Conversations about the Islands: the U.S. Territories and the Freely Associated States.
Join us in this conversation series to learn more about the islands - the people, the work, lives, reminiscences, and what lies ahead. What do you know about islands? Let's have some conversations and learn together.
In this conversation, Charlene Leizear, Technical Assistance Director in the Office of Insular Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior discusses the various programs funded through the program she and her team manage to benefit the U.S. territories and the freely associated states.
There's more to islands ...
Hosted by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) Deputy Policy Director and Communications Lead Tanya Harris Joshua, this conversation series highlights people and issues of importance to the U.S. territories and the freely associated states.
This audio-recorded conversation is derived from the OIA Conversations series available on YouTube provided as a public service to bring more awareness and information about the Office of Insular Affairs and the insular areas with which it works and the programs in the insular areas to which it provides funding. These conversations do not meet requirements for financial reporting nor are they endorsed by the U.S. Department of the Interior or the Office of Insular Affairs.
OIA Conversation Series | #WhatWeDoIslands | www.doi.gov/oia | @InsularAffairs
Conversations about the Islands: the U.S. Territories and the Freely Associated States.
Join us in this conversation series to learn more about the islands - the people, the work, lives, reminiscences, and what lies ahead. What do you know about islands? Let's have some conversations and learn together.
In this conversation, Charlene Leizear, Technical Assistance Director in the Office of Insular Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior discusses the various programs funded through the program she and her team manage to benefit the U.S. territories and the freely associated states.
There's more to islands ...
Hosted by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) Deputy Policy Director and Communications Lead Tanya Harris Joshua, this conversation series highlights people and issues of importance to the U.S. territories and the freely associated states.
This audio-recorded conversation is derived from the OIA Conversations series available on YouTube provided as a public service to bring more awareness and information about the Office of Insular Affairs and the insular areas with which it works and the programs in the insular areas to which it provides funding. These conversations do not meet requirements for financial reporting nor are they endorsed by the U.S. Department of the Interior or the Office of Insular Affairs.
OIA Conversation Series | #WhatWeDoIslands | www.doi.gov/oia | @InsularAffairs
0:00:04.400,0:00:06.480
welcome and greetings from washington
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d.c
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i'm tanya joshua deputy policy director
0:00:08.880,0:00:12.160
and communications lead
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in the office of insular affairs at the
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u.s department of the interior
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on behalf of our entire team at oia
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thank you for joining us
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for oia conversations where we share
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information and learn more
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about people programs and issues that
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are important and relevant
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to the us territories and to the freely
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associated states
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the u.s department of the interior has
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approximately 77,000 employees across
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all of the u.s
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and manages national parks minerals
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water public lands as well as relations
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with indian country
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the office of insular affairs with a
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total staff of 28 employees
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is one of the smallest offices at
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interior and we work with the us
0:00:45.360,0:00:48.960
territories and the free
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associated states though small our
0:00:48.960,0:00:52.960
office manages roughly 619 million
0:00:51.199,0:00:54.239
dollars for these insular areas
0:00:52.960,0:00:56.079
you should know that our office has
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three divisions policy
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and two other divisions that manage all
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the funding that congress appropriates
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today we are joined by one of those
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important directors our very own
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director of technical assistance
0:01:04.960,0:01:09.040
charlene Leizear to talk about technical
0:01:06.960,0:01:09.680
assistance and the funding that she and
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her team
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manages for oia charlene welcome i'm so
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glad that you could join me today
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well thank you tanya it's good to see
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you today this morning
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let's start with how long you've been at
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interior
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34 years incredible
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and you started um did you join how did
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you start
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what offices did you join in did you
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start at interior i started in the
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uh departmental budget office for the
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office of secretary
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and uh i actually started when i was in
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college
