively numbered footnotes placed at the
end of the file, and the text of agency comment letters, are provided
but may not exactly duplicate the presentation or format of the printed
version. The portable document format (PDF) file is an exact electronic
replica of the printed version. We welcome your feedback. Please E-mail
your comments regarding the contents or accessibility features of this
document to Webmaster@gao.gov.
:
This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright
protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed
in its entirety without further permission from GAO. Because this work
may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the
copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this
material separately.
Report to Congressional Addressees and the Alaska Federation of Natives:
August 2005:
ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGES:
Recent Federal Assistance Exceeded $3 Billion, with Most Provided to
Regional Nonprofits:
GAO-05-719:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-05-719, a report to congressional addressees and the
Alaska Federation of Natives.
Why GAO Did This Study:
This report responds to section 112, Division B, of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004, which directs GAO to review federal
programs benefiting rural communities in Alaska. After discussions with
congressional staff, GAO agreed to examine federal programs benefiting
Alaska Native villages. Specifically, this report (1) provides
information on the amount of federal assistance provided to Alaska
Native villages during fiscal years 1998 through 2003, (2) describes
how selected federal funds have been used to assist Alaska Native
villages, and (3) provides data on the number and average cost of
houses built by villages and Alaska Native regional housing
authorities.
What GAO Found:
GAO‘s analysis of available data indicates that Alaska Native villages
and regional Native nonprofits”including Native associations, and
regional health and housing nonprofits”received over $3 billion in
federal assistance from fiscal years 1998 through 2003. Specifically,
total federal funding included approximately $483 million to 216 Alaska
Native villages and about $3 billion to 33 regional Native nonprofits.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) accounted for 63
percent of all funding over the period. According to federal and state
officials, Alaska Native villages also likely benefited from federal
funding to the state of Alaska and to cities and boroughs that contain
villages, such as when federal funding is used by municipalities to
provide water services. Based on data GAO obtained from the state of
Alaska, during fiscal years 1998 through 2003, the state passed through
more than $105 million in federal funding to Native villages and
regional Native nonprofits.
Based on available information for 13 programs GAO reviewed, federal
funding was used to provide Alaska Natives with assistance in health
care, housing, infrastructure, and other areas. For example, according
to information from HHS, its Tribal Self-Governance Program was used by
13 regional Native nonprofits, three Native villages, four groups of
Alaska Native villages, and one statewide Native health care provider
to provide clinical services at tribally run hospitals and health
clinics that had over 1 million total visits throughout Alaska in 2002.
Another program, HUD‘s Indian Housing Block Grant, provided funds used
by villages and regional housing authorities to build, rehabilitate,
modernize, and operate single-family homes and multifamily housing
properties. However, the extent of readily available information on how
funds were used from the 13 programs GAO reviewed varied, in part due
to different agency reporting requirements.
Results from GAO‘s survey of Alaska Native villages and regional
housing authorities indicated that, during calendar years 1998 through
2003, responding entities constructed a total of 874 single-family
units. GAO‘s survey indicated that the average cost of units
constructed by responding entities varied by region and by whether they
were developed by villages or housing authorities. For example, the 6-
year average regional cost (in 2003 dollars) of all units constructed
ranged from a low of $138,944 per unit, or $122 per square foot, to a
high of $305,634 per unit, or $267 per square foot. GAO also found that
the cost of new housing units developed by housing authorities was
slightly higher than units developed by Native villages, and that
regional housing authorities constructed more than three times the
number of units compared with villages. However, various factors could
account for differences in the cost and number of units completed among
regions or between villages and regional housing authorities.
[Hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-719].
