OIA awards $317K in technical assistance to Guam

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo recently announced that the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs has awarded $317,800 in technical assistance grants to five organizations on Guam. Congresswoman Bordallo commended Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta for awarding these TA grants to help support community needs on Guam.

Catholic Social Services (CSS) will receive $100,000 to help CSS purchase new handicapped-accessible service vans to enhance services provided to island residents. The vans would be used to support pantry and thrift shop programs that help address homelessness and families in need. Vans would also be used to transport CSS clients to medical appointments, job training and employment sites.

The Mayors Council of Guam will receive $75,000 to purchase generators and flood lights for emergency preparedness and to support community activities in the evening. The generators and flood lights would be used to support clean-up operations following natural disasters, assist in traffic control at night, and assist first responders at major incidents at night.

The Guam Fisherman’s Cooperative will receive $58,000 to promote the marketing of fish by the Co-op by improving storage and refrigeration facilities. The funds will be used to make modifications to the Hagåtña Harbor to provide easier access to the fuel pier for small boats.

The Guam Farmers Cooperative will receive $50,000 to promote sustainable agriculture by obtaining drip irrigation lines and high-yield fertilizer for Co-op members.

The Guam Veterans Affairs Office will receive $34,800 to upgrade its information systems. This upgrade will enable interoperability with the Federal Hawaii VA office to improve benefit claims services to veterans as well as reduce waste, fraud, and abuse.

“These technical assistance grants will address important needs in our community,” said Congresswoman Bordallo. “The funds will improve services provided by these organizations by helping them to improve their products, increase marketability, and enhance their services to clients. In each case, a modest amount of funds will greatly improve their ability to serve our community for many years to come. I commend Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta for his leadership in expediting these grants and for his cooperation in working with me in identifying areas where we can get the biggest bang for the buck. These five grants are examples of how a modest federal investment in our community can have a major impact on services provided by our government and by non-profit organizations, and it is a model for how technical assistance can be more effective in the future.”