In Program Year 2005 (July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006), the Section 166 Indian and Native American (INA) program assisted 17,115 low income and unemployed Native Americans with occupational skills training, employment related training, and other employment related services. Of the 17,115 individuals that participated in the program, 12,539 participants exited the program after completing training or receiving an employment related service. Of the 12,539 exiters: 7,143 (57.0 percent) were placed in jobs. 10,834 (86.4 percent) recorded a positive exit, meaning that they were placed in jobs, successfully completed their training, or entered a training program (s) not funded by Section 166. On average, individuals who exited with a job increased their hourly wage rate by $4.80. In addition, 6,103 Native American youth participated in the INA youth program.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funds may be utilized for employment and training programs and services, including classroom training, on the job training, training assistance, work experience, youth employment programs, day care, health care, job search, relocation, and transportation allowances designed to assist eligible participants to obtain employment.

There are specified restrictions on the amount of grant funds which can be used for administrative costs.

Supplemental youth funds may be utilized to provide employment and training activities that assist youth in achieving academic and employment success.

Such activities may include; mentoring, career exploration, work experience, community service, education programs including cultural education, leadership development and supportive services.

Funds are restricted to Native American youth and Native Hawaiian youth between the ages of 14 and 21 living on or near reservations and the States of Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Administrative costs are limited to 15% but are negotiable up to 20% upon prior agency approval.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Federally-recognized Indian Tribal Governments, bands or groups, Alaska Native villages or groups (as defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C.

1602(b)), Hawaiian Native communities meeting the eligibility criteria, and Native American Organizations (public bodies or private nonprofit agencies) selected by the Secretary on a competitive basis.

Tribes, bands, and groups may also form consortia in order to qualify for designation as a grantee.

An independently eligible grantee shall be a Federally-recognized tribe or other Indian or Native American entity which has: (1) A governing body as defined in 20 CFR 668.200(a); (2) (for new grantees) an identifiable Native American resident population sufficient to generate the funding level(s) outlined at 20 CFR 668.200(a)(3) within its designated service area; and (3) the capability to administer Indian and Native American employment and training programs as outlined at 20 CFR 668.220.

Detailed requirements for consortium grantee applicants are set forth at 20 CFR 668.200(b).

Supplemental funding is automatically awarded to entities that serve Native American youth and Native Hawaiian youth living on or near reservations, and the States of Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Beneficiary Eligibility

American Indians (members of federally- recognized Indian tribes, bands, and groups); other individuals of Native American descent, such as, but not limited to, the Klamaths in Oregon, Micmac and Maliseet in Maine, the Lumbees in North Carolina and South Carolina; Indians variously described as terminated or landless, Eskimos and Aleuts in Alaska, and Hawaiian Natives. ("Hawaiian Native" means an individual any of whose ancestors were natives prior to 1778 of the area which now comprises the State of Hawaii.) Applicants must also be economically disadvantaged, unemployed, or underemployed. A Native American grantee may in some cases enroll participants who are not economically disadvantaged, unemployed, or underemployed in upgrading and retraining programs. See 20 CFR 668.300(b)(4) and (5). Native American youth between the ages of 14 and 21 who live on or near a reservation or in the States of Oklahoma, Alaska, and Hawaii and are low income, are eligible to receive supplemental youth services.

Credentials/Documentation

An entity requesting to apply for a grant must submit a notification of intent to apply biennially. Consortium applicants must include a formal consortium agreement with attachments specified in 20 CFR 668.200. A Comprehensive Services Plan is to be submitted by the designated grantees. It will include, among other things: (1) a program narrative description; (2) a planning summary; and (3) a brief budget summary. Individuals requesting services through this grant must provide documentation of Native American Descent such and Certificate Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB). Individuals must also provide documentation that they are low income or unemployed, or working part-time but are seeking full-time work or employed in a job that is not commensurate with the individual's demonstrated level of education or skill achievement. Males eligible for Selective Service must provide proof of registration. Youth receiving services under the Supplemental Youth Services Program (SYSP) must be low income and be between the age of 14 and 21.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