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because i had met my father for lunch
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in the building and one of his
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colleagues from the departmental budget
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office came down and joined us for lunch
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and
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found out i was on college break and
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asked did i want to help them with
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budget because they needed people so
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that's actually how i started that
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interior
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was your father also in budget at the
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time no my father worked for
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usgs he was an offshore oil and gas
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royalty accountant
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so he he handled accounting for offshore
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oil and gas and
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minerals revenues you have another
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relative who worked for the department
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of the interior i believe with national
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parks
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in maybe one of our territories yes my
0:02:22.239,0:02:24.879
uh my aunt worked in uh the virgin
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islands
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and she was located in st john's and uh
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she handled administrative and budget
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items there in the park for st
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john's and her her husband was a
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scientist so he had a scientific related
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job there in
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st john and they loved it there that was
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the favorite place that they'd ever
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lived they said
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was that your first was that the first
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time you'd been aware of the territories
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and the island areas
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no because i actually started working
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for insular affairs before my aunt moved
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there
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so my first experience knowing about the
0:02:55.440,0:02:59.599
territories was uh
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probably in the 90s when i started
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working for the office of insular
0:03:01.280,0:03:04.159
affairs and i worked for a gentleman
0:03:02.720,0:03:07.040
named dave hegested and
0:03:04.159,0:03:07.920
he was the budget officer and uh they
0:03:07.040,0:03:10.959
hired me to
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be a budget analyst in the office of
0:03:10.959,0:03:15.360
insular affairs at that time so
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my first experience was learning budget
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and working on the guam section 30 and
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the virgin islands drama excise tax
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program
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back in the early 90s
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one thing that's always impressed me
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about you charlene is your uh
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your ease with numbers you can calculate
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in your head and do things really
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quickly and
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not all of us can do that i think it's
0:03:33.760,0:03:37.680
hereditary i must have inherited my
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dad's accountant's brain and my sister
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was an auditor and
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my nephew and my sons were good at math
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and my nephew's an engineer so i think
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it's just
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the way your brain functions with
0:03:44.959,0:03:51.360
numbers it's hereditary i think
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i love it so tell me then um a little
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bit more about your
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your position now at the office of
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insular affairs and what you manage
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the different parts of funding that you
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manage well i'm
0:04:00.480,0:04:04.400
uh now i'm the director of technical
0:04:02.239,0:04:06.879
assistance division so
0:04:04.400,0:04:09.120
um we've gradually added more programs
0:04:06.879,0:04:10.640
within my division since i took it over
0:04:09.120,0:04:12.640
at first it was just technical
0:04:10.640,0:04:14.400
assistance grants which are around 21
0:04:12.640,0:04:17.199
million dollars a year
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and they benefit all the seven insular
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areas and
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technical assistance grants can be used
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for various purposes for accountability
0:04:22.800,0:04:28.639
grants financial management
0:04:24.960,0:04:31.840
economic development education energy
0:04:28.639,0:04:35.680
management control initiatives disaster
0:04:31.840,0:04:38.320
grants natural cultural resource grants
0:04:35.680,0:04:40.240
capacity building grants public safety
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and emergency grants
0:04:40.240,0:04:45.680
i.t grants health initiative grants and
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sometimes invasive species grants
