Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs Announces $3,473,362 in FY2022 Grant Support to the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs has announced $3,473,362 in fiscal year 2022 Technical Assistance Program and Maintenance Assistance Program grant funding that will benefit the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands through government and public semi-autonomous organizations.
“We are pleased to support the Northern Mariana Islands with support to build capacity of government employees and acquire heavy equipment needed to improve public services,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor. “This important grant funding is also crucial in helping support safety in schools for the students, improve hospital services, and support food security initiatives.”
The Technical Assistance Program grants totaling $2,385,622 will be provided to the following offices and organizations to benefit the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) as follows: 

• $298,081 - Office of the Governor to support the Marianas Resilience and Sustainability

Planning Group which aims to develop policy solutions and recommendations on
matters affecting the CNMI and Guam on issues such as climate change, the labor
market, health, economic initiatives, natural resources, the military buildup in the CNMI,
education, renewable energy, and areas for collaboration across the Mariana Islands.

• $180,669 - Office of Grants Management & State Clearinghouse to build local capacity of

government agencies in the CNMI in competing for and managing federal funds which
help support improvement of roads and highways, broadband and telecommunications,
blue and green infrastructure, renewable energy, and legacy pollution among other areas.

• $551,612 - Department of Finance to complete the development and implementation of its

Revenue Management Information System.

• $45,348 - Department of Commerce to fund a climate change and environmental literacy

workshop for up to 500 government employees to develop knowledge and understanding
of climate change and its impacts at the environmental, economic, and societal level. The
aim is to help promote and implement climate-friendly policies and procedures across the
government.

• $106,763 - Municipality of Rota to bolster the Rota Aquaponics Initiative in the planting,

growing, and harvesting of aquaponic plants and fish, which contributes to developing
food security on the island.

• $214,946 – Rota Department of Fire and Emergency Services to finalize completion of the

Emergency Responders Radio Repeater Site Security and Improvement Project

• $468,120 - Commonwealth Ports Authority
  • $356,120 to purchase a Light Rescue Utility Truck for the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Department at the Saipan International Airport.
  • $112,000 for fire system upgrades and sprinkler repair in the Customs and Border Protection’s Federal Inspection Service area at the Saipan International Airport.
• $293,025 - Commonwealth Utilities Corporation
  • $152,625 to develop capacity in grant writing and grant management and improve opportunities to secure funding from federal agencies to help replace aging energy infrastructure and bring cleaner green energy to the Commonwealth.
  • $140,400 to train and certify employees to meet local and federal regulatory certification guidelines in water and wastewater management.
• $227,058 - Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation
  • $157,664 to upgrade the hospital’s Public Address System, now 25 years old.
  • $ 69,394 to expand dental services from Saipan to the islands of Tinian and Rota through an inter-island tele-dentistry program.

The Maintenance Assistance Program grants totaling $1,087,740 will be provided to the following agencies in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as follows: 

• $403,146 - CNMI Public Schools for deferred school maintenance on Saipan and Tinian.
• $339,937 - Department of Public Works to acquire an 18-Wheeler Tractor and Trailer Flat Bed

for use to service roadway and stormwater drainage systems, especially necessary
following storms and natural disasters.

• $262,600 - Commonwealth Utilities Corporation to acquire a Backhoe Loader and a Water

Pipe Trencher to support work in repairing leaks, pipe-laying, drainage access, etc.

• $82,057 - Municipality of Tinian & Aguiguan for renovation of the public restrooms at Jones

Beach, a popular site on-island where families gather for social occasions.

The Office of Insular Affairs’ Technical Assistance Program will complete its final reviews of applications and recommendations for fiscal year 2022 grant awards by early September. OIA reviews applications and the Assistant Secretary makes decisions to award based on a variety of factors, including the merit review factors included in the grant announcement on www.grants.gov under CFDA #15.875, recommendations from the leadership from each of the Insular Areas, and letters of support for the projects. Consideration is also given to equity and fairness across all the island areas. 

More information about the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs can be found at www.doi.gov/oia. For specific information about grants provided through the Office of Insular Affairs visit www.grants.gov and search for number 15.875 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

The Assistant Secretary for 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, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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