DOI awards $317K in technical assistance grants

by Nick Delgado

Guam – The U.S. Department of the Interior's office of insular affairs awarded $317,800 in technical assistance grants to five organizations on Guam. According to Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, Catholic Social Services will receive $100,000 to purchase new handicapped-accessible service vans to enhance services provided to island residents, 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 Guam Fisherman's Cooperative will receive $58,000 to promote the marketing of fish by improving storage and refrigeration facilities, 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, and the Guam Veterans Affairs Office will receive $34,800 to upgrade its information systems. 

Bordallo states, "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."