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on
the link above. For more information, contact William B. Shear at (202)
512-8678 or shearw@gao.gov
[End of Section]
Contents:
Letter:
Results in Brief:
Background:
Alaska Native Villages and Regional Native Nonprofits Received Over $3
Billion in Federal Funding from 1998 through 2003:
Federal Funds Have Been Used to Provide an Array of Services to Alaska
Native Villages:
Alaska Native Villages and Regional Housing Authorities Constructed
More Than 800 and Rehabilitated Almost 3,000 Homes, and the Number and
Costs of Completed Units Varied across Regions:
Agency Comments and Our Evaluation:
Appendixes:
Appendix I: Scope and Methodology:
Appendix II: Alaska Native Population by Native Village and ANCSA
Region or Indian Reservation:
Appendix III: Listing of Alaska Regional Native Nonprofits:
Appendix IV: Other Nonprofits That Provided Assistance to Alaska Native
Villages:
Appendix V: The State of Alaska Passed Through Federal Funding to
Native Villages, Regional Native Nonprofits, Cities, and Boroughs:
Appendix VI: Denali Commission Program Summary:
Appendix VII: Program Summary for the Department of Agriculture:
Appendix VIII: Program Summaries for the Department of Commerce:
Appendix IX: Program Summary for the Department of Education:
Appendix X: Program Summary for the Department of Health and Human
Services:
Appendix XI: Program Summaries for the Department of Housing and Urban
Development:
Appendix XII: Program Summary for the Department of the Interior:
Appendix XIII: Program Summary for the Department of Justice:
Appendix XIV: Program Summary for the Department of Labor:
Appendix XV: Program Summary for the Department of Transportation:
Appendix XVI: Program Summary for the Environmental Protection Agency:
Appendix XVII: Reproduction of NAHASDA Survey to Native Villages:
Appendix XVIII: Reproduction of NAHASDA Survey to Tribally Designated
Housing Entities:
Appendix XIX: Comments from the Department of Commerce:
Appendix XX: Comments from the Department of Health and Human Services:
Appendix XXI: Comments from the Department of the Interior:
Appendix XXII: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments:
Tables:
Table 1: List of ANCSA For-Profit Regional Corporations and Nonprofits:
Table 2: Top Federal Programs, by Agency, Benefiting Native Villages:
Table 3: Top Federal Programs, by Agency, Benefiting Regional Native
Nonprofits:
Table 4: Primary Purposes for Which Grant Funds from 13 Selected
Programs Were Recently Used:
Table 5: Number of Single-Family Units Constructed and Rehabilitated
for Villages and Regional Housing Authorities Combined, Calendar Years
1998-2003:
Table 6: Number of New Units Constructed by Housing Authorities
Compared with Villages, by Region, Calendar Years 1998-2003:
Table 7: Number of New Units Rehabilitated without Acquisition by
Housing Authorities Compared with Villages, by Region, Calendar Years
1998-2003:
Table 8: Average New Construction Costs, Number and Size of Units,
Regional Housing Authorities and Villages:
Table 9: Number of Regional Housing Authorities and Villages That Were
Constructing or Rehabilitating Single-Family Units, Calendar Years 1998-
2003:
Table 10: Listing of Alaska Native Villages and the Number of AIAN
Persons and Enrolled Members, by ANCSA Region or Indian Reservation:
Table 11: ANCSA Regional Nonprofits or Indian Reservation and the
Corresponding Native Regional Health Care and Housing Nonprofits:
Table 12: Top Federal Programs Providing Funding Passed Through by the
State of Alaska to Native Villages, State Fiscal Years 1998-2003:
Table 13: Top Federal Programs Providing Funding Passed Through by the
State of Alaska to Regional Native Nonprofits, State Fiscal Years 1998-
2003:
Table 14: Yearly Federal Funds Passed Through by the State of Alaska to
Native Villages and Regional Native Nonprofits, State Fiscal Years 1998-
2003:
Table 15: Denali Commission Reporting Requirements:
Table 16: USDA Reporting Requirements for Village Safe Water Funding:
Table 17: Commerce Reporting Requirements for EAA Funding:
Table 18: Commerce Reporting Requirements for Public Works Funding:
Table 19: Education Reporting Requirements for Alaska Native
Educational Programs Funding:
Table 20: HHS Reporting Requirements for Tribal Self-Governance Funding:
Table 21: HUD Reporting Requirements for ICDBG Funding:
Table 22: HUD Reporting Requirements for IHBG Funding:
Table 23: Percentage of IHBG Funds Used by Activity, Calendar Years
1998-2003:
Table 24: Allowable Uses of Tribal Self-Governance Program Funding,
Based on Budget Categories:
Table 25: Justice Reporting Requirements for COPS Funding:
Table 26: Labor Reporting Requirements for Youth Opportunity Grant
Funding:
Table 27: DOT Reporting Requirements for AIP Funding:
Table 28: EPA Reporting Requirements for IGAP Funding:
Figures:
Figure 1: Location of Alaska Native Villages and ANCSA Regions:
Figure 2: Percentage of Federal Funding to Alaska Native Villages and
Regional Native Nonprofits, by Agency, 1998-2003:
Figure 3: Federal Funding Provided to Villages and Regional Native
Nonprofits, 1998-2003:
Figure 4: Total Agency Funding to Alaska Regional Native Nonprofits and
