Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages

The Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development division. This initiative is rooted in federal legislative authority, specifically Section 306D of the Agricultural Act of 1961 and the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, and governed by 7 CFR 1784. Its mission is to improve public health, sanitation, and environmental conditions in some of the most remote and isolated communities in the United States by enhancing access to safe drinking water and waste disposal systems. This grant is specifically targeted at rural Alaskan villages, as well as the State of Alaska when applying on behalf of a rural village or hub. Eligible areas must have populations of 10,000 or fewer and median household incomes below 110 percent of the statewide non-metropolitan average, as determined by the most recent Census data. Applicants must also demonstrate a dire sanitation need, such as repeated outbreaks of waterborne communicable diseases or reliance on outhouses and manual water hauling due to the lack of a community-wide water and sewer system. Funding through this program may be used to cover up to 75 percent of the total project costs for establishing drinking water and waste disposal services. The remaining 25 percent must come from state or local sources, establishing a mandatory cost-sharing structure. These funds aim to mitigate the abnormally high costs of constructing utility infrastructure in remote Alaskan settings, where weather, terrain, and permafrost conditions can significantly complicate traditional engineering approaches. The program accepts applications on a rolling basis throughout the year. There is no specific deadline or opening date, allowing communities to initiate the application process at their convenience through their local USDA Rural Development office. All necessary application materials, guidance documents, and certifications are available online, streamlining access for potential applicants. There is no mention of specific pre-application deadlines or review cycles. Applications are assessed based on need and alignment with the program's core objective: addressing urgent sanitation issues in underserved Alaskan communities. There is no indication of a formal scoring rubric or set evaluation periods, which is consistent with the rolling nature of the program. Applicants seeking support or additional information are directed to contact Robert Chambers, Community Programs Director, by email at robert.chambers@usda.gov or by phone at (907) 761-7770. This initiative exemplifies USDA Rural Development’s commitment to closing infrastructure gaps in the nation’s most isolated regions. By focusing on basic human services like water access and waste management, this program plays a critical role in enhancing quality of life, protecting public health, and promoting economic resilience in rural Alaskan communities, many of which are inaccessible by road and experience logistical challenges that are unique to arctic and sub-arctic environments.