This Week at First Nations: November 1, 2024
National Native American Heritage Month Starts Today
In our continued celebration of this special month, we’re spotlighting some of our Native Arts community partners. Tune in with Lead Program Officer Johnny McCraigie (Colville Tribes) to learn about Okanogan Basketweavers Association and the importance of uplifting Native culture and lifeways. Watch the video here.
Also, be sure to join us for our Webinar Series Intro: Exploring the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico: Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 10 am MT. Register here.
And, follow along here to learn about the following events and more celebrating National Native American Heritage Month:
* GATHER Film Screening at the Guild Cinema in Albuquerque, New Mexico: Sunday, November 10, 2024, at 12:30 pm MT. Learn more.
* Webinar 2: History and Language Revitalization: Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 10 am MT. Register here.
Preserving and Perpetuating Native Languages
First Nations thanks all the Native-led organizations and tribes throughout the U.S. who attended our Native Language Leaders Gathering this week in Oneida, Wisconsin. The 2024 event brought together leaders whose work supports new generations of Native American language speakers in their communities, and who are establishing language immersion infrastructure and models throughout Indian Country. They connected with local communities, and exchanged knowledge and expertise in Native language revitalization and perpetuation to build a network of practitioners. Learn more about our Native Language Immersion Initiative.
An Investment in Our Valued Human Resources
First Nations’ leadership, directors, and associate directors were in the Longmont, Colorado, office this week for In-Person Supervisory Training. The 1.5-day professional development event gave staff the tools and resources to manage their teams proactively and effectively, and on an individual level, to better support our work in serving Native communities. Thank you to Christie Doherty of HR Choice, for the insights and inspiration.
Get Support for Forest Program Funding
The 2025 Community Forest Program Request for Applications (RFA) is now available. The full Request for Applications along with resources such as application guidance and scoring guidance are available on Grants.gov (Opportunity Number: USDA-FS-2025-CFP). Applications are due to state foresters or equivalent tribal government officials by January 13, 2025.
The Community Forest Program of the Forest Service offers a unique opportunity for tribes to acquire and conserve forests that provide public access and recreational opportunities, protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstration sites for private forest landowners, and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products.
First Nations has resources to support tribal applications to the CFP program, including $10,000 capacity grants. Learn more.
Getting in the Spirit of the Day!
Yesterday, staff took a break from work for First Nations’ Halloween Party. Festivities included plenty of candy, cider, pumpkin decorating, and of course, the prizes for scariest, most creative, and funniest costumes. Congrats to our winners, Patrick Murphy, Michelle Risinger, and Yadira Rivera. Staff valued spending time together in this annual tradition at First Nations.
Join Us November 7 for ‘Leveraging 638-Contracts for Tribal Co-Stewardship’
In the next installment in First Nations’ Tribal Co-Stewardship and Co-Management Webinar Series, Monte Mills, Professor of Law and Director of the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington School of Law, will illustrate the role of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, known as ISDEAA or Public Law 93-638, in the space of tribal co-stewardship and co-management. The webinar will cover the basics of ISDEAA, the types of agreements authorized by that law, and resources and examples for utilizing those agreements to pursue co-stewardship opportunities with the federal government.
* The webinar is Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 1 pm MT. Register here.
* Access recordings and presentations of all the webinars in this First Nations’ series here.
* Learn more about First Nations’ Leveraging Co-Management and Co-Stewardship project.
Tribal and Federal Employees: Join Us for Shared Horizons
Tribal and federal employees and representatives are invited to register now for the “Shared Horizons: Navigating Tribal Co-Stewardship and Co-Management Opportunities Conference.” Co-hosted by First Nations and Native American Rights Fund, the national co-learning event will provide trainings, space for sharing ideas and work, and networking opportunities to grow the field of tribal co-stewardship and co-management. Travel scholarships are available for tribal representatives and employees.
Learn more and register here!
Biden Becomes First President to Apologize for Native American Boarding School Policy
In a speech at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona last week, President Biden became the first president to apologize for the Native American boarding schools that sent tens of thousands of Native children to schools run in collaboration between the government and some churches, reports The Hill. President Biden said, “I have a solemn responsibility to be the first president to formally apologize to the Native people … It’s long, long, long overdue. Quite frankly, there’s no excuse this apology took 50 years to make.” Read the full transcript.
U.S. Forest Service Announces Open Grant Opportunity to Strengthen Forest Products
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced last week it is making up to $34 million in funding available to support innovation and jobs in the forestry sector while supporting healthy forest landscapes. According to its news release, the agency is seeking proposals that will spark innovation, create new markets for sustainable wood products and renewable wood energy, and expand processing capacity. The funding is available through the agency’s three key grant programs that support the forest products economy. Read the full release.