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depending on the circumstance because
0:04:47.919,0:04:52.080
in addition to the technical assistance
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program since i took over the division
0:04:52.080,0:04:54.960
they added
0:04:52.720,0:04:55.759
coral reef and natural resources to our
0:04:54.960,0:04:58.800
division
0:04:55.759,0:05:01.039
which covers a lot of coral
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reef preservation and restoration grants
0:05:01.039,0:05:05.759
and also invasive species grants
0:05:03.360,0:05:07.759
we also have now the brown tree snake
0:05:05.759,0:05:10.880
control and
0:05:07.759,0:05:11.440
eradication program in my division and
0:05:10.880,0:05:14.160
the
0:05:11.440,0:05:17.120
maintenance assistance program which
0:05:14.160,0:05:20.080
which covers grants that are used to
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train folks in how to institutionalize
0:05:20.080,0:05:22.720
proper maintenance procedures for
0:05:21.520,0:05:24.880
infrastructure
0:05:22.720,0:05:26.160
and it can also fund repairs to
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infrastructure
0:05:26.160,0:05:29.919
and it can also fund specialized
0:05:28.160,0:05:30.880
maintenance related equipment in that
0:05:29.919,0:05:32.880
program
0:05:30.880,0:05:34.400
so basically there's four discretionary
0:05:32.880,0:05:36.400
grant programs that
0:05:34.400,0:05:38.160
we award grants out of my division the
0:05:36.400,0:05:40.800
four that i mentioned and
0:05:38.160,0:05:42.639
um the 20 million a year for technical
0:05:40.800,0:05:44.560
assistance has to be you know divided by
0:05:42.639,0:05:46.320
all seven areas and then there's some
0:05:44.560,0:05:48.560
ongoing programs
0:05:46.320,0:05:49.440
within that grant that benefit to seven
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areas like
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close up and junior statesman which
0:05:53.120,0:05:58.080
benefits students in those areas
0:05:55.199,0:05:59.840
um so sometimes there's programs like
0:05:58.080,0:06:03.520
that and we also fund the
0:05:59.840,0:06:06.639
gdp for the territories through an
0:06:03.520,0:06:07.440
interagency agreement with bea and so
0:06:06.639,0:06:10.960
that
0:06:07.440,0:06:14.240
prior to funding that bea was not
0:06:10.960,0:06:15.840
issuing gdp for those areas so that's
0:06:14.240,0:06:17.520
one of our ongoing type
0:06:15.840,0:06:19.360
activities we fund in technical
0:06:17.520,0:06:20.880
assistance and
0:06:19.360,0:06:23.440
and that's the the department of
0:06:20.880,0:06:25.680
commerce's bureau of economic analysis
0:06:23.440,0:06:27.440
yes it is and then another item that we
0:06:25.680,0:06:29.199
fund that folks might not be aware of
0:06:27.440,0:06:31.919
under technical assistance is we have a
0:06:29.199,0:06:34.000
contract with the graduate school usa
0:06:31.919,0:06:36.000
so we find a lot of capacity billing and
0:06:34.000,0:06:36.880
training programs in the insular areas
0:06:36.000,0:06:40.880
and
0:06:36.880,0:06:43.520
through our graduate school contract
0:06:40.880,0:06:44.960
we think about it every year and work
0:06:43.520,0:06:47.120
with the governments to
0:06:44.960,0:06:48.080
figure out exactly what classes they
0:06:47.120,0:06:50.080
would benefit from
0:06:48.080,0:06:51.440
so that we can have the graduate school
0:06:50.080,0:06:53.280
offer classes to each
0:06:51.440,0:06:55.280
insular area specific classes like
0:06:53.280,0:06:57.840
grants management or budgeting
0:06:55.280,0:07:00.960
or auditing but then again we also
0:06:57.840,0:07:02.880
through that program we have the
0:07:00.960,0:07:04.479
executive leadership development program
0:07:02.880,0:07:07.440
where 28
0:07:04.479,0:07:08.479
islanders get chosen every two years and
0:07:07.440,0:07:10.800
participate
0:07:08.479,0:07:12.319
in a training program for upcoming
0:07:10.800,0:07:17.199
leaders in those areas
0:07:12.319,0:07:18.479
and we also fund the um the igfoa the
0:07:17.199,0:07:21.120
insular government finance
0:07:18.479,0:07:22.960
officers association meetings that are
0:07:21.120,0:07:23.840
held twice a year in the summer and in
0:07:22.960,0:07:27.440
december for
0:07:23.840,0:07:30.160
finance related folks and also
0:07:27.440,0:07:31.919
the apipa which is the association of
0:07:30.160,0:07:35.039
pacific island auditors
0:07:31.919,0:07:37.039
which helps them obtain uh additional
0:07:35.039,0:07:38.720
training related to auditing and share
0:07:37.039,0:07:40.160
information so those are some of the
0:07:38.720,0:07:42.319
items that are covered through the
0:07:40.160,0:07:45.919
graduate school contract that we
0:07:42.319,0:07:48.960
fund that's quite a range um auditing
0:07:45.919,0:07:50.400
finance uh developing capacity
0:07:48.960,0:07:54.240
development for government
0:07:50.400,0:07:56.560
mid-level government uh workers uh
0:07:54.240,0:07:58.560
students as well regional that affect
0:07:56.560,0:08:00.879
touch all the areas
0:07:58.560,0:08:01.759
um i wanted you to know that i had a
0:08:00.879,0:08:03.759
conversation
0:08:01.759,0:08:05.680
we we hosted harry our field
0:08:03.759,0:08:08.560
representative in the cnmi
0:08:05.680,0:08:10.560
uh and i hosted a a panel discussion on
0:08:08.560,0:08:13.440
the coconut rhinoceros beetle
0:08:10.560,0:08:13.840
and they had many uh kind words for for
0:08:13.440,0:08:15.919
the
0:08:13.840,0:08:17.599
for oia so i said i would make sure to
0:08:15.919,0:08:20.560
let our leadership know
0:08:17.599,0:08:22.160
as well as you who are manage those
0:08:20.560,0:08:25.520
grants to the cnmi so
0:08:22.160,0:08:27.759
that's wonderful and it's nice that the
0:08:25.520,0:08:29.520
our program allows us to do things like
0:08:27.759,0:08:30.960
rapid response for the coconut
0:08:29.520,0:08:33.039
rhinoceros beetle
0:08:30.960,0:08:34.719
because in the case of an invasive you
0:08:33.039,0:08:35.680
know you might need a rapid response
0:08:34.719,0:08:37.200
immediately
0:08:35.680,0:08:39.279
and a lot of other federal grant
0:08:37.200,0:08:42.159
programs you have to ask for the funding
0:08:39.279,0:08:45.120
years in advance for specific projects
0:08:42.159,0:08:47.360
so that's one of the benefits of having
0:08:45.120,0:08:49.360
our technical assistance program is
0:08:47.360,0:08:51.040
the most flexible grant program we have
0:08:49.360,0:08:53.120
in our office
0:08:51.040,0:08:55.360
because you're allowed on the fly for
0:08:53.120,0:08:57.440
emergencies to provide grants for things
0:08:55.360,0:09:00.640
like the coconut rhinoceros beetle
0:08:57.440,0:09:02.959
or even covid right now you know we
0:09:00.640,0:09:04.080
received additional funding 55 million
0:09:02.959,0:09:07.040
this year
0:09:04.080,0:09:08.000
and we've been providing funding towards
0:09:07.040,0:09:11.839
through the cares act
0:09:08.000,0:09:14.080
grants for um ppe and vaccination
