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Rural and Native American Funding
Many funding programs are targeted specifically for rural and Native American communities and many of these programs could be applied to smart growth activities (e.g., economic development, environmental restoration, community development). Several such programs are listed here.
Improving the Capability of Indian Tribal Governments to Regulate Environmental
Quality (DHHS): 
This program provides financial assistance to: (1) advance
tribal capacity and capability to plan for, develop, and implement enhancements
to tribal environmental regulatory infrastructure required to support a
tribal environmental program and to regulate and enforce environmental
activities on Indian lands; (2) develop regulations, ordinances and laws
to protect the environment; (3) to develop the technical and program capacity
to carry out a comprehensive tribal environmental program and perform essential
environmental program functions; (4) develop technical and program capability
to monitor compliance and enforcement of tribal environmental regulations,
ordinances, and laws; and (5) ensure the tribal court system enforcement
requirements are developed in concert with and support the tribe's comprehensive
environmental program. Contacts: Jeanette Clyburn, 202-690-6326
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (EPA/American Indian
Environmental Office):
This program provides financial assistance to Indian
tribal governments and intertribal consortia to develop and administer
environmental regulatory and multimedia programs on Indian lands. The primary
purpose of these grants is to support the development of elements of a
core environmental program, such as providing for tribal capacity building
to ensure an environmental presence for identifying programs and projects;
fostering compliance with federal environmental statutes by developing
appropriate tribal environmental programs, ordinances, and services; and
establishing a communications capability to work with federal, state, local,
and other tribal environmental officials. Contacts: Ed Liu, 202-260-7939
National Forest-Dependent Rural Communities (USDA/Forest Service):
The program provides accelerated assistance to rural communities faced
with acute economic problems associated with federal, state or private
sector resource management decisions and policies, that are located in
or near a national forest, and that are economically dependent upon forest
resources. Assistance is extended to these rural communities to help
them develop strategic action plans to diversify their economic base and
to improve the economic, social, and environmental well-being of rural
areas. Contacts: regional or local office, 202- 205-1657
Rural Business Opportunity Grants (USDA/Rural Business-Cooperative
Service):
This program promotes sustainable economic development
in rural communities with exceptional needs. Contacts: regional or
local office or Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Specialty Lenders Division,
202-720-1400
Rural Development, Forestry, and Communities (USDA/Forest Service):
The purpose of this program is to help rural areas analyze and assess forest
resource opportunities, review, and maximize their local economic potential,
and diversify their economic base. Contacts: Regional or Local Office,
202-205-1657
Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education (USDA):
The
purpose of this program is to: (1) facilitate and increase scientific investigation
and education to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers, and
toxic materials in agricultural production; (2) to improve management of
on-farm resources to enhance productivity, profitability, and competitiveness;
(3) to promote crop, livestock, and enterprise diversification; (4) to
study farms that have been and continue to be managed using farm practices
that optimize the use of on-farm resources and conservation practices;
and (5) to promote partnerships among farmers, nonprofit organizations,
agribusiness, and public and private research and extension institutions.
Contacts: Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education,
and Extension Service, 202-720-5203