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- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.
New Funds Available to Expand the Tribal HUD-VASH Program
U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner today announced the availability of $2.2 million in additional funding through the Tribal HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program. This initiative provides vital rental assistance to Native American veterans who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness within Tribal communities nationwide.
The newly available funding comes from unspent Fiscal Year 2017 resources and will be used to expand rental assistance for eligible Native American veterans. HUD is now inviting Tribes and Tribal Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) to apply for these grant funds to enhance their support services.
HUD invites Tribes and Tribal Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) to apply for this expansion funding here.
The Tribal HUD-VASH program integrates HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance with case management and clinical support from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Currently, the program is providing housing for more than 500 veterans across 29 Tribal communities, with over 1,100 veterans served since its launch.
Both new applicants and current grantees are eligible to apply for additional funding to expand support for Native American veterans. Applications must be submitted by August 15, 2025.
FCC's Office Office of Native Affairs & Policy and Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to Host MMIP Webinar
In observance of this year’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day on May 5, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) will co-host a webinar. This informational opportunity will describe the new Missing and Endangered Persons (MEP) Emergency Alert System (EAS) event code. The MEP code could enable a more rapid and coordinated response to missing and endangered person incidents by allowing alert originators to use the EAS to issue a wider range of alerts, to get the word out about missing persons. Webinar information:
Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration: Interested participants must register in advance using the link below. After registering, you will receive a calendar invite with webinar information. Registration Link: https://fccgov.webex.com/
During the webinar, attendees will be provided with information about:
- What is the new MEP emergency alert code?
- What’s the timeline for implementation?
- What can people do now to prepare?
The presentation slide deck will be shared after the webinar.
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Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
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The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