0:09:11.839,0:09:17.519
programs isolation units
0:09:14.080,0:09:19.519
quarantine facilities um anything you
0:09:17.519,0:09:22.080
might need related to covid
0:09:19.519,0:09:24.880
related items so that is one nice thing
0:09:22.080,0:09:27.920
about having a flexible program
0:09:24.880,0:09:30.320
charlene do you would you say that the
0:09:27.920,0:09:32.160
the funding program through oia is more
0:09:30.320,0:09:35.200
also more flexible than say
0:09:32.160,0:09:36.640
other federal agencies yeah i think it
0:09:35.200,0:09:38.480
is our ours
0:09:36.640,0:09:40.080
has the most flexible program so what
0:09:38.480,0:09:41.920
happens is
0:09:40.080,0:09:43.680
when folks ask for technical assistance
0:09:41.920,0:09:46.640
money normally
0:09:43.680,0:09:48.640
we ask them first why can't it be funded
0:09:46.640,0:09:50.640
by another federal agency
0:09:48.640,0:09:52.800
with a set program because our funding
0:09:50.640,0:09:54.640
is limited and if it can be funded by
0:09:52.800,0:09:56.800
another program then that leaves our
0:09:54.640,0:09:58.480
funding available for the insular areas
0:09:56.800,0:10:00.480
to use for projects where they know they
0:09:58.480,0:10:01.839
can't get funding from other areas or
0:10:00.480,0:10:03.680
for projects where they need the money
0:10:01.839,0:10:04.480
right now and they can't wait a year or
0:10:03.680,0:10:08.079
two
0:10:04.480,0:10:09.600
like emergency situations but in in for
0:10:08.079,0:10:11.360
example like when there's a disaster you
0:10:09.600,0:10:12.240
know we don't fund things that fema
0:10:11.360,0:10:14.640
would fund
0:10:12.240,0:10:16.640
if it's going to be there in a timely
0:10:14.640,0:10:17.600
manner to take care of whatever issues
0:10:16.640,0:10:19.600
they're having
0:10:17.600,0:10:20.880
but if they had an issue where they
0:10:19.600,0:10:22.800
needed money right away
0:10:20.880,0:10:24.800
in the next 30 days then you know we
0:10:22.800,0:10:26.480
might find a short term
0:10:24.800,0:10:28.240
emergency grant until the fema
0:10:26.480,0:10:29.839
assistance arrives or the other federal
0:10:28.240,0:10:32.160
agencies that are helping on whatever
0:10:29.839,0:10:34.880
the issue is um
0:10:32.160,0:10:36.079
do you ever do matching front deep do
0:10:34.880,0:10:37.839
your funds
0:10:36.079,0:10:39.279
do matching can can they be used for
0:10:37.839,0:10:42.079
matching
0:10:39.279,0:10:43.760
our funds don't require matching for
0:10:42.079,0:10:45.360
technical assistance our maintenance
0:10:43.760,0:10:50.399
assistance program
0:10:45.360,0:10:52.959
um right now it there's a matching
0:10:50.399,0:10:54.160
where it can be matched but sometimes we
0:10:52.959,0:10:56.959
waive it right now because of the
0:10:54.160,0:10:58.720
economic situation and the insular areas
0:10:56.959,0:11:00.480
my technical assistance money cannot be
0:10:58.720,0:11:02.320
used for a match
0:11:00.480,0:11:04.079
in the insular areas unfortunately we
0:11:02.320,0:11:05.200
only have specific language i believe
0:11:04.079,0:11:07.839
for our
0:11:05.200,0:11:10.079
infrastructure funding cip to be used as
0:11:07.839,0:11:11.920
matching
0:11:10.079,0:11:13.680
um charlene i wanted you to know that i
0:11:11.920,0:11:15.519
had a conversation with ms adrian
0:11:13.680,0:11:16.800
williams the director of the office of
0:11:15.519,0:11:19.279
disaster recovery
0:11:16.800,0:11:21.120
that funding was provided and used
0:11:19.279,0:11:22.959
through our office to establish her
0:11:21.120,0:11:26.000
office and uh that conversation was a
0:11:22.959,0:11:28.160
very uh enlightening conversation for me
0:11:26.000,0:11:30.399
such necessary work and important
0:11:28.160,0:11:33.120
coordination so i just wanted you to
0:11:30.399,0:11:34.720
to know that i had had that opportunity
0:11:33.120,0:11:36.560
yeah that was another grant that was
0:11:34.720,0:11:38.399
came about because of a disaster so it
0:11:36.560,0:11:41.279
was after the hurricane
0:11:38.399,0:11:42.640
and so um they needed some help getting
0:11:41.279,0:11:43.839
up to speed
0:11:42.640,0:11:45.839
in the virgin islands to get their
0:11:43.839,0:11:48.000
systems ready for the influx of
0:11:45.839,0:11:49.839
disaster funding that was coming through
0:11:48.000,0:11:50.639
and so the virgin islands had asked us
0:11:49.839,0:11:52.399
for
0:11:50.639,0:11:55.680
funding to support the office of
0:11:52.399,0:11:57.920
disaster assistance which we provided
0:11:55.680,0:11:59.279
through additional funding we received i
0:11:57.920,0:12:01.519
believe that was additional funding
0:11:59.279,0:12:02.959
specifically uh for the hurricane that
0:12:01.519,0:12:04.160
time and i think it was about three
0:12:02.959,0:12:06.720
million dollars
0:12:04.160,0:12:08.000
to set up that office so that's that's
0:12:06.720,0:12:09.519
where the office came that was
0:12:08.000,0:12:11.519
like i said one of those emergency
0:12:09.519,0:12:13.680
situations so something you don't
0:12:11.519,0:12:14.560
plan for years in advance and you know
0:12:13.680,0:12:17.440
the islands might
0:12:14.560,0:12:19.279
need help at those times exactly and the
0:12:17.440,0:12:21.600
the funny thing no it's not funny but
0:12:19.279,0:12:23.760
now then kovid came after that
0:12:21.600,0:12:25.519
and so now their office is is also
0:12:23.760,0:12:28.240
managing covid funds
0:12:25.519,0:12:29.279
so quite time quite useful now being
0:12:28.240,0:12:31.760
repurposed
0:12:29.279,0:12:32.320
or double purposed now yeah because it's
0:12:31.760,0:12:33.839
still
0:12:32.320,0:12:35.760
i mean it's still basically you know an
0:12:33.839,0:12:37.519
emergency situation that they need
0:12:35.760,0:12:39.600
to monitor the flow of money coming in
0:12:37.519,0:12:41.279
so now you know that office can help
0:12:39.600,0:12:42.079
monitor the flow of the cares act
0:12:41.279,0:12:44.399
funding
0:12:42.079,0:12:47.200
exactly now speaking of monitoring could
0:12:44.399,0:12:49.760
you tell me how many staff you have
0:12:47.200,0:12:51.200
and who's on your team just three and
0:12:49.760,0:12:53.200
myself so
0:12:51.200,0:12:55.839
we've gotten a little bit smaller we had
0:12:53.200,0:12:57.360
some retirements years ago and
0:12:55.839,0:12:59.440
back in the day technical assistance was
0:12:57.360,0:12:59.839
a lot larger but it's it's shrunk down
0:12:59.440,0:13:01.519
but
0:12:59.839,0:13:02.959
we feel comfortable handling the money
0:13:01.519,0:13:06.079
that we have
0:13:02.959,0:13:07.600
my three folks handle um and myself
0:13:06.079,0:13:09.279
roughly probably about half of the
0:13:07.600,0:13:12.079
office answered affairs budget so maybe
0:13:09.279,0:13:15.440
350 million dollars
0:13:12.079,0:13:16.399
and and my staff i have on board marion
0:13:15.440,0:13:19.760
porter
0:13:16.399,0:13:20.000
she's been with us since high school i
0:13:19.760,0:13:23.600
think
0:13:20.000,0:13:27.040
as an intern and she handles uh
0:13:23.600,0:13:28.880
the um northern mariana islands
0:13:27.040,0:13:30.240
