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 FEATURED PROGRAM |
Our featured program this month is the UPGTI's
Transportation Learning Network, headquartered in Bismarck, ND. TLN offers a diverse variety of presentations, ranging from effective leadership and creative problem solving to construction management and work safety training. For more than 15 years the TLN has supported quality transportation through a network of people and technology that serves Transportation Learning Network members by enhancing technology transfer, communication, education, professional development, and research.
"Our partnership with the North Dakota Local Technical Assistance Program (NDLTAP) also assures we keep most of our presentations applicable to local governments and tribal road authorities," notes program director Tim Horner.
- Coordinates dissemination of technology transfer and transportation-related learning to departments of transportation in MT, ND, SD, WY.
- Partners with NDLTAP on this tech transfer effort
- NDLTAP partners participate in all four states.
- Tribal transportation officials are eligible to attend sessions under the LTAP/TTAP umbrella
- Delivers the tech transfer and learning via fixed-site video conferences, desktop-based webinars and self-paced modules.
- NDLTAP assists with identifying presenters and facilitating speakers and webinars.
- Delivers approximately 50 video conferences or webinars per year in partnership with NDLTAP.
- Manages a learning management system (LMS) that provides access to recordings of more than 150 past technical and professional development presentations accessible from your desktop PC.
- Provides access to more than 80 self-paced modules on various transportation based technical topics via the LMS.
- Provides a presentation marketing environment through NDLTAP's email and outreach campaigns. Customers can enroll for updates through the NDLTAP webpage.
Below is a map of TLN's
service area. Dots are video conference sites, mostly in DOT facilities
TLN offers three different ways to learn, depending on the agency's preference and accessibility: video conference, web-based training and webinars.
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What's Happening in Tribal Outreach
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| A mission and vision were recently defined for UGPTI's Tribal Outreach effort. Additionally, we have developed a technical assistance form that can be accessed here. We encourage our readers to fill out the form and submit online to get additional information on the programs and services we offer. Look for updated information on Tribal Programs Outreach on the the UGPTI website soon!
Mission:
The Tribal Outreach effort improves safe transportation of people and goods on tribal reservations to enhance livability, community and cultural values through increased accessibility to employment, workforce development opportunities, education, healthcare and housing.
Vision:
The Tribal Outreach effort will be a leader in facilitating improvements in tribal transportation to enhance livability, community and cultural values for reservation residents.
Initially, the effort will offer outreach in:
- funding opportunities
- grant writing assistance
- training (workforce development, youth, education, technology)
- program/resource assistance
- partnership/collaborative opportunities
- outreach task force
- monthly newsletter
Other resources and services will be offered as they become available.
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Tribal Outreach Task Force
The UGPTI recently initiated a Tribal Outreach program to aid local and regional Native Nations in establishing and maintaining specific programs to enhance tribal livability, community, and cultural values. UGPTI recognizes that livability as a whole is a broad concept, so we have narrowed our focus specifically to issues that have negatively affected tribal communities.
The objective of this task force is to afford an opportunity for tribal representatives and agencies with a vested interest in improving tribal livability with a platform to identify areas of concern (transportation, health care, education, employment, poverty, etc.), to sustain cultural and historic preservation, and to improve tribal to state relations.
We are in the process of confirming volunteers and are looking to host an introductory conference call in March. We would like to have a representative from each tribal nation involved; so if you, or someone you know, may be interested, please
contact me as soon as possible to get involved. Currently, we have confirmed members from ND DOT, American Indian Public Health Resource Center, a ND legislator on the Transportation Committee, USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA), MHA Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, and others within NDSU.
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USDA/FSA Partnership
The Institute's tribal outreach effort is gaining ground and with that comes new opportunities for collaboration. The North Dakota state office of USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Fargo is teaming up with us to provide outreach to tribal communities with agricultural interests. If you're interested in farming, ranching or other aspects of agriculture, FSA can help in a variety of ways. Look for future collaborative opportunities soon.
USDA Offers Targeted Farm Loan Funding
for Underserved Groups and Beginning Farmers
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers that FSA offers targeted farm ownership and farm operating loans to assist under-served applicants as well as beginning farmers and ranchers.
USDA defines underserved applicants as a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of the group without regard to their individual qualities. For farm loan program purposes, targeted underserved groups are women, African Americans, American Indians and Alaskan Natives, Hispanics and Asians and Pacific Islanders.
Underserved or beginning farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain commercial credit from a bank can apply for either FSA direct loans or guaranteed loans. Direct loans are made to applicants by FSA. Guaranteed loans are made by lending institutions who arrange for FSA to guarantee the loan. FSA can guarantee up to 95 percent of the loss of principal and interest on a loan. The FSA guarantee allows lenders to make agricultural credit available to producers who do not meet the lender's normal underwriting criteria.
The direct and guaranteed loan program provides for two types of loans: farm ownership loans and farm operating loans. In addition to customary farm operating and ownership loans, FSA now offers Microloans through the direct loan program. The focus of Microloans is on the financing needs of small, beginning farmer, niche and non-traditional farm operations. Microloans are available for both ownership and operating finance needs. To learn more about microloans, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/microloans.
To qualify as a beginning producer, the individual or entity must meet the eligibility requirements outlined for direct or guaranteed loans. Additionally, individuals and all entity members must have operated a farm for less than 10 years. Applicants must materially or substantially participate in the operation.
For more information on FSA's farm loan programs and targeted underserved and beginning farmer guidelines, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/farmloans.
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In continuing its tribal outreach effort, UGPTI has team with the American Indian Public Health Resource Center (AIPHRC) at NDSU.
AIPHRC's mission is to address American Indian public health disparities through technical assistance, policy development, self-determination feasibility analysis, education, research, and programming in partnership with tribes in North Dakota, across the Northern Plains, and the nation.
Our collaborative effort will address increasing accessibility to public health care and sharing research to benefit both public health and transportation sectors.
The AIPHRC provides the following technical assistance:
- Cultural capacity building
- Tribal public health capacity building
- Assessing service and program priorities
- Assessing tribal priorities related to health disparities
- Conducting community assessments
- Strategic planning
- Grant writing
- Developing public health resources
- Developing public health programs
- Developing public health education programs
- Developing tribal research agendas
- Developing tribally driven policies
- 638 feasibility assessment
- Stakeholder group/coalition recruitment, facilitation and development
Please request technical assistance by clicking
here.
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Scholarships, Internships and Career Opportunities
Part of our effort is to keep you up-to-date on funding opportunities, including scholarship, career and internship postings. This month's focus is on providing potential undergraduate and graduate students with possible funding for the 2017-2018 academic year.
The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) just posted a list of
scholarship opportunities for undergraduates and graduates ranging from $1,000 to $10,000! The first round of deadlines is March 15.
Fellowship opportunities are also available for American Indian studies. The American Philosophical Society just received a Mellon grant to fund
various positions for researchers working at tribal colleges and in Native communities. The deadline is March 1.
The Center for Native Youth is offering one full-tuition and resident scholarship for a Native high school student to attend Columbia University's three-week Summer Immersion Program in New York City. Please encourage high school students to apply soon!
If you have educational or workforce development opportunities that you would like to advertise, please email us.
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