Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs Announces $2,498,545 in Grant Funding for American Samoa

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) has announced $2,498,545 in fiscal year (FY) 2023 Technical Assistance Program grant funds that will help support American Samoa.

“We are pleased to fund these impactful projects and proposals for the benefit of the people of American Samoa,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor. “Funds will support business development, port management, grants management, tuna policies, and healthy youth.” 

Technical Assistance Program grant awards totaling $1,684,545 will be awarded to the territorial government as follows:  

• $325,000 to the Department of Commerce for the Financial Services Market Study/Business Plan project; 
• $265,000 to the Department of Port Administration for the Port Workflow Invoice System project;
• $200,985 to the Department of Commerce for the Building Grant Writing and Grant Administration Capacity project;
• $200,000 to the Department of Commerce for the Fisheries Workforce Development and Business Incubation program; 
• $190,000 to the Office of the Governor for the Modernizing Office Workflow Technology and Information Systems project;
• $174,000 to the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources to support the development of the Tuna Management Policy with the hiring of a senior policy analyst;
• $167,400 to the Department of Port Administration for the Harbor Pilot training program;
• $122,270 to the Department of Parks and Recreation for the “Parks N Rec Kid” Summer Camp project; and  
• $39,890 to the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority to provide backup batteries for remote LTE sites. 

OIA is also awarding $814,000 in TAP funding to semi-autonomous agencies, educational institutions, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the benefit of American Samoa as follows: 

• $275,000 to the American Samoa Power Authority for the Operations Training and Development program;
• $239,000 to the Bureau of Reclamation for the Hydraulic Analyses and Water Resource Project to address water security challenges in American Samoa;
• $200,000 to the American Samoa Community College for the Computer Science Technology Equipment project; and
• $100,000 to the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center for Management Information System Training for IT Technicians.  

For more information, visit the OIA website at www.doi.gov/oia.

The Assistant Secretary of Insular and International Affairs and the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) carry out the Secretary of the Interior’s responsibilities for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, OIA administers and oversees federal assistance under the Compacts of Free Association to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. OIA also administers a discretionary Technical Assistance Program for all the Insular Areas. Find information about OIA and its work on www.doi.gov/oia, Facebook, and Twitter.

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