and she handles the federated states of
0:13:28.880,0:13:34.240
micronesia
0:13:30.240,0:13:36.079
and she does our um
0:13:34.240,0:13:38.399
she does our reimbursable interagency
0:13:36.079,0:13:41.680
agreements for us miriam does
0:13:38.399,0:13:43.760
and um keeps us in line
0:13:41.680,0:13:44.720
she handles our graduate school contract
0:13:43.760,0:13:47.600
as well
0:13:44.720,0:13:48.959
maybe coral reef too yeah miriam handles
0:13:47.600,0:13:51.600
coral reef
0:13:48.959,0:13:53.360
before even natural resources she was
0:13:51.600,0:13:54.079
helping our coral reef scientists with
0:13:53.360,0:13:56.560
that
0:13:54.079,0:13:57.519
um years ago and then our coral reef
0:13:56.560,0:13:59.279
scientists
0:13:57.519,0:14:00.720
retired and that position hasn't been
0:13:59.279,0:14:02.720
filled yet so the
0:14:00.720,0:14:03.839
miriam's continued to help manage those
0:14:02.720,0:14:08.000
grants and also
0:14:03.839,0:14:12.320
invasive species grants and so then we
0:14:08.000,0:14:15.279
also have uh haley mccoy on board
0:14:12.320,0:14:16.399
and she handles our brown tree snake
0:14:15.279,0:14:19.519
control
0:14:16.399,0:14:22.560
program to help try and
0:14:19.519,0:14:24.320
eradicate the population of snakes and
0:14:22.560,0:14:25.120
keep the snakes from spreading to other
0:14:24.320,0:14:27.199
areas
0:14:25.120,0:14:28.320
and to help with rapid response in areas
0:14:27.199,0:14:32.160
where the snakes have been
0:14:28.320,0:14:34.240
sighted so mostly that program right now
0:14:32.160,0:14:34.800
impacts northern marianas and hawaii and
0:14:34.240,0:14:39.120
guam
0:14:34.800,0:14:42.240
because snake as you know is in guam so
0:14:39.120,0:14:45.199
haley also handles the guam
0:14:42.240,0:14:46.160
technical assistance grants and she
0:14:45.199,0:14:49.360
handles the
0:14:46.160,0:14:52.480
um republic of palau
0:14:49.360,0:14:54.959
technical assistance grants and she um
0:14:52.480,0:14:56.639
has been a huge help in transitioning to
0:14:54.959,0:14:59.600
our new fbms
0:14:56.639,0:15:00.240
and grant solution system and then i
0:14:59.600,0:15:03.440
have
0:15:00.240,0:15:05.920
um jennifer fang
0:15:03.440,0:15:08.079
and she handles the grants for the u.s
0:15:05.920,0:15:10.880
virgin islands
0:15:08.079,0:15:12.639
and the marshall islands and she handles
0:15:10.880,0:15:14.240
our cross-cutting grants
0:15:12.639,0:15:16.240
she also handles our maintenance
0:15:14.240,0:15:17.839
assistance program what's what's the
0:15:16.240,0:15:19.440
process in place for
0:15:17.839,0:15:21.360
for making sure that folks are using the
0:15:19.440,0:15:21.680
funds the way that they said they would
0:15:21.360,0:15:23.920
and
0:15:21.680,0:15:25.360
how does that what does that look like
0:15:23.920,0:15:26.160
well that's part of monitoring and
0:15:25.360,0:15:29.519
oversight
0:15:26.160,0:15:32.000
so the grantees have to in accordance
0:15:29.519,0:15:35.360
with two cfr 200 they have to submit
0:15:32.000,0:15:37.199
reports twice a year and that includes a
0:15:35.360,0:15:39.279
narrative report which talks about
0:15:37.199,0:15:40.399
the progress that they're making on the
0:15:39.279,0:15:42.480
project
0:15:40.399,0:15:43.440
and also financial reports that shows
0:15:42.480,0:15:45.519
the total amounts
0:15:43.440,0:15:47.600
obligated and drawn down and available
0:15:45.519,0:15:51.600
for that for that grant
0:15:47.600,0:15:54.800
and we also do site visits
0:15:51.600,0:15:55.440
or have our field staff or policy folks
0:15:54.800,0:15:57.519
if they're in
0:15:55.440,0:15:59.519
happen to be traveling to those areas
0:15:57.519,0:16:00.959
they pop in and review the grant
0:15:59.519,0:16:04.079
projects as needed
0:16:00.959,0:16:05.040
to make sure progress is being made in
0:16:04.079,0:16:08.079
addition
0:16:05.040,0:16:09.360
our oig office might come out and do a
0:16:08.079,0:16:11.680
review of a project
0:16:09.360,0:16:13.680
as part of one of their audits and all
0:16:11.680,0:16:15.519
of the areas of course when
0:16:13.680,0:16:17.519
the funding is substantial they are
0:16:15.519,0:16:18.560
subject you know each insular area has a
0:16:17.519,0:16:20.320
single audit
0:16:18.560,0:16:21.680
which could have findings related to our
0:16:20.320,0:16:25.120
grants
0:16:21.680,0:16:27.839
and in addition to that the local
0:16:25.120,0:16:30.480
offices of public auditors help review
0:16:27.839,0:16:32.079
grants to make sure that everything is
0:16:30.480,0:16:34.639
being done in accordance with the
0:16:32.079,0:16:37.839
intentions and federal grants law so
0:16:34.639,0:16:38.959
you you have a a body of you know
0:16:37.839,0:16:42.000
auditors that
0:16:38.959,0:16:43.519
local public auditors oig grant staff
0:16:42.000,0:16:45.759
and also gao
0:16:43.519,0:16:47.600
sometimes takes the time to audit our
0:16:45.759,0:16:49.360
programs depending on
0:16:47.600,0:16:50.959
the gao selects the programs they're
0:16:49.360,0:16:54.160
going to audit but they could be
0:16:50.959,0:16:56.639
um auditing one of our grants as well
0:16:54.160,0:16:57.759
okay and the gao is the government of
0:16:56.639,0:17:01.440
the the
0:16:57.759,0:17:02.880
gao is office of what do they stand for
0:17:01.440,0:17:04.319
government accounting office the
0:17:02.880,0:17:06.160
government accounting office and then
0:17:04.319,0:17:07.439
the oig you mentioned is the office of
0:17:06.160,0:17:09.280
the inspector general
0:17:07.439,0:17:10.799
which is an independent agency in the
0:17:09.280,0:17:14.319
department of the interior
0:17:10.799,0:17:17.280
yes so they yes so they uh they
0:17:14.319,0:17:18.880
are responsible to audit grants as
0:17:17.280,0:17:20.880
needed
0:17:18.880,0:17:22.480
we actually um came out with a letter of
0:17:20.880,0:17:24.799
commendation for you and your team
0:17:22.480,0:17:26.240
charlene
0:17:24.799,0:17:28.319
and this was with respect to cares act
0:17:26.240,0:17:30.240
fun cares act funds i believe
0:17:28.319,0:17:32.080
can you share a little bit about that
0:17:30.240,0:17:33.919
they basically um
0:17:32.080,0:17:35.919
i guess they reviewed our processes that
0:17:33.919,0:17:39.600
we set up at the beginning
0:17:35.919,0:17:41.600
and um looked at
0:17:39.600,0:17:43.679
how we were handling getting the funding
0:17:41.600,0:17:44.080
out and what internal controls were in
0:17:43.679,0:17:46.080
place
0:17:44.080,0:17:47.840
and they seemed pleased with the
0:17:46.080,0:17:49.360
internal controls and how
0:17:47.840,0:17:51.600
we were able to get the funding out
0:17:49.360,0:17:53.520
rapidly since it was an emergency
0:17:51.600,0:17:55.679
situation and it was needed
0:17:53.520,0:17:57.360
and gao is actually the u.s government
0:17:55.679,0:17:59.679
accountability office
0:17:57.360,0:18:01.520
and in our office mostly marina team
0:17:59.679,0:18:04.559
italia works with the gao
0:18:01.520,0:18:06.799
and with oig she's our um our
0:18:04.559,0:18:08.720
auditor in charge of being the central
0:18:06.799,0:18:10.320
