The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs recently announced funding for the Living Language Grant Program to preserve Native languages.
The grant program was announced earlier this month during a visit by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and First Lady Jill Biden to the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, according to a news release. The grants are part of a larger initiative to ensure the rights of Native Americans to practice and develop Native languages.
“Preserving Native languages is fundamental to preserving all aspects of Tribal cultures and traditions,” Bryan Newland, assistant secretary, Indian Affairs, said in the news release.
For many years, Native American leaders have expressed concern about losing touch with their traditions, including native languages. As a result, the release noted this concern has made native language preservation a priority because these languages are a key part of a tribe’s cultural identity. Newland stressed in the release that this is where the grant program comes in.
“The Living Languages Grant Program can help sustain Indigenous knowledge that can only be transmitted through Tribal languages,” he said.
Grant details, including the application can be found in the Federal Register or online at Grants.gov. The Indian Affairs' Office of Indian Economic Development hopes to fund 15 to 60 grants, and awards could range from $25,000 to $200,000, the release stated.
“I encourage tribes interested in developing their language preservation programs to apply under this solicitation,” Newland said.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs also noted that federally registered tribes and tribal groups can apply to fund language courses and immersion programs for Native American students who are not attending a Bureau of Indian Education school.
Only federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations can apply for the grants, according to the release.
For more information on the grant program, contact Dennis Wilson, Division of Economic Development grants manager, by email at Dennis.wilson@bia.gov, or the Office of Indian Economic Development at 505-917-3235.
