Tribe receives 1.1 Million Dollar Grant for Sustainable Economic Growth
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has received a 1.1 million grant from the US Economic Development Administration, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, to support the tribe’s growing aquaculture industry and blue economy.
Tribal Council Vice Chairman Carlton Hendricks said the grant will contribute to the long-term economic development of the tribal-run shellfish farm in Mashpee.
The grant will fund six jobs for members of the Wampanoag tribe to work at the farm, supporting three existing jobs and creating three new opportunities.
“We’ve had the shellfish farm for over 40 years, and we just haven’t ever turned it into an economic development endeavor,” Carlton said. “This allows us the opportunity to start doing that and creating jobs for our tribal members.”
Carlton went to Washington, DC, to work with US Senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth A. Warren (both D-Massachusetts) to secure the grant from the American Rescue Plan Indigenous Communities program.
“This million-dollar grant to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe will serve the community in its efforts to create jobs and pass on unmatched expertise in aquaculture techniques and shellfish farming,” said Sen. Markey. “I commend the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe for their steadfast commitment to rebuilding these fisheries and thank Barnstable County officials and the Biden administration for their work to secure this funding.”
Out of the $1.1 million, $350,000 will go toward financially supporting the tribe as a whole, Carlton said.
The tribal vice chairman thanked the tribal council, the tribe’s Natural Resource Department, the Cape Cod Commission and the US senators for their contributions to securing this grant.
Carlton ran for the council on a platform of expanding economic opportunities for tribal members and is proud of the work he and other members of the council have done to reach this goal.
“Having a tribal-run, tribal-driven shellfish farm gives us great self-esteem,” he said. “It’s what we’ve always done, hunting and fishing. I think it gives us a lot of pride to have something of our own that is tribally driven and run for our community.”
By Sam Drysdale, Mashpee Enterprise