point of contact for any audits that our
0:18:08.720,0:18:12.160
office is undergoing for any of our
0:18:10.320,0:18:14.000
programs can you please tell me a little
0:18:12.160,0:18:16.240
bit about that process and how you
0:18:14.000,0:18:18.480
do the pros handle process for for for
0:18:16.240,0:18:20.960
grants for funding
0:18:18.480,0:18:23.840
the the grants process when you when
0:18:20.960,0:18:26.799
when when somebody applies for funding
0:18:23.840,0:18:28.559
so what happens is when folks apply they
0:18:26.799,0:18:30.080
apply through
0:18:28.559,0:18:33.120
a mechanism used by the federal
0:18:30.080,0:18:35.960
government which is www.grants.gov
0:18:33.120,0:18:38.320
and for our programs they search for
0:18:35.960,0:18:40.240
15.875 and they can apply for our
0:18:38.320,0:18:42.320
discretionary programs there
0:18:40.240,0:18:44.080
and then the application comes to us
0:18:42.320,0:18:47.039
through that system
0:18:44.080,0:18:48.400
and once we receive the application it
0:18:47.039,0:18:49.840
depends on
0:18:48.400,0:18:53.039
when it's received and if we have
0:18:49.840,0:18:55.120
funding available normally we open those
0:18:53.039,0:18:56.960
the system to take applications in
0:18:55.120,0:18:59.360
october each year
0:18:56.960,0:19:00.320
and then normally we the the date that
0:18:59.360,0:19:04.240
they're due by
0:19:00.320,0:19:06.240
is april 1st and one of the reasons why
0:19:04.240,0:19:08.000
some folks might not hear until summer
0:19:06.240,0:19:08.640
time if they've received a grant is
0:19:08.000,0:19:11.280
because
0:19:08.640,0:19:13.120
if we're under a continuing resolution
0:19:11.280,0:19:16.240
we might not have the funding yet
0:19:13.120,0:19:17.600
to start doing our annual awards so if
0:19:16.240,0:19:20.320
we have the funding on
0:19:17.600,0:19:22.320
april 1st then my team will start
0:19:20.320,0:19:24.000
reviewing all the applications and we
0:19:22.320,0:19:27.440
actually have to score
0:19:24.000,0:19:29.200
all the applications and then
0:19:27.440,0:19:30.720
the technical assistance team meets with
0:19:29.200,0:19:33.440
the policy team
0:19:30.720,0:19:34.640
in the office and other folks like the
0:19:33.440,0:19:37.919
field reps
0:19:34.640,0:19:40.240
to discuss the applications and come up
0:19:37.919,0:19:41.919
with recommendations to present to the
0:19:40.240,0:19:43.919
assistant secretary
0:19:41.919,0:19:45.200
related to funding those applications so
0:19:43.919,0:19:48.480
it's a combination of
0:19:45.200,0:19:51.039
the scores they receive and
0:19:48.480,0:19:52.400
the recommendations from our policy
0:19:51.039,0:19:54.720
staff as well
0:19:52.400,0:19:56.559
and then the final decision of course is
0:19:54.720,0:19:57.679
made by the assistant secretary who
0:19:56.559,0:20:01.360
decides
0:19:57.679,0:20:01.679
which projects will be funded so it's a
0:20:01.360,0:20:04.720
team
0:20:01.679,0:20:06.640
effort and there might be questions back
0:20:04.720,0:20:08.480
and forth so sometimes
0:20:06.640,0:20:10.000
as we review the grants we realize we
0:20:08.480,0:20:12.000
need additional information
0:20:10.000,0:20:14.000
so we might reach back out to the
0:20:12.000,0:20:15.679
grantees to find out additional
0:20:14.000,0:20:16.960
information on the project to be able to
0:20:15.679,0:20:18.480
make a decision
0:20:16.960,0:20:22.159
you know sometimes like i said depending
0:20:18.480,0:20:24.000
on if we have the funding availability
0:20:22.159,0:20:25.280
we can award but if we don't have the
0:20:24.000,0:20:27.679
funds yet it might be
0:20:25.280,0:20:28.400
later in the summer when we're able to
0:20:27.679,0:20:32.480
award
0:20:28.400,0:20:35.200
normally once we receive funding we'll
0:20:32.480,0:20:35.760
review all the applications for each
0:20:35.200,0:20:38.159
area
0:20:35.760,0:20:38.960
and discuss them for award on a weekly
0:20:38.159,0:20:40.240
basis
0:20:38.960,0:20:42.159
like we might go through all the
0:20:40.240,0:20:44.559
applications from american samoa one
0:20:42.159,0:20:46.480
week or the virgin islands one week
0:20:44.559,0:20:48.400
and try and make the decisions on those
0:20:46.480,0:20:50.559
for technical assistance
0:20:48.400,0:20:53.200
and then we have similar meetings for
0:20:50.559,0:20:56.000
the maintenance assistance applications
0:20:53.200,0:20:56.640
and then a similar meeting where we
0:20:56.000,0:20:58.720
discuss
0:20:56.640,0:21:00.559
all the applications for coral reef and
0:20:58.720,0:21:02.320
then a similar meeting to discuss
0:21:00.559,0:21:04.960
all the applications for invasive
0:21:02.320,0:21:06.799
species brown tree snake is handled a
0:21:04.960,0:21:09.200
little differently though because
0:21:06.799,0:21:10.480
there's known grantees for that program
0:21:09.200,0:21:12.480
so you know that
0:21:10.480,0:21:14.240
the cnmi is going to need money for
0:21:12.480,0:21:15.840
their interdiction program and that
0:21:14.240,0:21:17.760
guam is going to need money for their
0:21:15.840,0:21:19.120
interdiction program
0:21:17.760,0:21:22.240
so it works a little differently for
0:21:19.120,0:21:24.640
that program so i've regardless
0:21:22.240,0:21:27.120
uh you have to award all of the funds by
0:21:24.640,0:21:29.840
the end of the fiscal year september 30
0:21:27.120,0:21:32.080
of of any given year yes and normally
0:21:29.840,0:21:34.240
our goal in my team is we try and
0:21:32.080,0:21:35.120
finish our awards by september 1st
0:21:34.240,0:21:37.440
because
0:21:35.120,0:21:38.799
our systems actually have shutdown dates
0:21:37.440,0:21:40.559
in september
0:21:38.799,0:21:42.320
so we want to be done with all of our
0:21:40.559,0:21:44.159
reviews and have awarded all of our
0:21:42.320,0:21:47.360
funding by september 1st
0:21:44.159,0:21:49.039
so that um it doesn't get stuck in the
0:21:47.360,0:21:50.400
gut in the shutdown at the end of the
0:21:49.039,0:21:52.960
fiscal year we just want to make sure
0:21:50.400,0:21:56.000
that money is out and available
0:21:52.960,0:21:57.039
now as part of your process um i believe
0:21:56.000,0:22:00.080
there's a there's
0:21:57.039,0:22:00.720
you mentioned uh scoring uh in the
0:22:00.080,0:22:03.120
process
0:22:00.720,0:22:04.880
is is there a role that the governors or
0:22:03.120,0:22:06.799
say the presidents of the
0:22:04.880,0:22:08.080
of the areas that leadership has in that
0:22:06.799,0:22:11.440
process
0:22:08.080,0:22:12.000
um yes so the part of the scoring
0:22:11.440,0:22:15.679
includes
0:22:12.000,0:22:17.120
letters of support so if a grantee has a
0:22:15.679,0:22:19.280
letter of support
0:22:17.120,0:22:20.799
from a governor or president you know
0:22:19.280,0:22:22.240
they might receive additional points for
0:22:20.799,0:22:24.840
that application
0:22:22.240,0:22:26.000
and in addition normally for the u.s
0:22:24.840,0:22:29.120
territories
0:22:26.000,0:22:30.240
um once we receive all the applications
0:22:29.120,0:22:33.840
for the area
0:22:30.240,0:22:35.360
or they prioritize from like 1 to 30 if
0:22:33.840,0:22:38.640