The standard application forms (SF-424) as furnished by the Federal agency must be used for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

The Employment and Training Administration publishes a Solicitation for Grant Application (SGA) in the Federal Register every two years. The SGA provides the application and award process for interested entities to apply for funding to serve specified geographic areas. The latest SGA was published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2006, and can be found on the Internet at: http://www.doleta.gov/dinap/cfml/docs/CompetitionWaivers.cfm. After prospective grantees have filed a notice of intent, and new applicants have additionally provided the information cited in 20 CFR 668.240, designation decisions are made. Subsequently, designated grantees must submit a Comprehensive Services Plan to the Employment and Training Administration, Office of Workforce Investment, Indian and Native American Programs (INAP), Department of Labor. In addition, grantees must describe the administrative, planning, and operational elements needed to implement a WIA Section 166 program. Instructions for completing these documents are issued by the Employment and Training Administration through a Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL).

Award Procedures

Grants will be made directly to eligible grantees for their service areas.

Deadlines

Notices of intent to apply for a grant are due by October 1 of every odd-numbered year. Designation decisions are made by March 1 of the following even-numbered year. Submission of the Comprehensive Services Plan generally occurs in mid-March or April, after designated grantees have been notified of their approximate allocation amount.

Authorization

Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Title I, Subtitle D, Section 166 and Subtitle B, Chapter 2; Public Law 105-220; 112 Stat. 936; 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 30 to 90 days.

Appeals

Applicants will be notified of approval or disapproval of the Comprehensive Services Plan and if disapproved, given a reasonable time to make adjustments and resubmit the Plan. Final disapproval of an application or plan submitted by a designated grantee will not be made without affording the grantee an opportunity for reconsideration.

Renewals

Grant awards may be renewed annually, while designation as a grantee applies for two years.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no matching requirements. All of WIA Section 166 funds are distributed by formula codified at 20 CFR 668.296 based on the number of unemployed Indians and other Native Americans within the grantee's geographic service area and the number of members of Indian and other Native American households whose income is at or below the poverty level, within the grantee's geographic service area. Supplemental Youth Services funding is similarly distributed to grant recipients based on the number of Native American youth between the ages of 14 and 21 living in poverty on reservation areas or the States of Oklahoma, Alaska, or Hawaii, in the grant recipient's designated service area.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Funds are made available through annual program year grants. The program year runs from July 1 to June 30, except that the Supplemental Youth Services Program runs from April 1 to March 31. Funds obligated for any program year may be expended by each recipient during the program year and the two succeeding program years.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Grant recipients must submit quarterly financial reports and quarterly participant reports to the Employment and Training Administration.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133, (Rev. June 27, 2003) "Audits of states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards in a year will have a single or program specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities which receive less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records and all other pertinent records shall normally be retained for a period of three years after the grant is closed out. Participant records shall be retained for five years. Records must be retained longer in certain cases, such as when audit findings have not been resolved.

Financial Information

Account Identification

16-0174-0-1-504.

Obigations

FY 07 $69,000,000; FY 08 est $67,000,000; FY 09 est $58,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

CSP (Adult Program) $15,071 to $5,951,298. Average: $296,660 (PY 06 actual average). SYSP (Youth Program) $2,415 to $2,904,164. Average: $102,228 (PY 06 actual average).

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Federal Register, Volume 65, No. 156, Friday, August 11, 2000, 20 CFR Parts 667 and 668 (20 CFR 652 et al.), Employment and Training Administration, United States Department of Labor.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Not applicable.

Headquarters Office

Indian and Native American Programs, Division of Adult Services, Office of Workforce Investment, Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, Room S-4209, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-3046 Fax: (202) 693-3818.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Selection criteria are described in the regulations and DINAP administrative instructions issued biennially in the Solicitation for Grant Application published in the Federal Register. In general, designation is based on the regulatory requirements found at 20 CFR 668.210, 668.220, and 668.230, concerning legal status, ability to administer Federal funds, and prior experience and success in providing employment and training services to the client population. In addition, the other requirements for designation found at 20 CFR Part 668, Subpart B, must also be met.