Why do Alaska Native Corporations have SBA 8 (a) status?
The 8(a) program helps disadvantaged businesses owned—not just by individuals—but also by Federally recognized Native American groups: • Native American tribes • Alaskan Native Corporations (ANCs) • Organizations of Native Hawaiians It is for this reason that Alaska Native Corporations have a broader purpose than normal American corporations. ANCs are expected, through business, to improve the lives of their owners by successfully managing thousands of acres of land and creating economic opportunities. As an Alaska Native Corporation (ANC), the money that NANA makes has a direct positive impact on the lives of the more than 12,000 Iñupiat of Northwestern Alaska who own the company. When companies do business with NANA, they’re doing more than ensuring the success of their next business venture – they’re helping to create training and educational opportunities for NANA villages, preserving an important American culture, investing in NANA communities and ensuring the future of a people.
