FAQ

Is there a limit to how many students per family can enroll?
Yes. Tiamuna will limit the number of students to two per family to ensure equitable access to our program. Credits are not transferable between siblings at any time during the program year.  Please review the options in the portal with the older students to ensure there will be enough interest to fully utilize their credits.  Tiamuna will contact families regarding their application when registration period closes via email with either an acceptance or declination letter. 

What students are served via Tiamuna? 
Alaska Native and American Indian students, grades K-12, in the city of Anchorage are eligible to apply for services and classes through Tiamuna.

What does “City of Anchorage’’ mean in terms of eligibility? 
Tiamuna serves the City of Anchorage, not the Municipality of Anchorage; therefore, youth that reside in Eagle River, Chugiak or Girdwood are not eligible for Tiamuna.

Is there a limit to how many students will be served? 
Yes. Tiamuna will select 200 students annually on a first-come, first-served basis.  Students who register after 200 registrants will be placed on a waitlist.  Waitlisted students will be contacted if funding allows for their participation.

How do I apply for Tiamuna? 
Caregivers can apply on behalf of the students via the “Register” and “Enrollment” sections of the Tiamuna web portal.   Student accounts are individualized which requires separate emails for each child. When you receive your acceptance notification, please save the email with log in instructions and coupon codes for purchases assigned to the child somewhere you have quick access on the rare occasion you may need to copy and paste the code to complete the purchase.

What if I do not have access to the internet and/or technology to apply? 
Tiamuna recognizes that not all families have access to the internet and/or technology. We are collaborating with local educators and community partners to identify an initiative-taking solution.

Do I have to be income eligible to apply? 
Tiamuna is not based on income for eligibility.

Do I have to be registered with my Tribe and/or possess a Certificate of Indian Blood Card? 
Tiamuna recognizes that Alaska Native and American Indian students may have a barrier to obtaining their Tribal Enrollment and/or CIB (Certificate of Indian Blood) card; therefore, we are utilizing an honor system regarding Tribal status.

I am not the parent of the student; can they still enroll? 
Tiamuna acknowledges that our youth may have a relative, a foster or adoptive parent, or a Case Manager or CASA that assists in providing their care. If this applies to your student, please apply as indicated for all students. When we process our applicants, we will reach out to the caregiver and may ask for further information to facilitate the student's ability to participate.

What are the expectations of accepted students and their caregiver? 
Tiamuna participants are expected to actively utilize their credits for a variety of services over the course of the year and attend the classes purchased.  Services purchased will be charged against accounts regardless of attendance, after a reasonable period of time, which varies between the services. It is the caregiver and student’s responsibility to ensure they follow the procedures and policies of the individual service providers.  Accounts with no purchases after a period of time will be deemed inactive and the credits will be re-allocated to a student on the waitlist.

My family cannot afford fees, supplies, or transportation for cultural or enrichment activities. Are there scholarships available? 
Tiamuna charges no fees for classes directly to the student or caregiver and can assist students and caregivers with supplies including limited transportation assistance.

My Tiamuna funds are expended, and my student would like to continue in their services. What do I do? 
When a student’s funds are expended, the Caregiver must work with the service provider to set up their own individual payment.

Will my family and student be assigned a case manager or worker? 
No. Tiamuna is an investment in our students; we are not a social service provider. Our Tiamuna Team will be contacting families and students on a regular basis and are happy to provide referrals to resources and partners when families and students indicate a need.

I am on the waitlist. What does that mean? 
Tiamuna will automatically waitlist a predetermined number of students for the purpose of replacing students who are ineligible and/or do not adhere to the attendance requirements of our Program. We cannot guarantee that waitlisted individuals will be able to access Tiamuna.  Students cannot be added to the waitlist once enrollment period closes and must wait until the next open enrollment. 

I would like to be a service provider for Tiamuna. What do I do? 
Service providers may apply on our web portal and the Tiamuna Team will follow up with applicants to go over the hiring process.

I want to be a partner or stakeholder to Tiamuna. What do I do? 
Tiamuna is a grant-funded program of the Office of Indian Education under the Cultural and Education Department of Alaska Native Heritage Center. Partnerships and stakeholder interests should be referred to Alaska Native Heritage Center directly.

Voluntary survey and feedback 
Throughout the program term, feedback from caregivers, students, community members, service providers, partners and stakeholders may be requested either in the form of online surveys, comment cards, verbal and/or written communications and/or the gathering of demographics. Such feedback is voluntary. Tiamuna encourages all feedback to improve our program.