Alaska Native Villages, 1998-2003:
Figure 5: Top Native Village Recipients, by Percentage of Federal
Funding Received:
Figure 6: Top Regional Native Nonprofits, by Percentage of Federal
Funding Received:
Figure 7: Growth in Federal Funding to Native Villages and Regional
Native Nonprofits:
Figure 8: House Built by the Bristol Bay Housing Authority Using IHBG
and Other Funds:
Figure 9: Percentage of 1999-2004 AIP Projects Used to Assist Alaska
Native Villages, by Type:
Figure 10: Before and After Upgrade Photos of Kotlik Bulk Fuel
Facilities:
Figure 11: Head Start Center in Dillingham:
Figure 12: Number of Single-Family Units Constructed by Region for
Villages and Housing Authorities Combined, Calendar Years 1998-2003:
Figure 13: Number of Units Rehabilitated (with and without Acquisition)
by Region for Responding Villages and Housing Authorities, Calendar
Years 1998-2003:
Figure 14: Annual and Total Number of Units Constructed by Housing
Authorities and Villages, Calendar Years 1998-2003:
Figure 15: Number of Single-Family Units Modernized by Housing
Authorities, Calendar Years 1998-2003:
Figure 16: Average Regional New Construction Costs for Housing
Authorities and Villages Combined, Calendar Years 1998-2003, Ranked by
Cost Per Square Foot:
Figure 17: Average Rehabilitation Costs for Regional Housing
Authorities and Villages Combined, Calendar Years 1998-2003, by Region,
for Units That Did Not Require Acquisition:
Figure 18: Housing Authority and Village Rehabilitation Costs for Units
That Did Not Require Acquisition, by Region, Calendar Years 1998-2003:
Figure 19: Amount of Federal Funds Passed Through by the State of
Alaska to Native Villages and Regional Native Nonprofits, State Fiscal
Years 1998-2003:
Figure 20: Percentage of Federal Funds Passed Through by the State of
Alaska, by Agency, to Native Villages, State Fiscal Years 1998-2003:
Figure 21: Percentage of Federal Funds Passed Through by the State of
Alaska, by Agency, to Regional Native Nonprofits, State Fiscal Years
1998-2003:
Figure 22: Trend of Federal Funds Passed Through by the State of Alaska
to Native Villages and Regional Native Nonprofits, State Fiscal Years
1998-2003:
Abbreviations:
AHFC: Alaska Housing Finance Corporation:
AIAN: American Indian or Alaska Native:
AIP: Airport Improvement Program:
ANCSA: Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act:
ANTHC: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium:
APR: Annual Performance Report:
AVCP: Association of Village Council Presidents:
BEES: Building Energy Efficiency Standard:
BIA: Bureau of Indian Affairs:
CEDS: Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy:
CFDA: Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance:
CIS: COPS in Schools:
COPS: Community Oriented Policing Services:
DEC: Department of Environmental Conservation:
DOT: Department of Transportation:
DOTPF: Department of Transportation and Public Facilities:
EAA: Economic Adjustment Assistance:
EDA: Economic Development Administration:
EDR: Economic Development Representative:
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency:
FAADS: Federal Assistance Award Data System:
GSA: General Services Administration:
HHS: Department of Health and Human Services:
HUD: Department of Housing and Urban Development:
IGAP: Indian Environmental General Assistance Program:
IHBG: Indian Housing Block Grants:
IHP: Indian Housing Plan:
IHS: Indian Health Service:
NAHASDA: Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act:
OMB: Office of Management and Budget:
ONAP: Office of Native American Programs:
SF: Standard Form:
TANF: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families:
TDHE: Tribally Designated Housing Entity:
UAS: University of Alaska Southeast:
UHP: Universal Hiring Program:
USDA: United States Department of Agriculture:
USDA RD: USDA Rural Development:
[End of Section]
Letter:
August 2, 2005:
The Honorable Thad Cochran:
Chairman:
The Honorable Robert C. Byrd:
Ranking Minority Member:
Committee on Appropriations:
United States Senate:
The Honorable Jerry Lewis:
Chairman:
The Honorable David R. Obey:
Ranking Minority Member:
Committee on Appropriations:
House of Representatives:
The Honorable Ted Stevens:
Committee on Appropriations:
United States Senate:
Julie Kitka:
President:
Alaska Federation of Natives:
According to the Census Bureau, about 120,000 people who live in Alaska
are Native--aboriginal Americans, many of whom reside in rural areas of
the state long inhabited by their ancestors. For many years, the
federal government both provided funding to assist Alaska Natives and
their communities to meet a wide range of social and economic needs--
funding that has amounted to millions of dollars annually--and
administered many of the programs that provided the assistance.
However, with the passage of certain federal legislation, Native
villages--entities within the state that are recognized by the Bureau
of Indian Affairs (BIA) to receive services from the federal
government--and other Native organizations began to receive more
responsibility for administering programs that assist their
communities. Moreover, these entities also began to receive funding
directly from the federal government to administer the programs.
