NDIA is launching the National Digital Navigator Corps for rural and Tribal communities through a multi-year $10 million grant from Google.org.  We will partner with 18 sites, including a minimum of six sites in Tribal communities and Indian Country. These sites will get our support in launching multi-year digital navigator programs – including in training, outreach, and data collection.

We are partnering with AMERIND, which provides solutions for Tribal broadband deployment. Located on the Pueblo of Santa Ana in New Mexico – a federal enclave – AMERIND Critical Infrastructure (ACI) assists Tribes in planning, building, and financing modern community broadband networks designed to bring 21st century connectivity to their peoples. ACI is a division of AMERIND, a federally chartered and Tribal government-owned risk management company.

ACI will gain a staff member dedicated to supporting digital navigator pilot sites across Indian Country.

The application period is complete and no future rounds of funding are scheduled at this time. You may sign-up to receive emails about any future funding opportunities that arise.

Established community-based organizations (e.g. social service agencies, libraries, and health clinics, etc.) and local agencies that serve rural or Tribal communities are eligible to apply to receive funds to create a digital navigator program.

We are using the definition from the U.S. Census Bureau to identify what a rural community as “any population, housing, or territory NOT in an urban area.”  Its definition of rural is closely tied to its urban definition. There are two types of urban areas: “Urbanized Areas” – population of 50,000 or more – “Urban Clusters” – population of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 – and “Nonmetro” does not mean rural.

Under 47 C.F.R. § 54.400(e), Tribal lands include any federally recognized Indian tribe’s reservation, pueblo or colony, including former reservations in Oklahoma; Alaska Native regions established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlements Act (85 Stat. 688); Indian Allotments; Hawaiian Home Lands—areas held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the state of Hawaii, pursuant to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, Act July 9, 1921, 42 Stat. 108, et seq., as amended; and any land designated as such by the Commission for purposes of this subpart pursuant to the designation process in § 54.412.  Please note this definition includes both rural and urban areas.

In addition to this definition, we use a more expansive definition also to include off-reservation Tribal trust lands.  This expanded definition has been supported by, for example, the National Congress of American Indians in resolutions and in pleadings to the FCC. We would be happy to discuss Hawaii-specific issues.  We would envision, for example, that a Digital Navigator in Hawaii would work with Native Hawaiians both on and off the Home Lands.

If you have any questions about the way Tribal communities are defined for this program, don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected]

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUyRJauILUU

Information about the digital navigator model is available on NDIA’s digital navigator model page. You can also review the recording of the March 9th informational webinar on this page, which includes an overview of digital navigators.

Please email NDIA at [email protected].