there's 30 projects
0:22:35.360,0:22:39.200
which priorities they feel most strongly
0:22:38.640,0:22:42.320
about
0:22:39.200,0:22:44.559
so we do consider the governor's ranking
0:22:42.320,0:22:46.320
of the projects for each area but of
0:22:44.559,0:22:48.000
course that list can't be sent out until
0:22:46.320,0:22:49.760
after april first when we've received
0:22:48.000,0:22:53.360
all the applications
0:22:49.760,0:22:56.320
so they they have input in that regard
0:22:53.360,0:22:58.320
what is the the biggest issue that you
0:22:56.320,0:22:59.440
see or the largest piece of advice that
0:22:58.320,0:23:01.919
you would give to people
0:22:59.440,0:23:04.559
applying uh for funds from from
0:23:01.919,0:23:07.679
organizations for funding from hawaii
0:23:04.559,0:23:09.760
just read the instructions because
0:23:07.679,0:23:11.919
a lot of times people might be missing a
0:23:09.760,0:23:14.240
timeline and they lose points
0:23:11.919,0:23:16.159
or they might be missing a budget
0:23:14.240,0:23:18.000
section a detailed budget section
0:23:16.159,0:23:19.840
so then they would lose points on their
0:23:18.000,0:23:22.240
scoring
0:23:19.840,0:23:23.760
so just make sure you include everything
0:23:22.240,0:23:26.320
that is requested
0:23:23.760,0:23:28.000
if there's not a 424 form in the package
0:23:26.320,0:23:30.880
we can't award the grant
0:23:28.000,0:23:31.679
because that's a federal requirement so
0:23:30.880,0:23:34.320
i think
0:23:31.679,0:23:35.679
mostly just make sure to include all the
0:23:34.320,0:23:38.240
items that are requested
0:23:35.679,0:23:40.159
in the package right right and and you
0:23:38.240,0:23:40.640
also don't have time to go back and
0:23:40.159,0:23:43.360
coach
0:23:40.640,0:23:45.200
every single applicant as to what they
0:23:43.360,0:23:46.400
might be missing i mean you you have so
0:23:45.200,0:23:48.320
many hundreds of
0:23:46.400,0:23:50.720
of applications to review so the more
0:23:48.320,0:23:52.000
complete an application the better
0:23:50.720,0:23:54.320
the better chances they are of getting
0:23:52.000,0:23:56.080
their funds and actually my division is
0:23:54.320,0:23:57.919
prohibited from helping one
0:23:56.080,0:24:00.159
applicant over another because it's
0:23:57.919,0:24:02.240
called unfair advantage
0:24:00.159,0:24:03.600
so because it's a competitive grant
0:24:02.240,0:24:05.520
program
0:24:03.600,0:24:07.679
we can't help one person we're expected
0:24:05.520,0:24:09.039
to give the same information to everyone
0:24:07.679,0:24:11.520
that applies
0:24:09.039,0:24:12.799
so because my division does the scoring
0:24:11.520,0:24:16.400
of the grants
0:24:12.799,0:24:17.760
um we can't do that thank you for
0:24:16.400,0:24:20.000
sharing that that's that's
0:24:17.760,0:24:22.400
very important but once we receive the
0:24:20.000,0:24:24.080
application my team can reach out
0:24:22.400,0:24:25.919
you know to ask if we have additional
0:24:24.080,0:24:27.120
questions to make a decision
0:24:25.919,0:24:28.720
i think we're pretty we've pretty much
0:24:27.120,0:24:31.200
covered technical assistance there are
0:24:28.720,0:24:34.000
some other areas of funds that you
0:24:31.200,0:24:35.520
that you also handle uh i'm thinking of
0:24:34.000,0:24:36.960
the rum cover over would you care to
0:24:35.520,0:24:40.000
talk a little bit about those
0:24:36.960,0:24:41.279
and the guam section 30. um sure so the
0:24:40.000,0:24:45.039
the rum cover over
0:24:41.279,0:24:47.039
is um an advanced payment that is made
0:24:45.039,0:24:49.039
it's required by law through the organic
0:24:47.039,0:24:51.039
act that we will provide
0:24:49.039,0:24:53.200
in advance for the amount of taxes the
0:24:51.039,0:24:54.240
real excise taxes to the virgin islands
0:24:53.200,0:24:56.480
each year
0:24:54.240,0:24:57.360
so we're required to pay that advance
0:24:56.480,0:25:00.799
prior to
0:24:57.360,0:25:02.320
the next fiscal year so normally we work
0:25:00.799,0:25:05.520
with the governor's office
0:25:02.320,0:25:07.200
and the omb there in the virgin islands
0:25:05.520,0:25:08.960
and annually they come up with an
0:25:07.200,0:25:10.880
estimate of what they think their
0:25:08.960,0:25:12.400
excise taxes will be and they submit it
0:25:10.880,0:25:14.960
to our office
0:25:12.400,0:25:16.000
and so we review that estimate and then
0:25:14.960,0:25:18.960
we receive
0:25:16.000,0:25:20.480
reports from the treasury trade tax and
0:25:18.960,0:25:24.320
tobacco bureau
0:25:20.480,0:25:27.760
of actuals on a monthly basis so then
0:25:24.320,0:25:29.520
we analyze the 12-month actual and if
0:25:27.760,0:25:31.279
if we have paid less than what the
0:25:29.520,0:25:32.960
advance payment was when the actuals
0:25:31.279,0:25:33.760
come in we make an adjustment payment
0:25:32.960,0:25:36.559
for that
0:25:33.760,0:25:37.039
or if the virgin islands owes us money
0:25:36.559,0:25:38.720
we
0:25:37.039,0:25:40.000
reduce the amount of their advance
0:25:38.720,0:25:42.799
payment that year for the amount that
0:25:40.000,0:25:46.480
they owe us and it's a similar
0:25:42.799,0:25:46.880
um method with the guam section 30 where
0:25:46.480,0:25:50.000
that's
0:25:46.880,0:25:52.000
um we're required to advance for those
0:25:50.000,0:25:54.400
income tax collections
0:25:52.000,0:25:55.440
prior to october 1st each year the
0:25:54.400,0:25:57.760
amount owed
0:25:55.440,0:25:58.640
to them and estimated again by their
0:25:57.760,0:26:00.640
government
0:25:58.640,0:26:02.799
so guam will send an annual estimate in
0:26:00.640,0:26:04.960
in the summer of how much they believe
0:26:02.799,0:26:06.400
their guam section 30 income tax
0:26:04.960,0:26:09.200
collections will be
0:26:06.400,0:26:10.960
and we look at that and we receive
0:26:09.200,0:26:13.760
actuals from irs
0:26:10.960,0:26:15.120
for that program and then we compare to
0:26:13.760,0:26:17.919
make sure that they haven't been
0:26:15.120,0:26:20.240
underpaid or overpaid in a previous year
0:26:17.919,0:26:21.679
and we make those adjustments payments
0:26:20.240,0:26:24.880
as necessary
0:26:21.679,0:26:28.080
and then another part of that program is
0:26:24.880,0:26:32.559
more recently for the guam war claims
0:26:28.080,0:26:34.880
we're required to adjust their payment
0:26:32.559,0:26:36.880
for any amount over a certain level
0:26:34.880,0:26:40.159
established by
0:26:36.880,0:26:42.400
treasury for to cover their guam war
0:26:40.159,0:26:45.679
claims payments and then that money
0:26:42.400,0:26:47.360
is then deposited in the um another
0:26:45.679,0:26:48.880
treasury account where the department of
0:26:47.360,0:26:51.760
justice has been
0:26:48.880,0:26:52.880
reviewing those um guam more claims
0:26:51.760,0:26:55.520
payments and
0:26:52.880,0:26:56.960
processes them to individuals that's
0:26:55.520,0:27:00.159
where your math skills come
0:26:56.960,0:27:02.159
come in handy tremendously
0:27:00.159,0:27:03.520
parsing out the law and then making the
0:27:02.159,0:27:05.360
calculations so
