Press Release

American Rescue Plan Act and Funding for Tribal Governments
Credit given to Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development at hpaied@hks.harvard.edu

The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development and the Native Nations Institute release a policy brief on the allocation and administration of American Rescue Plan Act Funding for American Indian tribal governments.

April 9, 2021, Cambridge MA – A team of researchers from Harvard and the University of Arizona released a policy brief with recommendations for the allocation and administration of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)Funding for American Indian tribal governments.

The American Rescue Plan Act provides the largest infusion of federal funding for Indian Country in the history of the United States.  More than $32 billion dollars is directed toward assisting American Indian nations and communities as they work to end and recover from the devastating COVID-19 pandemic – which was made worse in Indian Country precisely because such funding is long overdue.

Below, we set out recommendations which we hope will promote the wise and productive allocation of ARPA funds to the nation’s 574 federally recognized American Indian tribes.  We see ARPA as a potential “Marshall Plan” for the revitalization of Indian nations.  The Act holds the promise of materially remedying at least some of the gross, documented, and long-standing underfunding of federal obligations and responsibilities in Indian Country.  Yet, fulfilling that promise requires that the federal government expeditiously and wisely allocate ARPA funds to tribes, and that tribes efficiently and effectively deploy those funds to maximize their positive impacts on tribal communities.  Toward these ends:

• To enable tribes to recover and emerge stronger from the pandemic, we recommend wide scope be provided for tribes to invest COVID-19 relief funds in their basic physical, governmental, and educational infrastructures.
• To facilitate consultation and promote sound policy development under ARPA, we recommend the establishment of a Treasury/Tribal ARPA Advisory Panel consisting of knowledgeable experts.
• To provide guidance and reduce uncertainty regarding permissible ARPA spending and processes, we recommend the creation of a formal system of Tribal/ARPA Determination, Opinion, and Advisory Letters.
• To provide much-needed technical assistance to tribes, we recommend the creation of a “hub and web” network of Treasury/Tribal ARPA Tech Centers, with the Treasury Department as the central hub, providing funding and serving as the central node responsible for coordinating and communicating with a set of discipline-spanning Centers. 
• To ensure maximum community benefit is derived from ARPA funding, we recommend that tribal governments adopt best-practice systems for prioritizing, planning, budgeting, contracting, implementing, and sustaining ARPA-funded projects and programs.
• To allocate the ARPA funds dedicated to tribal governments, we recommend a three-part formula that uses data-ready drivers of apportionment and puts 40% weight on each tribe’s population of enrolled citizens, 30% weight on each tribe’s total of tribal government and tribal enterprise employees, and 30% weight on each tribe’s share of Indian Country’s coronavirus infections. 

Click here to read the complete Executive Summary published by the Native Nations Institute – Recommendations for the Allocation and Administration of American Rescue Plan Act Funding for American Indian Tribal Governments

The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development is based in the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.  The  Harvard Project aims to understand and foster the conditions under which sustained social and economic development is achieved among Indigenous  nations in the US and beyond.

The Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona’s Udall Center for Public Policy is a self-determination and self-governance resource for Native nations, providing professional development, policy analysis, and research to Indigenous leaders, tribal governments, and their partners worldwide.

Nunaka Technology (NT), is a vertically integrated International Technology company.  Nunaka Tech is focused on best in class technologies for Smart Cities, Smart Buildings, Smart Homes and Distributed Intelligence for Critical Infrastructure. Nunaka Tech is an IoT technology arm of M-Power Technology (MPT) a M-Power International (MPI) company and is an Alaska Native/Native American international business development and investment company.
For more information call (720) 443-3229 or visit www.nunakatech.com or www.mpowerintl.com
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/m-power-international/

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MESA, Ariz., Dec. 30, 2020 — Iveda^(R) (OTCMKTS:IVDA), worldwide provider of IvedaAI^(TM) intelligent video search technology, IoT (Internet of Things) platform with smart devices and the Sentir^(R) cloud-based video surveillance platform, today announced its signing of a licensing and reselling agreement with Nunaka Technologies.

