(SitNews) Washington, D. C. - The Native American Business Incubators Program Act signed into law last week provides essential services such as workspace, collaborative environments, comprehensive business skills training, and access to professional networks that will help increase the availability of startup capital for Alaska Native communities and tribal organizations across the country.

These services are funded through three-year grants to entities with ties to Native communities, higher education institutions, and other related organizations.  This legislation was cosponsored by Congressman Don Young (R-AK).

“My late wife, my children, and my grandchildren are all Alaska Native. To me, breaking the cycle of poverty in Indian Country isn’t just an important policy goal, it’s personal,” said Congressman Young.

Young said, “This legislation helps empower Indigenous entrepreneurs and boost investment in our Alaska Native communities. I am proud to have helped it get across the finish line, and I am grateful to President Trump for signing it into law. Tackling poverty and expanding opportunity in Native communities will continue to be a priority of mine. In Congress, I will always stand up for Alaska Natives and their entrepreneurial goals.”

Poverty and unemployment rates in tribal communities are nearly triple the national average. Federal programs designed to support the social and economic well-being of Native Americans remain chronically underfunded and sometimes inefficiently structured, which leaves many basic needs in Native communities unmet, and contributes ongoing inequities.

On the Web:

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Congressman Don Young
www.donyoung.house.gov

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

SitNews ©2020
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews are considered protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper freelance writers and subscription services. E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.