COVID-19 | Tribal Government Auditing Services

We are here to help

Harshwal & Company is committed to supporting you through the unprecedented conditions that we are experiencing together. Our ongoing Remote Client Assistance is expanded. Our entire team is working from home. We work as a family, and all our team members are working safely from home with no change in pay.

If you have any questions, we'll get started on your request right away and respond on the same day.

The CARES Act

U.S. Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law the CARES Act the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) — a significant piece of legislation that seeks to provide approximately $2 trillion worth of economic assistance to consumers and businesses.

As a part of the new legislation, Tribes have access to $8 billion in flexible funding to support COVID-19 response. Tribal government-owned enterprises will be able to apply under the following programs. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has created a nearly $350 billion loan program called the Paycheck Protection Program. This program is available to businesses with 500 or fewer employees to help with payroll, rent, utilities, healthcare costs, and more. The SBA has also expanded the number of existing programs, including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

Harshwal & Company closely monitors the Federal & Local updates and guidelines and will guide our clients to make the most updated and accurate information available to our clients.

Coronavirus Relief Fund Extension

Additional $3.3 billion relief for Tribes and the Native Hawaiian community in the package signed on December 27 by President Trump. The package included a one-year extension to the $8 billion Tribal Coronavirus Relief Fund per the CARES Act of March. All units of local government which have a population exceeding 5,00,000 are eligible for receipt of direct payment these governments below the state level include county, municipality, town, township, village, parish, borough, or other units of general government. This funding package will make a real difference for Native communities in New Mexico and throughout Indian Country in their fight against COVID-19. The Consolidated Appropriation ACT, 2021 incorporate the following additions to the CARES ACT -

Provides a one-year extension to December 31, 2021, for Tribal governments to use funds appropriated through the CARES Act; and
Ensures Tribes will continue to have access to the funds they need to maintain essential safety net services during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

American Rescue Plan allocated $20 Billion for tribal governments, which includes $6 billion to Indian Health Services and Native American health systems, allocating $20 million in funds for Native Hawaiians, another $1.2 billion for housing, as well as $1.1 billion for education programs at various levels.

The new legislation authorizes $900 million for the Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs (AS-IA) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to support a wide range of COVID-19 response activities, including:

$772.5 million for tribal government services, public safety and justice, social services, child welfare assistance, and other related expenses;
$100 million for tribal housing improvement;
$20 million to provide and deliver potable water; and
$7.5 million for related federal administrative costs and oversight.

How We Can Help:

BASED ON THE LEGISLATION, THE FOLLOWING FUNDING SOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED TRIBES AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS

Indian Health Service (IHS)
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)
HUD Office of Native American Programs
Food Distribution Program for Indian Reservations
Older Americans Act Tribal Nutrition
Indian Child Care Development Block Grant

APPROPRIATIONS BY THE NUMBERS:

AGRICULTURE:

$100m+ for FDPIR ($50m food purchase + $50m construction)

INTERIOR, EPA, AND RELATED AGENCIES:

$1.03b for IHS (broad use authority with no less than $450m for Tribal 638 and Urban facilities + $65m for electronic health record modernization)
$69m+ for BIE (K-12 + TCUs)
$453m+ for BIA “TPA” like fund/operation of Indian Programs
$78,000 to IAIA for COVID response

LHHS:

$15m+ for Tribes and Urban facilities through HRSA for telehealth/rural health activities
$15m+ for Tribes and Urban facilities through the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund for essential medical resources to respond to coronavirus
$120m+ for CDC grants to Tribes and Urban Indian health organizations
Ed Stabilization Funding:
0.5% set-aside for programs operated or funded by BIE.
TCUs are eligible for general higher education funding formula, which is based on a formula of 75% for Pell student enrollment and 25% for non-Pell students. TCUs will also qualify for the Minority Serving Institutions set-aside (7.5% of the overall higher ed. set-aside). Also, TCUs and other MSIs will have flexibility through a statutory waiver to use prior HEA-MSI award money for COVID- related response efforts.
Student Loan/Aid –AIAN students will get the same benefits as all other students with fed loans.
$50m+ for Institute of Museum and Library Services (includes Tribal grantees) to “expand digital network access, purchase internet accessible devices, and provide technical support services”.
$900m+ Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) supplement for all eligible households, including those covered by Tribal LIHEAP.
$20m+ for Older American Act Tribal Nutrition activities for the delivery of nutrition services to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiian elders.
$96m+ for Indian Child Care Development Block Grant for COVID-19 costs and to provide child-care services for health care and emergency workers.

TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, BROADBAND:

$300m+ for NAHASDA & ICDBG; $200m through NAHASDA formula (but only for COVID-needs) and $100m through the Indian Country Development Block grant (ICDBG)
$100 million for the Re-connect program (Broadband Loan and Grant Program authorized by Sec. 779 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018).
$25 million for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. Funding goes toward initial capital assets for equipment (e.g., video conferencing equipment, computers) that operate via telecommunications to rural end-users of telemedicine and distance learning. Broadband facilities (if owned by the applicant) are also eligible. Federally recognized tribes are eligible to apply for DLT grants.
Sets aside $800 million in funding for Tribally Designated Housing Entities and the Department of Hawaiian Homelands to address housing stability issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

VACCINES, TESTING AND TRACING, AND COMMUNITY HEALTH:

Allocate $1 billion to the Indian Health Services for federal, urban, and tribal health programs to enhance the vaccine distribution, tracing, and mitigation for COVID-19.
$210 million allocated to provide IHS facilities, tribes, and urban Native communities with the requisite resources needed to administer and distribute the Covid-19 vaccine.
Additionally, $790 million will support testing, contact tracing, and other resources.

MENTAL HEALTH:

$125 million is provided for Tribal organizations that administer the Substance Abuse and Mental Health needs of Tribal communities.
An additional $25 million is being allocated to Indian Health Service to enhance telehealth access at Tribal, Federal, and urban health programs.

Tribal Goverment