• The Family Preservation Grant targeted Native Americans.family image by redrex from Fotolia.com
  
  The Family Preservation grant was offered by the Federal Administration for Children and Families and sponsored by the Administration for Native Americans. The purpose of the grant was to strengthen families by improving parenting, encouraging participation of fathers in the life of the child, and preserving health family relationships in the Native American and Pacific basin populations.
  
  

Eligibility

• Eligible applicants for this grant included federally recognized Indian tribes; collaborations of tribes, and non-profit and community-based Native American organizations. In addition, eligibility was open to organizations of Native Alaskan and native Hawaiian villages and native-controlled community colleges. Faith-based and community organizations were also eligible.
  
  

Size

• The total funding for the Family Preservation Grant was $1 million, to be distributed to 10 different programs. Applicants were instructed to apply for no less than $50,000 and no more than $200,000 each.
  
  

Goals

• The goals of the Family Preservation Grant were to increase the well-being of children by assuring they are raised in an atmosphere free from abuse and neglect, increase the skills for healthy relationships among youth and young adults, and reduce domestic violence. Other goals included increasing involvement in parenting by absent fathers, encouraging research on healthy families, and raising community awareness about the skills required for healthy marriages and relationships.
  
  

Funded Programs

• The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians received approximately $100,000 for three years for programs offering healthy relationship and marriage workshops, educational retreats, and special programs for youth and young adults. The Huron Potawatomi Project was awarded about $175,000 in 2008 and $200,000 in 2009 for offering parenting skills classes to married and unmarried couples in a seven-county region. The Minneapolis American Indian Project received approximately $150,000 for a program for families with children in the foster care system. St. Ann's Church received about $200,000 annually for three years to provide provide marriage enrichment workshops to families, educational skills to youth, and to develop an information and referral system and mentoring program.