Currently, the federal government provides direct financial assistance
to many of the more than 200 federally recognized Alaska Native
villages and other Native organizations. In addition, the federal
government provides financial assistance to the state, which has passed
through some of these funds to Alaska Native villages. However,
recently, some federal laws have limited the ability of Alaska Native
villages to receive direct funding.
This report responds to section 112, Division B, of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004, which directed us to review federal
programs benefiting rural Alaska communities. As agreed with your
staff, we focused our review on federal programs benefiting Alaska
Native villages. Our report (1) provides information on the amount of
federal assistance provided to assist Alaska Native villages during
federal fiscal years 1998 through 2003; (2) describes how selected
federal funds have been used to assist Alaska Native villages; and (3)
provides data on the number and average cost of houses built by
villages and Alaska Native regional housing authorities.
To address these objectives we met with officials of various federal
agencies, the state of Alaska, boroughs, and cities. In addition, we
met with representatives of Native villages, regional Native nonprofit
organizations, and other organizations that assist Alaska Natives. To
report on the amount of federal funding that has been provided to
assist Alaska Native villages, we examined data on both funding to over
200 federally recognized Alaska Native villages and regional Native
nonprofits, and funding to Native villages that was passed through the
state of Alaska. We classified as regional Native nonprofits: Native
associations that were identified in the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act (ANCSA) or the organizations that succeeded them, which,
throughout this report, we refer to as ANCSA regional nonprofits;
Native health organizations identified in P.L. 105-83; and Alaska
regional housing authorities identified by the Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD). To provide information on funding to
Alaska Native villages, we analyzed data from the Federal Assistance
Award Data System (FAADS), which identifies recipients of federal
awards, federal programs for which awards were made, and award amounts.
To verify the accuracy of our data, we provided federal agencies with
data on their programs that we obtained from FAADS. Based on agency
responses, where appropriate, we made adjustments to data we obtained
from FAADS. To provide information on the amount of federal funding to
assist Alaska Native villages that was passed through by the state, we
obtained information from the state of Alaska Department of
Administration, Division of Finance. To describe how selected federal
funds were used to assist Alaska Native communities, we selected 13
major programs from among 11 agencies.[Footnote 1] For each of these
programs, we met with federal officials and, where appropriate, state,
local, village and other tribal officials, as well as officials
representing organizations that primarily serve Alaska Natives. We also
reviewed program descriptions from the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) and reviewed agency documents on how recipients used
program funds. To determine the number of housing units completed and
their costs, we surveyed all villages and regional housing authorities
that had received HUD funds from the Native American Housing Assistance
and Self-Determination Act of 1996, as amended (NAHASDA), during fiscal
years 1998 through 2003. In carrying out our work, we did not conduct
audit work to assess whether funds were spent in compliance with
federal regulations, and we did not assess the efficiency or
effectiveness of how federal funds were distributed or spent. We
conducted our work from February 2004 to July 2005 in accordance with
generally accepted government auditing standards. See appendix I for a
detailed description of our scope and methodology.
Results in Brief:
GAO's analysis of available data indicates that Alaska Native villages
and regional Native nonprofits received over $3 billion in federal
assistance during the 6-year period of federal fiscal years 1998
through 2003.[Footnote 2]Based on data from FAADS, which contains
governmentwide data on federal award assistance transactions, and other
agency data, total federal funding for the period included
approximately $483 million to 216 Alaska Native villages and about $3
billion to 33 regional Native nonprofits--ANCSA regional nonprofits,
regional health nonprofits, and regional housing authorities. Although
direct federal funding was provided by 17 federal agencies, the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) accounted for 63 percent
of all funding over the period. Similarly, agencies provided direct
federal funding through 112 programs to villages and 149 programs to
regional Native nonprofits, although a small number of these programs
accounted for most of the federal funding. For example, HUD's Indian
Housing Block Grant program, which provides funds for housing,
accounted for 22 percent of all federal funding to Native villages and
16 percent of all federal funding to regional Native nonprofits during
the period. Overall, total annual federal funding to villages and
regional Native nonprofits increased from about $500 million in 1999 to
about $662 million in 2003--or about 30 percent.[Footnote 3] In
addition to the federal government directly providing funds to Alaska
Native villages and regional Native nonprofits, the state of Alaska
passed through over $105 million in federal funds to Alaska Native
villages and regional Native nonprofits during a similar period. Also,
over the period, villages may have benefited from direct funding of
$224 million to nonprofit organizations that primarily provide
assistance to Alaska Natives; over $300 million to incorporated cities
and boroughs that contain villages, such as when villages located in
these areas receive water and sewer services; and over $7 billion
provided to the state for transportation, education, health and human
services, and other assistance.
