Federal Grant Award Summary

Aaniiih Nakoda College received a $900,000 Project Grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Native Americans (CFDA 93.612 - Native American Programs) awarded on September 30, 2025, with a completion date of September 29, 2028. The grant supports the Community-Driven Health Access and Workforce Development initiative, which expands nursing and allied health programs at the college to address critical healthcare workforce shortages on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Primary deliverables include expanded Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training, trauma-informed care curriculum development, critical care clinicals, and emergency preparedness education for nursing students. All programming is designed through a culturally-grounded approach incorporating the Medicine Wheel and traditional Native American community knowledge, with guidance from a Nursing Advisory Committee comprised of local healthcare professionals, elders, and traditional leaders.

The project targets low-income, first-generation Native American students enrolled in the Aniinen and Nakoda Nations, providing comprehensive services including classroom instruction, clinical placements, certification support, and curriculum development. By cultivating locally-trained healthcare providers who understand and respect community traditions, the initiative directly addresses Fort Belknap's documented health disparities—including high rates of chronic illness, mental health challenges, and limited access to trusted care—while building economic self-sufficiency and long-term community resilience in a geographically isolated region.