Gathering of Native Americans/Alaska Natives 

Native Connections Grantee Guide

Using this guide

This guide will serve as a planning document for Native Connections (NC) grantees 

planning a Gathering of Native Americans or Gathering of Alaska Natives 

(GONA/GOAN). A GONA/GOAN can be an impactful, healing community 

experience. However, this multiple-day intervention takes a lot of time, effort, and 

resources, so adequate planning and support from your partners and community is 

crucial. This guide is a first step in planning a successful event that meets the objectives 

of your NC grant. Your Grantee Technical Assistant (GTA) can supply you with other 

materials that can help in the planning process.

This guide asks a series of questions that will help you plan your GONA/GOAN and 

will help the facilitators customize it for your grant and community. This guide also 

outlines the themes and format of a GONA/GOAN. This is a living document that will 

be updated by the grantee as a GONA/GOAN is being planned. 

Preassessment/Marketing

As part of the planning process, address the following questions:

Question Response

Have you ever attended a 

GONA/GOAN?

What topic will the GONA/GOAN focus 

on? For example, suicide or substance 

misuse.

Is there a target audience? (For example, 

community, youth, etc.) Your audience 

should include youth, but the 
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GONA/GOAN doesn’t have to only be 

for youth.

What would you like the NC 

GONA/GOAN to accomplish in your 

community? (What is your vision?)

What are your objectives for the NC 

GONA/GOAN? 

Does the community know about the NC 

grant and its mission? 

Are the objectives for the GONA/GOAN

aligned with your CRM scores?

Has the community hosted a 

GONA/GOAN in the past? 

Will community partners be collaborating 

in this effort? If so, have their roles been 

determined?

What is the level of youth involvement 

with the NC grant? 

Will youth be actively involved in 

planning the GONA/GOAN? If so, how?

How will you market the GONA/GOAN

to the audiences you want to attend? 

What information would you like by the 

end of the GONA/GOAN? 

How will you document the information 

you garner in the GONA/GOAN? Would 

there be a way to capture the data to 

inform future guides?

How will you use this information to 

reach your NC objectives?
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What is your vision for what NC will 

accomplish in your community by the 

end of the grant. 

Some Considerations

An NC GONA/GOAN will examine all four themes of GONA/GOAN – belonging,

mastery, interdependence, and generosity. But to address the different conditions 

that exist within different communities, the NC GONA/GOAN agenda can emphasize 

one of the four themes. 

• Belonging: Emphasis if the audience/community isn’t aware of the NC grant – a

GONA/GOAN could be used to build community, belonging, and to market the

NC project.

• Mastery: Emphasis if the audience/grantee is concerned with healing

intergenerational trauma and lateral oppression – a GONA/GOAN could be used

to examine trauma and trauma-informed care.

• Interdependence: Emphasis if the audience/grantee is working on the

Community System Analysis – a GONA/GOAN might include an asset mapping

process to help identify gaps in agencies/entities. If the audience/grantee has

completed a Community Readiness Assessment (CRA), a GONA/GOAN could

also be used to share the results of the CRA to create buy-in and ownership of

the plan.

• Generosity: Emphasis if the grantee wants to get community input on the SAP–

a GONA/GOAN could examine the CRA results and review the readiness levels

and then get community input for prevention activities. They could do an

interactive, dynamic brainstorming process to list activities they would like to

see in the plan, then prioritize their ideas and see what aligns with their

readiness level.

An NC GONA/GOAN may also emphasize a particular type prevention, for example, 

suicide prevention, substance misuse, historical and present trauma, or lateral violence. 

The activities and stories used in a GONA/GOAN will depend on the community, the 

culture of the community, and might change depending on the theme emphasized and 

the prevention emphasis of the GONA/GOAN. 
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Question Response

Which theme do you think should be the 

focus for your community’s NC 

GONA/GOAN? Why?

Will you GONA/GOAN emphasize a 

particular prevention topic? Which one 

and why?

Native Connections GONA/GOAN Framework

The GONA/GOAN themes of belonging, mastery, interdependence, and generosity are 

each explored in the GONA/GOAN using these elements: story, mini-teach, experiential 

activity, and reflection. Each of the themes is listed below and then suggestions of 

topics for the elements that align with the NC approach are given. Following these 

explanations, there are questions for the planning committee or director to answer. 

I. Belonging

Question Response

Is there a cultural/traditional story about 

strengths or resilience that would be 

appropriate for this section?

Is there a cultural/traditional story about 

diversity that would be appropriate for 

this section?

Are there cultural/traditional norms for 

creating safety?

Is there any community-specific current 

or historical information that the 

GONA/GOAN facilitators should know 

relevant to this theme?
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II. Mastery

Question Response

Is there a cultural/traditional story about 

adversity or trauma that would be 

appropriate for this section? 

Alternatively, are there personal recovery 

or healing stories to include in this 

section?

Is there a cultural/traditional story about 

resilience that would be appropriate for 

this section?

Is there any community-specific current 

or historical information that the 

GONA/GOAN facilitators should know 

relevant to this theme?

III. Interdependence

Question Response

Have you completed a CSA? Is it up to 

date?

Is lateral violence an issue that is 

impacting partnering efforts in your 

community?

Is there any community-specific 

information that the GONA/GOAN

facilitators should know relevant to this 

theme?

IV. Generosity

Question Response

If you have a SAP, has it been shared 

with the community?

Is tribal leadership on board with the 

project?
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Is there any community-specific 

information that the GONA/GOAN

facilitators should know relevant to this 

theme?

Summary

This guide should be used and completed by the advisory board or GONA/GOAN

planning committee. Please consider the goals of your grant and your vision statement 

when planning a GONA/GOAN. Once completed share your responses with your 

GTA. Following discussion with your GTA, share this planning document with your 

Government Project Officer, and the GONA/GOAN facilitators.