Federal funds from the 13 programs we reviewed were used to provide
Alaska Natives with assistance in health care, housing, infrastructure,
and other areas. For example, according to information from HHS, its
Tribal Self-Governance Program was used by 13 regional Native
nonprofits, three Native villages, four groups of Alaska Native
villages, and one statewide Native health care provider to provide
clinical services at tribally run hospitals and health clinics that had
over 1 million total visits throughout Alaska in 2002.[Footnote 4]
Another program, HUD's Indian Housing Block Grant, provided funds used
by villages and regional housing authorities to build, rehabilitate,
modernize, and operate single-family homes and multifamily housing
properties. In addition to providing funds for carrying out specific
program activities, most of the programs we reviewed also covered at
least a portion of grantees' total administrative costs. However, the
extent of readily available information on how funds were used from the
13 programs we reviewed varied, in part, due to different agency
reporting requirements. For example, Interior had only limited
information on the usage of funding under its Tribal Self-Governance
Program, in part because the relevant statutory provisions do not
require grantees to submit the information. On the other hand, the
Denali Commission--a federal agency established in 1998 to address
crucial rural Alaska needs, such as energy infrastructure--has specific
grantee reporting requirements that include, among other things,
detailed program and financial information.
Results from our survey of Alaska Native villages and regional housing
authorities indicated that responding entities constructed a total of
874 single-family units and rehabilitated a total of 2,990 single-
family units from calendar year 1998 to 2003.[Footnote 5] The two most
common units constructed were three-and four-bedroom homes. Over the
period, 462 three-bedroom and 262 four-bedroom homes were constructed.
Four of the 12 regions accounted for about 68 percent of the new home
production, including one that accounted for over 30 percent of the
production. Also, over the period, Alaska Native regional housing
authorities constructed more than three times the number of units (666)
than villages (208). We also found that three regions accounted for
about 60 percent of the number of units rehabilitated, and that
regional housing authorities rehabilitated 70 percent of units compared
with 30 percent rehabilitated by villages. Our analysis of the survey
data indicated that the average cost of units constructed by responding
entities varied by region and by whether they were developed by
villages or housing authorities. For example, the 6-year average
regional cost (in 2003 dollars) of all units constructed ranged from a
low of $138,944 per unit, or $122 per square foot, to a high of
$305,634 per unit, or $267 per square foot. Although housing
authorities had higher new construction costs than villages, villages
had higher costs for units that were rehabilitated without acquisition.
However, various factors could account for differences in the number or
cost of units completed among regions or between villages and regional
housing authorities. For example, regional differences in housing
construction costs may reflect variations in the cost of transporting
building materials and equipment to remote villages. Also, differences
in construction costs between regional housing authorities and villages
may reflect costs housing authorities likely incur when complying with
Alaska state construction and energy efficiency standards--a condition
of receiving state funds for housing construction. Villages generally
do not receive funds from the state for housing construction, and
although they may construct properties that meet these standards,
adherence to such standards would typically occur voluntarily.
Background:
In terms of land area, Alaska is the largest U.S. state--more than the
combined area of the next three largest states: Texas, California, and
Montana. However, according to the Census Bureau, Alaska is also one of
the least populated states, with about 630,000 people--of which about
19 percent, or 120,000, are Alaska Native or American Indian. Over half
of the state's population is concentrated in the Kenai Peninsula,
Anchorage, and the Matanuska-Susitna area in south central Alaska. Many
Alaska Natives, however, live in rural areas of western, northern, and
interior Alaska long inhabited by their ancestors. Alaska Natives are
generally divided into six major groupings: Unangan (Aleuts), Alutiiq
(Pacific Eskimos), Inupiat (Northern Eskimos), Yup'ik (Bering Sea
Eskimos), Athabascan (Interior Indians), and Tlingit and Haida
(Southeast Coastal Indians).
A Variety of Entities Facilitates the Provision of Federal Assistance
to Alaska Native Villages:
A variety of entities facilitates federal assistance to Alaska Native
villages. For many years, the federal government generally funded and
administered many of the programs that provided assistance to Alaska
Natives. However, with the passage of several key pieces of
legislation, Alaska Native villages and other tribal organizations
began to take on more responsibility for directly administering
programs to assist their communities, and began to receive direct
funding to carry out these tasks. For example, in 1971, Congress passed
ANCSA, which was intended to resolve Native claims to land in the
state. Under ANCSA, the Secretary of the Interior divided the state
into 12 geographic regions so that each would include Natives "having a
common heritage and sharing common interests." All Natives became
shareholders in one of 12 regional corporations or in a 13th
corporation for nonresident Natives. In addition, Natives who resided
in one of more than 200 villages listed in ANCSA were also enrolled in
Native village corporations.[Footnote 6] The Bureau of Indian Affairs
currently recognizes 229 Alaska Native villages as eligible to receive
federal funds.[Footnote 7] Appendix II contains a listing of Alaska
Native villages and the number of American Indian and Alaska Native
(AIAN) persons and enrolled Alaska Native members by:
ANCSA region.[Footnote 8],[Footnote 9] Figure 1 shows the location of
Alaska Native villages and the 12 ANCSA regions.