0:27:03.520,0:27:07.039
yes that's part of the numbers part of
0:27:05.360,0:27:10.320
the job exactly
0:27:07.039,0:27:12.159
exactly um charlene uh we've been
0:27:10.320,0:27:13.600
speaking with charlene lazier technical
0:27:12.159,0:27:15.279
assistance director
0:27:13.600,0:27:17.520
in the office of insular affairs at the
0:27:15.279,0:27:19.120
united states department of the interior
0:27:17.520,0:27:20.720
uh charlene thank you for all of your
0:27:19.120,0:27:23.440
work that you do
0:27:20.720,0:27:25.440
on behalf of the insular areas uh do you
0:27:23.440,0:27:28.080
have any final words that you would like
0:27:25.440,0:27:29.600
to share with us
0:27:28.080,0:27:32.000
i just think it's a great program
0:27:29.600,0:27:32.399
because we just our office just wants to
0:27:32.000,0:27:34.559
help
0:27:32.399,0:27:37.039
the folks out in the insular areas and
0:27:34.559,0:27:39.760
the communities and
0:27:37.039,0:27:41.679
i think it's important that if you if
0:27:39.760,0:27:42.960
you need assistance grant assistance and
0:27:41.679,0:27:45.039
you're not sure
0:27:42.960,0:27:46.640
if you qualify to just give one of us a
0:27:45.039,0:27:48.159
call or send us an email
0:27:46.640,0:27:50.399
i guess sending us an email is easier
0:27:48.159,0:27:52.080
right now because of coronavirus so
0:27:50.399,0:27:53.520
email myself or one of the grant
0:27:52.080,0:27:55.120
managers like
0:27:53.520,0:27:56.960
or the field rep for the office of
0:27:55.120,0:27:58.080
insular affairs they're very helpful so
0:27:56.960,0:28:00.559
they would know
0:27:58.080,0:28:02.399
if what you're interested in might
0:28:00.559,0:28:03.039
qualify under one of our programs so
0:28:02.399,0:28:04.720
just
0:28:03.039,0:28:06.559
please feel free to reach out to any of
0:28:04.720,0:28:09.679
the office of insular affairs
0:28:06.559,0:28:11.039
staff if you think you might be eligible
0:28:09.679,0:28:12.960
for a grant but you're not sure and
0:28:11.039,0:28:14.640
we're happy to answer those questions to
0:28:12.960,0:28:16.159
determine if you're eligible
0:28:14.640,0:28:18.080
um and actually i just thought of
0:28:16.159,0:28:18.880
another question uh charlene if you
0:28:18.080,0:28:20.799
don't mind
0:28:18.880,0:28:22.559
uh the cares act fund the cares act
0:28:20.799,0:28:24.799
funds you i believe you still have a
0:28:22.559,0:28:26.880
some amount of funding that's available
0:28:24.799,0:28:29.760
for people to apply to use
0:28:26.880,0:28:31.120
yes we have about 9.8 million right now
0:28:29.760,0:28:34.480
um the end of february
0:28:31.120,0:28:38.080
2021 that's available to be awarded
0:28:34.480,0:28:40.880
um and those grants will end september
0:28:38.080,0:28:41.760
of this year september 2021 because our
0:28:40.880,0:28:44.480
funding
0:28:41.760,0:28:46.240
um expires our normal grant programs the
0:28:44.480,0:28:46.880
fundings are what is called new year
0:28:46.240,0:28:48.559
where
0:28:46.880,0:28:50.480
they don't expire but this funding does
0:28:48.559,0:28:53.679
expire this september so
0:28:50.480,0:28:56.720
if you have a cares acne some item
0:28:53.679,0:28:59.760
that or project that involves
0:28:56.720,0:29:00.720
preparing for responding to or
0:28:59.760,0:29:04.000
preventing
0:29:00.720,0:29:05.360
covid19 then you can apply under our
0:29:04.000,0:29:07.200
cares act funding
0:29:05.360,0:29:09.039
using the instructions for the technical
0:29:07.200,0:29:11.039
assistance program and so
0:29:09.039,0:29:12.159
um i would get those applications and as
0:29:11.039,0:29:14.080
soon as you can
0:29:12.159,0:29:16.399
we won't be waiting until the april 1st
0:29:14.080,0:29:17.279
deadline for cares act applications we
0:29:16.399,0:29:19.360
review them
0:29:17.279,0:29:21.200
as they come in and we'd like to get
0:29:19.360,0:29:23.520
those out no later than april 1st since
0:29:21.200,0:29:26.399
they do expire in september
0:29:23.520,0:29:27.279
okay and just for my part as a policy
0:29:26.399,0:29:28.880
person any
0:29:27.279,0:29:31.360
uh i've been trying to help spread the
0:29:28.880,0:29:32.880
word or tell people uh organizations
0:29:31.360,0:29:34.000
that that we do have this funding
0:29:32.880,0:29:36.320
particularly for
0:29:34.000,0:29:38.640
um pacific islander populations uh in
0:29:36.320,0:29:40.159
the united states who have been impacted
0:29:38.640,0:29:41.840
uh and there have been a lot of news
0:29:40.159,0:29:43.279
news uh stories coming out about the
0:29:41.840,0:29:43.760
disproportionate impact that they are
0:29:43.279,0:29:45.520
having
0:29:43.760,0:29:46.880
that they've been experiencing uh
0:29:45.520,0:29:48.960
because of covet
0:29:46.880,0:29:50.320
um i'm actually thinking what about
0:29:48.960,0:29:51.840
congress charlene what is your
0:29:50.320,0:29:52.720
relationship with congress and do they
0:29:51.840,0:29:54.960
reach out to you
0:29:52.720,0:29:57.760
and and and ask you about the programs
0:29:54.960,0:30:00.240
and the funds and how things are going
0:29:57.760,0:30:01.120
sometimes they do um they might ask for
0:30:00.240,0:30:02.799
a report
0:30:01.120,0:30:04.799
on a particular grant that they're
0:30:02.799,0:30:07.679
interested in um
0:30:04.799,0:30:08.320
in an area normally that inquiry though
0:30:07.679,0:30:10.480
would come
0:30:08.320,0:30:12.000
through um office of congressional
0:30:10.480,0:30:15.120
legislative affairs
0:30:12.000,0:30:15.679
and then filter down or be assigned to
0:30:15.120,0:30:16.720
we don't
0:30:15.679,0:30:18.720
i don't think we have a congressional
0:30:16.720,0:30:21.039
legislative affairs staffer right now
0:30:18.720,0:30:22.880
but normally it filters through them to
0:30:21.039,0:30:24.080
our office so they do inquire about our
0:30:22.880,0:30:26.320
programs
0:30:24.080,0:30:27.919
um and they're as part of the press
0:30:26.320,0:30:28.240
thing tanya that you run you know that
0:30:27.919,0:30:31.679
they
0:30:28.240,0:30:32.320
uh they are notified of all of our
0:30:31.679,0:30:35.919
grants
0:30:32.320,0:30:37.520
that we within the same day 24 hours of
0:30:35.919,0:30:38.399
when we award those grants we have to
0:30:37.520,0:30:40.880
notify them
0:30:38.399,0:30:41.840
prior so we notify the members of
0:30:40.880,0:30:43.600
congress
0:30:41.840,0:30:45.679
that we're getting ready to award grants
0:30:43.600,0:30:47.440
and then we do press after that with you
0:30:45.679,0:30:49.039
of course
0:30:47.440,0:30:51.440
so you have a lot of eyes on your
0:30:49.039,0:30:53.200
program uh charlene from congress
0:30:51.440,0:30:54.880
to you know folks and leadership in the
0:30:53.200,0:30:56.399
island areas including our own
0:30:54.880,0:30:58.159
leadership at the office
0:30:56.399,0:31:00.799
of insular affairs and we're currently
0:30:58.159,0:31:02.799
headed by the acting assistant secretary
0:31:00.799,0:31:05.840
uh mr nicolas
0:31:02.799,0:31:19.840
so thank you so much charlene for for
0:31:05.840,0:31:19.840
the time that you've spent with us today
0:31:32.880,0:31:34.960
you