Samish Indian Nation

Samish Indian Nation, doing business as Samish Nation, is a federally recognized Indian tribe headquartered in Anacortes, Washington, that operates as a grant recipient across health and human services, environmental protection, cultural resource management, library services, and infrastructure programs. The tribe holds no federal contracts or contract vehicles and competes exclusively in federal grant programs, where it serves as prime recipient on 214 awards (91% of its portfolio) and as sub-recipient on 20 awards (9%).

The tribe's primary capability footprint centers on community social services, elder care, early childhood education, environmental stewardship, and cultural preservation. Representative prime grant work includes a $1.589 million five-year Head Start and Early Head Start award (CFDA 93.600) from the Office of Head Start, effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031, delivering educational, health, nutritional, and social services to low-income American Indian children and families; a $600,000 five-year cooperative agreement from EPA Region 10 (CFDA 66.121) for Puget Sound habitat restoration, stormwater pollution prevention, and nearshore marine habitat restoration in Fidalgo Bay and Guemes Island, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030; and a $206,840 three-year formula grant from the Administration on Aging (CFDA 93.047) for nutrition, supportive, and caregiver services to tribal elders aged 60 and older, effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029. The tribe also holds recurring formula grants under the Older Americans Act Title VI for Native Americans, the OAA Nutrition Services Incentive Program, Native American caregiver support, the Child Care and Development Fund, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Historic Preservation Fund (THPO), and library services through the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Customer concentration sits heavily with the Department of Health and Human Services, which accounts for the plurality of awards across its Administration for Children and Families and Administration for Community Living subdivisions. The portfolio spans 44 distinct federal agencies, with the top customer agencies by award count covering 45% of all prime and sub awards. Sub-recipient work flows through state pass-through entities including the Health Care Authority (behavioral health services), the Superintendent of Public Instruction (child nutrition programs), the Washington State Department of Commerce (crime victim services), and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (Puget Sound restoration and tribal implementation coordination).

Award activity has averaged 11–16 per year over the past four years, with eight awards (including library services, environmental programs, and LIHEAP support) reaching ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months and therefore facing renewal or recompete. The tribe holds a mature grant portfolio of 234 total awards with $108.1 million in combined obligated dollars, making it a substantive recipient of federal social services, environmental restoration, and cultural preservation funding focused on tribal and low-income community benefit in Washington State.