Figure 1: Location of Alaska Native Villages and ANCSA Regions:
[See PDF for image]
Note: The regions are identified by the names of their for-profit
regional corporations.
[End of figure]
In addition to Alaska Native villages, Alaska Natives are also served
by a number of other Native-controlled regional nonprofit organizations
that receive federal funding to administer a broad range of services,
including 12 regional Native associations identified in ANCSA or the
organizations that succeeded them, which, for the purposes of this
report, we refer to as ANCSA regional nonprofits, and regional health
care and housing nonprofits.[Footnote 10] Table 1 provides a list of
the ANCSA for-profit regional corporations and the corresponding
regional nonprofit.
Table 1: List of ANCSA For-Profit Regional Corporations and Nonprofits:
For-profit regional corporation: Ahtna Inc;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Copper River Native Association.
For-profit regional corporation: The Aleut Corporation;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association.
For-profit regional corporation: Arctic Slope Regional Corporation;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Arctic Slope Native Association.
For-profit regional corporation: Bering Straits Native Corporation;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Kawerak Inc.
For-profit regional corporation: Bristol Bay Native Corporation;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Bristol Bay Native Association.
For-profit regional corporation: Calista Corporation; Corresponding
regional nonprofit: Association of Village Council Presidents.
For-profit regional corporation: Chugach Alaska Corporation;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Chugachmiut.
For-profit regional corporation: Cook Inlet Region Inc;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Cook Inlet Tribal Council.
For-profit regional corporation: Doyon Limited;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Tanana Chiefs Conference.
For-profit regional corporation: Koniag Inc;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Kodiak Area Native Association.
For-profit regional corporation: NANA Regional Corporation Inc;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Maniilaq Association.
For-profit regional corporation: Sealaska Corporation;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: Central Council of the Tlingit and
Haida Indian Tribes.
For-profit regional corporation: Thirteenth Regional Corporation;
Corresponding regional nonprofit: No nonprofit organization.
Source: GAO.
[End of table]
Also, nearly all health care that is delivered to Alaska Natives is
administered by 13 Alaska Native regional health organizations that
were identified in Public Law 105-83. These entities operate under
compacting arrangements, which are agreements the Indian Health Service
(IHS) negotiates with Native villages and other Native
entities.[Footnote 11] Under the 1975 Indian Self-Determination and
Educational Assistance Act, as amended, and further through the Tribal
Self-Governance Act of 1994 and the Tribal Self-Governance Amendments
of 2000, tribes and tribal organizations were allowed to participate in
and manage programs that for years had been administered on their
behalf by the Departments of the Interior and of Health and Human
Services. Also, prior to NAHASDA, Alaska Natives were served by 14
regional housing authorities that were authorized by previous federal
housing laws to provide services for Alaska Natives. NAHASDA further
expanded the ability of Native villages to directly receive federal
funding for the purpose of providing services to eligible Alaska
Natives. The regional housing authorities and Native villages engage in
a variety of affordable housing activities, including construction,
rehabilitation, and management.[Footnote 12] See appendix III for a
list of the ANCSA regional nonprofits, the regional health
corporations, and the regional housing authorities that operate within
the 12 ANCSA-defined areas of Alaska.[Footnote 13]
Recent legislation has limited the ability of Native villages to
directly receive federal funding. Public Law 108-447 temporarily limits
the ability of IHS from directly funding villages that are already
located within the area of a Native Alaska regional health facility.
This restriction was put in place due to congressional concerns about
the efficiency of providing direct federal funding to Alaska Native
villages. Also, 25 USC 13f prohibits the provision of certain BIA
funding to villages with fewer than 25 members; and 25 USC 3651 (note)
limits which entities can receive certain Department of Justice funds.
In addition, HUD's fiscal year 2004-2005 appropriations included a
provision that restricted certain housing funding to only those Alaska
villages or tribally designated housing entities that had received
funds in the previous fiscal year.
In addition to the aforementioned Native nonprofits, a variety of other
nonprofits also facilitate the provision of federal assistance to
Alaska Native villages. These nonprofits, many of which are also
controlled by Alaska Natives, provide assistance related to a broad
range of areas, including justice issues, cultural and environmental
preservation, and educational and economic advancement. Some of these
nonprofits operate in one or more regions or on a subregional basis.