Nunaka is the technology arm of M-Power International, a Native Alaskan/Native American owned international business development and investment company. Federally recognized by Congress, Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) hold a unique position for contracts within the Small Business Administration 8(a) program.

“My recent engagements with Nunaka and M-Power have been fast-paced as we bring Iveda’s technologies to their communities,” said David Ly, CEO of Iveda. “We intend to provide our Smart AI and IoT technologies to support an ever-growing demand for next generation Smart City, Smart Building, Smart Home and other advanced intelligent technologies.”

Nunaka Technologies issued Iveda a $700K purchase order for immediate delivery of IvedaAI intelligent video search appliances, IvedaPinpoint location-based asset intelligent tracking solution and Iveda Smart IoT sensor kits for safety, security and care solutions.

“Our new alliance with Nunaka and M-Power opens up an interesting and dynamic untapped vertical market for Iveda. Timing is perfect as we prepare for the coming year, which we expect to be a very busy year for Iveda,” added Ly.

Iveda’s solution will satisfy Nunaka’s growing demand for next generation technologies for their current projects around the world. This is the beginning of a quickly expanding relationship that is well positioned to fulfill hundreds of millions worth of potential federal and commercial contracts. ANCs and other tribal entities are well positioned to be awarded sole-source federal contracts of various sizes and durations.

“Our mission is not only to augment and support these tribal entities in enterprising business, but more importantly, to align and support the economic and community development needs of our local and tribal communities,” said Martin Glastetter, Jr, CEO of Nunaka Technology and co-founder and President of M-Power International.

M-Power International’s strategic partners include dozens of ANCs, First Nations and tribal organizations across the country. These strategic partners and tribal entities own hundreds of companies strategically located and operating around the world. M-Power International and its family of companies provide business solutions including technologies, critical infrastructure, commercial real estate development and construction, joint ventures, growth capital and worldwide investment opportunities.

“M-Power International takes great pride in bringing value to the many tribal communities across the country. Being from Utqiaġvik, AK, formerly known as Barrow, AK, we are excited to further our engagements with the many communities throughout Alaska,” added Glastetter. “The timing couldn’t be better to align with the team at Iveda. They play a vital role in addressing the growing demand from our partners and clients for best-in-class innovative and disruptive technologies in critical infrastructure.”

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Iveda and Sentir are registered trademarks of Iveda Solutions, Inc. IvedaAI and IvedaPinpoint are trademarks of Iveda Solutions, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners

About Iveda

Iveda^(R) (OTCMKTS:IVDA) specializes in IoT platforms that offer service providers a turn-key cloud video surveillance system, smart sensors and intelligent video search technology. Iveda utilizes proprietary command center, big data storage and deep-learning algorithms. Iveda has a SAFETY Act Certification from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology Provider. Headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, with a subsidiary in Taiwan, Iveda is publicly traded under the ticker symbol “IVDA.” For more information call (480) 307-8700 or visit www.iveda.com. To follow Iveda visit www.facebook.com/ivedasolutions,www.twitter.com/ivedasolutions or www.linkedin.com/company/iveda-solutions.

About Nunaka Technology

Nunaka Technology (NT), is a vertically integrated International Technology company.  Nunaka Tech is focused on best in class technologies for Smart Cities, Smart Buildings, Smart Homes and Distributed Intelligence for Critical Infrastructure. Nunaka Tech is an IoT technology arm of M-Power Technology (MPT) a M-Power International (MPI) company and is an Alaska Native/Native American international business development and investment company.
For more information call (720) 443-3229 or visit www.nunakatech.com or www.mpowerintl.com
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/m-power-international/

The Indian Community Economic Enhancement will expand, strengthen, and increase access to existing Indian Country business and economic development programs within the federal government by:

• Elevating and funding the Office of Native American Business Development (ONADB), including reporting directly to the Secretary of Commerce to ensure full operation and promote business and economic development recovery, and promote trade and tourism resumption.
• Expanding application of the Buy Indian Act’s procurement authority.
• Reauthorizing the Native American Programs Act with improvements to the Socio-Economic Development grant programs.