The alaska native village corporation association (anvca) will assist EPA to achieve its alaska native claims settlement act (ancsa) objectives through the work conducted under this project

In 2023 anvca was listed to receive a congressionally directed appropriation through for $250,000 to support capacity building and facilitating communications. The allocation of congressionally directed funds for capacity building within anvca is a crucial step towards reenergizing the organization after a challenging period due to the covid-19 pandemic and the resignation of the previous executive director. Anvca will leverage IT's membership and network to bring together strategic partnerships with alaska tribal leadership. This project will also help anvca stabilize IT's workforce by conducting succession planning. Additionally, anvca is uniquely positioned to provide technical assistance to its members and non-members when they conduct procurement for contractual services in the event of successful award of an EPA ancsa lands assistance agreement grant.activities:anvca holds an annual symposium on critical issues facing village corporations and is attended by its large membership and non-members. The 2024 symposium focused on contaminated lands, particularly ancsa conveyed lands. Anvca will attend environmental conferences like alaska tribal conference on environmental management and meet with lawmakers in alaska and washington d.c to advocate for additional funding for alaska native village corporations and to provide updates on the program; anvca will have a booth at the alaska federation of natives annual convention. Anvca will participate in three to five community hub and roundtable sessions on contaminated lands program alongside federal, state, and non-profit stakeholders at hub communities in regional parts of the state to engage with native communities on their priority contaminated sites. Anvca will participate and attend meetings and conferences with the ancsa contaminated lands working group. Anvca will occasionally host 'fishnet' lunches on key subjects effecting alaska native corporations (ancs). One fishnet lunch will be dedicated to the contaminated lands topic. Historically when alaska receives large amounts of governmental funding for tribes and village corporations, there are entities that TRY to take advantage and do not perform the work nor meet the ultimate needs of the village. Often misallocating funds and resources for their own benefit. Anvca acts as a firewall to prevent those predatory businesses, by its vast network of proven businesses who have successfully worked within the alaska native communities. The anvca will also serve as a watchdog for predatory practices. Anvca will maintain a list of qualified organizations that do business in alaska for environmental clean-up. This list will be provided to village corporations when seeking contractual services. Research on firms not known within the alaska market place review their projects and references. Anvca will conduct succession planning and capacity building for long-term management of the association. Anvca will work to hire staff with to fill permanent roles.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:expected deliverables include BI-weekly meeting participation, holding annual symposium gathering stakeholders in tribal and village corporations to discuss common issues, participating in the ancsa contaminated lands working group, facilitate and document communication to support those village corporations that request support of the drafting of a strategic development of a contaminated land cleanup plan, facilitate communication with federal and state delegation leadership to ensure the growth of the contaminated lands program, a semi-annual and final annual report documenting tasks accomplished. Other deliverables include conducting watchdog consultations for successful EPA ancsa lands as