Appendix IV contains a listing of nonprofits other than those discussed
previously that received federal funding for the purpose of assisting
Alaska Native villages from 1998 through 2003.
Alaska Native villages also receive federal assistance that is passed
through by the state or local agencies. For example, federally
recognized Native villages may be part of communities that are
incorporated under state law as cities or boroughs. State of Alaska
data show that 124 Native villages are located within incorporated
cities. However, these cities provide government services, such as
water and sanitation, to Native village members that live in their
jurisdiction, which would otherwise most likely be provided by Native
villages. Likewise, some villages are located in organized boroughs
that provide services to villages and cities.[Footnote 14]
In 1998, Congress established the Denali Commission to address crucial
needs of rural Alaska communities, particularly isolated Alaska Native
villages. The commission is composed of a federal and a state co-chair
and representatives from local agencies, as well as Alaska Native
public and private entities.[Footnote 15] To carry out its work, the
commission receives an annual federal appropriation and funds that are
transferred from other federal agencies. The purpose of the commission
is to (1) deliver the services of the federal government in the most
cost-effective manner practicable; (2) provide job training and other
economic development services in rural communities; (3) and, promote
rural development and provide infrastructure such as water, sewer, and
communication systems. According to the commission's 2004 annual
report, rural Alaska communities often face serious challenges to
maintaining a sufficient energy supply, especially during the state's
harsh winters. Improving rural Alaska's energy infrastructure has been
the commission's primary focus since 1999.
Research Shows Improvement in the Social and Economic Condition of
Alaska Natives, but Some Problems Persist:
Although recent research shows improvement in the social and economic
condition of Alaska Natives, many problems persist. A 1989 report by
the University of Alaska's Institute of Social and Economic Research
documented that Alaska Natives were facing a number of social and
economic crises, such as high incidences of alcohol abuse, suicide,
homicide, and unemployment.[Footnote 16] The Alaska Natives Commission-
-a federal-state commission--reported similar findings in 1994. The
commission stated that because of the high rate of unemployment and
lack of economic opportunities for Alaska Natives, government programs
for the poor had become the foundation of many village economies. More
recently, a 2004 report found that conditions for Alaska Natives
improved in some areas, but that Alaska Natives still faced continuing
and new disparities.[Footnote 17] For example, the report indicated
that Alaska Natives have experienced improvements in health, such as
reductions in tuberculosis, due in part to improvement in water and
sewer systems; however, Natives continue to face health problems
related to alcohol abuse and other factors. Similarly, the report
indicated that Alaska Natives are making economic improvements, but
continue to have disproportionately high poverty rates compared with
non-Native Alaskans.
Alaska Native Villages and Regional Native Nonprofits Received Over $3
Billion in Federal Funding from 1998 through 2003:
From 1998 through 2003, Alaska Native villages and regional Native
nonprofits received more than $3 billion in funding from multiple
federal agencies, with HHS providing the majority of the
funding.[Footnote 18] Native villages received substantially less
funding than regional Native nonprofits, although Native villages had
slightly more diverse sources for funding. Additionally, a small number
of programs accounted for the majority of funding to villages and
regional Native nonprofits, and, similarly, a few villages and regional
Native nonprofits received the majority of federal funding. Combined
federal funding to Native villages and regional Native nonprofits
increased from about $512 million in 1999 to about $662 million in
2003. Alaska Native villages also benefited from federal funding
provided to nonprofit organizations that primarily provide assistance
to Alaska Natives, incorporated cities and boroughs that contain Native
villages, and the state of Alaska. Moreover, during state fiscal years
1998 through 2003, the state of Alaska passed through more than $105
million in federal funds to Native villages and regional Native
nonprofits.[Footnote 19]
Alaska Native Villages and Regional Native Nonprofits Received Over $3
Billion in Funding from Multiple Federal Agencies, with HHS the Largest
Single Provider of Funding:
Based on our analysis of information from FAADS, 17 federal agencies
provided about $3.5 billion in federal funding to Alaska Native
villages and regional Native nonprofits--ANCSA regional nonprofits,
regional health nonprofits, and regional housing authorities--from 1998
through 2003.[Footnote 20] As shown in figure 2, HHS provided 63
percent of the funding, and HUD, Interior, and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) provided slightly more than 30 percent; thus,
four agencies accounted for more than 90 percent of all direct federal
funding to villages and regional Native nonprofits. None of the other
13 agencies provided more than 1 percent of the total funding to
villages and regional Native nonprofits.
