Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation seal

The Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation received its first installment of American Rescue Plan Act dollars, roughly $10.3 million, the tribe announced Thursday.

From a Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation news release:

June 10, 2021 Smith River, CA 95567 Smith River, Ca –On May 20, 2021 the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation received the first installment of our share of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in the amount of $10,322,894. This round of funding is equal to 65% of the total funding allocated and is based on our percentage of Tribal citizens compared to the total enrolled Tribal member census count for the United States. We expect to receive a second installment, which we haven’t received, based on our total employee count for all the Nation’s employees both enterprises and government. This amount will be the remainder of the 35% of the total ARPA Tribal allocation.

The purpose of these ARPA funds are to support public health, address the negative economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, replace lost revenues, and invest in critical infrastructure improvements. In accordance with the Interim Final Rule, these dollars can be used for costs from March 21, 2021 through December 31, 2024. The extended timeline will allow for a strategic investment plan to develop projects based on the eligible categories listed above.

In addition to the above funds, the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation is vigorously working to secure supplementary program-specific funding from federal agencies that are also included in the ARPA. There are twenty-seven (27) Tribal specific provisions in the Act which will provide an investment in Indian Country of over $31 billion. Tribal governments have suffered through years of inadequate funding for a majority of our Tribal programs. This Act will allow for many Tribal programs to receive program-specific funding to assist in our response and mitigation of the impacts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Programs such as Housing, TANF, Child Development, Health & Wellness and Education have submitted funding applications or requests.

The Tribal Council wishes to thank our citizens for their continued patience as we work through the planning process to obligate these funds in accordance with federal requirements and guidelines. This monumental opportunity deserves appropriate time and consideration to strategize the best use of ARPA allocations in a way that will create long-term lasting impacts for the Nation’s citizens and our future generations.

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