Figure 2: Percentage of Federal Funding to Alaska Native Villages and
Regional Native Nonprofits, by Agency, 1998-2003:
[See PDF for image]
[A] Other agencies include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
National Endowment for the Arts, Institute of Museum and Library
Services, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy,
Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Federal
Emergency Management Agency.
[End of figure]
The federally established Denali Commission, through its federal
appropriations, also provided assistance to rural Alaska communities,
including Alaska Native villages. From 1999 through 2003, Denali
obligated approximately $290 million, but Denali did not report the
grant amounts to the Census Bureau so that the information could be
included in FAADS. Denali officials said they were not aware of the
FAADS reporting requirement until recently.
Native Villages Received Substantially Less Funding Than Regional
Native Nonprofits, but Native Villages Received Their Funding from More
Sources:
Of the $3.5 billion provided to Alaska Native villages and regional
Native nonprofits, as shown in figure 3, federal agencies provided more
than $483 million (14 percent) in direct federal funding to 216 Alaska
Native villages and $3 billion (86 percent) to 33 regional Native
nonprofits from 1998 through 2003.
Figure 3: Federal Funding Provided to Villages and Regional Native
Nonprofits, 1998-2003:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Although regional Native nonprofits received more funding than Native
villages, the sources of major funding for villages were slightly more
diverse than for regional Native nonprofits. Specifically, Native
villages received direct funding from 16 agencies, with HHS, Interior,
EPA, and HUD providing about 84 percent. In comparison, regional Native
nonprofits received funding from 14 federal agencies, with HHS
accounting for 70 percent of the funding (see figs. 4 and 5).
Figure 4: Total Agency Funding to Alaska Regional Native Nonprofits and
Alaska Native Villages, 1998-2003:
[See PDF for image]
[A] Other agencies are the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Energy,
Environmental Protection Agency, Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National
Endowment for the Arts and the Corporation for National and Community
Service.
[B] Other agencies are the National Endowment for the Arts, Institute
of Museum and Library Services, Corporation for National and Community
Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Energy,
National Science Foundation, and Department of Labor.
[End of figure]
Regional Native nonprofits may receive more funding from HHS than
villages because regional Native nonprofits include regional health
organizations that receive funding from IHS to operate major medical
facilities such as hospitals. Under existing law, some villages are
restricted from receiving IHS funding in cases where they are located
in areas that are already served by an Alaska Native regional health
organization.[Footnote 21]
In contrast, Native villages received more funding from certain
agencies than regional Native nonprofits. The Departments of Commerce,
Justice, and Transportation (DOT) and EPA all provided more funding to
villages than to regional Native nonprofits. For example, EPA provided
$72 million to villages over the period, or over six times the amount
provided to regional Native nonprofits.
A Small Number of Programs Accounted for the Majority of Funding and a
Small Number of Both Native Villages and Regional Native Nonprofits
Received the Majority of the Funding:
While Native villages and regional Native nonprofits received different
amounts of funding, with different primary sources of funding, both
received the majority of their funding from a few programs. For
example, Native villages received funding from a total of 112 programs;
however, as shown in table 2, the top programs from nine agencies
providing the most funding accounted for about 64 percent of the
funding to all Native villages.
Table 2: Top Federal Programs, by Agency, Benefiting Native Villages:
Agency: HUD;
Program name (CFDA): Indian Housing Block Grants (14.867);
Total funding: $104,068,580;
Percentage of total funding: 22%.
Agency: EPA;
Program name (CFDA): Indian Environmental General Assistance Program
(66.926);
Total funding: $63,269,797;
Percentage of total funding: 13%.
Agency: HHS;
Program name (CFDA): Indian Health Service Health Management
Development Program (93.228)[A];
Total funding: $47,721,221;
Percentage of total funding: 10%.
Agency: Interior;
Program name (CFDA): Tribal Self-Governance (15.022);
Total funding: $45,500,244;
Percentage of total funding: 9%.
Agency: DOT;
Program name (CFDA): Airport Improvement Program (20.106);
Total funding: $17,545,183;
Percentage of total funding: 4%.
Agency: Commerce;
Program name (CFDA): Economic Adjustment Assistance (11.307);
Total funding: $11,705,345;
Percentage of total funding: 2%.
Agency: Justice;
Program name (CFDA): Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing
Grants (16.710)[B];
Total funding: $9,766,546;
Percentage of total funding: 2%.
Agency: USDA;
Program name (CFDA): Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural
Communities (10.760);
Total funding: $6,017,480;
Percentage of total funding: 1%.
Agency: Education;
Program name (CFDA): Alaska Native Educational Planning, Curriculum
Development, Teacher Training, and Recruitment Program (84.320)[C];
Total funding: $1,497,690;
Percentage of total funding:
