Native Fundraisers Community of Practice

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The People’s Land Collaborative (TPLC) was created in response to the pressing need for collaborative and transformative land stewardship and leadership within the Navajo Nation, where land health has been increasingly challenged by increasing land use demands. As our communities face growing environmental and economic pressures, the need for strategic, culturally informed planning has become evident. The Social Sustainability Map is a crucial step in identifying all stakeholders involved in grazing on the Navajo Nation, providing a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationships and resources within our community. This grant presents an opportunity to finalize the Social Sustainability Map and develop brand guidelines that will not only enhance our organization’s visibility and cohesion but also serve as the foundation for long-term strategic planning. By mapping these stakeholders and establishing a unified brand, TPLC will be better equipped to foster collaboration, advocate for sustainable practices, and effectively communicate our mission to a broader audience. The grant will empower us to solidify our role as a leader in sustainable land stewardship, ensuring that our work benefits both the Navajo Nation and other Indigenous communities.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Blackfeet Nation has long faced significant challenges related to food insecurity, health disparities, and the loss of traditional food systems. These issues, compounded by economic instability and the impacts of climate change, have created a critical need for sustainable, culturally grounded solutions. FAST Blackfeet was founded to address these challenges by reclaiming our food sovereignty, promoting nutrition and growing education, and providing accessible, healthy food to our community. As our organization has grown, so too have the demands on our dedicated staff, who are the backbone of our programs. However, the increasing workload, coupled with limited resources, has made it challenging to retain and support our staff effectively. Any staff turnover threatens the continuity and effectiveness of our services, directly impacting our ability to meet the needs of the community. This grant presents an opportunity to strengthen our organization’s capacity by investing in staff retention and wellness. By focusing on these areas, we can ensure that our team remains motivated, supported, and equipped to continue the vital work of addressing food insecurity and promoting sustainable practices. The grant will allow us to implement wellness initiatives and provide professional development opportunities all of which are essential for maintaining a stable and effective workforce. Ultimately, this investment in our staff will translate into more robust and sustainable programs, better service delivery, and a greater overall impact on the Blackfeet Nation. By securing this grant, we aim to build a resilient team that can continue driving our mission forward, ensuring a healthier, food-secure future for our community.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) UNITY’s environmental stewardship program first started in the 1990’s and was re-established in 2015 with the support of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community after not having adequate funding. The initial program was meant to provide travel for youth to attend National Recognitions Awards ceremonies and attend leadership trainings After re-launching the program, now known as UNITY’s Earth Ambassador program, a cohort of Native youth will have an opportunity to learn more about environmental issues and how to become effective ambassadors for the earth. Selected youth cohort members will have demonstrated leadership potential, shown an interest in protecting the environment, and been active in community service projects. Each cohort will attend training sessions and informational workshops to increase their knowledge of environmental issues affecting Native communities, learn to serve as an ambassador to increase awareness of the issues affecting the environmental quality on Native lands, and promote the efforts to address environmental concerns within Native communities.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) To support CNH’s continued growth, the organization has made significant investments in developing a strategic plan in 2024-2025. This work, facilitated by Rowen White (Mohawk) and supported by Native Voices Rising and First Nations Development Institute, is helping to solidify and expand CNH’s capacity for sustainability. A key priority of this work is to conceptualize and implement culturally appropriate governance that reflects the organization's commitment to community-driven priorities and a vision for a thriving Cherokee community. This will be the first completed strategic plan in the organization’s history and is much overdue. To prevent organizational drift and to maximize program impact it is essential that CNH successfully engage in strategic planning development. This work includes reviewing and editing core organizational documents, developing a framework for fundraising and development, and building a succession plan. In addition, the theory of change that CNH staff and board members are developing will be vital to conceptualizing our current and future programming needs while also setting us up to assess organizational impact in the community. While funding for the main strategic planning has been covered we do not have additional funding for the development of visuals to accompany this work. Building off of Executive Director Trey Adcock PhD’s time in the FNDI Fundraising 2024 Co-hort, this proposal seeks funding to support CNH’s logic model development as a form of participatory, culturally responsive planning and evaluation. Specifically, we will use the funding to contract with a facilitator to build a cohort of Cherokee artists to engage in this process. By building the skill set of Cherokee artists to include logic modeling and visualization we are also helping build capacity within the broader EBCI community. The end products will illuminate our strategic planning for key stakeholders, future board members, community members and potential donors.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) H3M began with the knowledge that a nonprofit can assist with addressing the needs of the Hopi people by doing projects/programs outside of the normal box. Our cultural ways and our language is the foundation of everything we do with our people especially the youth. Our speaking Hopi population was important to get their input into our programs and projects. Their way may be the best way to teach those who cannot speak to speak. This provides an opportunity for the Hopi speaker, for example, that is usually not called upon to provide their input, and we found they have just as much to offer and share. The creativity and knowledge of our keepers in this area such as the language was important to keep open to make an impact on what it is we believed was important for the youth and everyone to learn and live. Our unique identity is through our cultural life ways and our language. H3M hosting a planning session is another way to get stakeholders to participate in the future of their own lives as well as their extended family members. This will help with building support for the organization in all the work that is being done. We may also find future Board Members and donors to help with sustaining H3M in governance and funding. The circles of wisdom, thoughts, feelings and forward thinking is increased and not just by a handful and/or those who are always at the table. These sessions grows the amount of thinkers and supporters a lot which is an awesome opportunity for one to feel a part of something and something that is huge and very important. At the same time, H3M will have a plan to with a roadmap to follow. This plan will help with the future planning, programming, fundraising, resources, and all that is needed to keep H3M alive, vibrant and making a difference our future for all, wherever they reside.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Securing funding for materials, supplies, and equipment is far easier than securing funding for overhead expenses. Worrying about how we can keep our doors open and lights on is always at the back of our minds. Funding that assists in alleviating operating expenses will free up more time and resources to help us achieve objectives, complete projects, and better serve our community.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Kake Tribal Heritage Foundation is dedicated to preserving and promoting Tlingit culture, with a strong focus on empowering the youth in our community. Through programs centered on Tlingit values and traditions, we aim to equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed to carry forward our cultural heritage. In a small community like Kake, with a population of around 550 and a limited number of high school students, our impact is significant. We have successfully engaged local youth through internships focused on Tlingit traditions, providing them with a unique opportunity to connect with their roots and learn what it truly means to be Tlingit. However, to sustain and expand these programs, marketing and fundraising are essential. They not only help secure the resources needed to continue our work but also empower our youth by teaching them vital skills in promoting and supporting their own cultural initiatives. These skills are crucial for the long-term preservation of Tlingit heritage, enabling our youth to become the next generation of leaders who will champion and protect our way of life. Through strategic marketing and fundraising efforts, we aim to raise awareness about our mission, attract broader community support, and secure the financial stability needed to continue our cultural programs. By investing in these areas, we ensure that the knowledge, values, and traditions of the Tlingit people are not only preserved but also actively taught and practiced by future generations, ensuring the ongoing vitality of our culture.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council is an Alaska non-profit organization whose members are 74 Alaska Tribes and Canada First Nations in the 330,000 square mile area of the entire Yukon River and tributaries. YRITWC seeks funds to operate and provide environmental services and sciencitific research to help meet its mission of protecting the Yukon River waters. The grassroots organization seeks out federal and foundation funding. 95% of the funds received are from the US federal government. The Watershed Council does not have an established indirect rate and therefore receives the deminimus rate for general and administrative expenses. Therefore, the Council utilizes a small amount of the indirect budget for governance. With an area of 330,000 square miles and two board members from seven regions in Alaska, it is difficult for the executive board to meet, plan, provide direction and set policy for the organization (Cananda covers its own expenses). Funding from this opportunity will provide financial support for the executive board to meet and set direction for organization and to plan for a Biennial Summit for all the Alaska tribes and First Nations to meet in late summer/early fall of 2025.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Role models are intended to guide and mentor those who seek opportunities or wish to learn. Those kinds of individuals have and continue to exist and thrive in the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project. The team in 2009 were operating out of Tom Faber’s trunk, providing activities for camp not knowing what would become of their efforts. With hard work and many testimonials later, the program would grow to provide many initiatives and several dedicated to building the future leaders of our community. In order to pursue the mission of ZYEP by providing the youth with positive mentors, it is vital to provide training opportunities for the young leaders (16-24 year old camp counselors, after school mentors, coaches, etc.) to one, build on their skill set and two, practice their teachings through ZYEP programming. Within summer camp, camp counselors go through an extensive two week training filled with presentations necessary to prepare them for youth engagement. Trainings include: CPR/First Aid provided by Zuni Fire and EMS, suicide prevention training provided by on-site certified trainers, cultural responsiveness, risk management, reporting procedures, an overview of ZYEP policies, team building activities, an overnight camping retreat, and so much more. According to post evaluation surveys from the 2024 camp counselors, 80% felt the training prepared them for summer camp. Over 60% of counselors highlighted three training sessions they enjoyed the most. They included a review of reporting and emergency situations (scenario practice), group games and icebreakers, and the overnight camping retreat. Funding from this grant would allow ZYEP to supply camp counselor training materials, fund an overnight camping retreat for the counselors to practice group management skills and participate in team building activities, and fund counselor background checks in order to foster an important ongoing partnership with the Zuni Public School District.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Loko ea Fishpond, a historically significant cultural site nestled on the North Shore of Oʻahu, was designed to raise fish; help support a natural and sustainable foodshed for the Ahupuaʻa of Kawailoa and Moku of Waialua, the traditional land area encompassing the North Shore of Oʻahu Community. Mālama Loko ea Foundation (MLEF) supports a small, underrepresented, Native Hawaiian Community— approximately 10% of the ~24,000 in the 2020 US census. Prior to the arrival of Westerners, Native Hawaiians managed a self-sufficient agricultural system distinguished by thriving loko iʻa— fishponds and abundant agriculture. Today the restoration of Loko ea represents the timely reimagination of what it means to honor Hawaiian culture and support a thriving, sustainable community in modern-day Hawaii. MLEF remains steady in addressing the needs of Native Hawaiian people as it implements a comprehensive ʻāina momona (abundant land) plan to restore traditional Hawaiian agriculture practices. MLEF partners with community organizations, farmers community members to increase cultural and food access. MLEF hosts monthly community workday lunches, kupuna (elders) lunches and community programs. Currently, approximately 80% food consumed in Hawaiʻi is imported. MLEF seeks to increase community capacity to process bountiful gardens and farms with in the organization and community organizations through a four phased ʻAi Pono Community Food Hub Project: 1. Pilot Māla O Nauahi Food Garden (Complete) 2. Food Hub 1: Food Processing Center (Donated) and Drying Room (Current Project) 3. Food Hub 2: Community Kitchen and Eating Space (Future) 4. ʻOhana Māla-Gardens with community workshops, eating and sharing space (Future) Support from the NFCoP Grant Writing Lab will provide the resources to plan and implement the phase 2 of the ʻAi Pono Community Food Hub.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The opportunity lies in leveraging social media tools and strategies to increase engagement, build relationships, and raise awareness about the reawakening of our sleeping language, contributing to the preservation and promotion of our Indigenous identity. The essence of this project lies in the belief that our projects lack depth without the inclusion of our Indigenous language. Our language plays a vital role in defining our identity. Despite our numerous projects centered around traditional stewardship and achieving federal recognition as a Nation, the absence of our language diminishes a significant part of our endeavors. Our language serves as a guiding force for all our projects, and their success is interconnected. Therefore, without our language, the success of our other initiatives is at risk.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) ANCC was formed on the belief that people of the arctic ecosystem best understand responsibly managing polar bears as a vital subsistence resource. Through the guidance from our 15 member Tribes and close partnerships with regional Alaska Native organizations, ANCC engages with the USFWS to develop and maintain a co-management relationship. Our work is vital to bringing Tribal voices and authorities to the polar bear management process in the U.S. ANCC is primarily funded through a USFWS contract, which requires ANCC to conduct outreach and communications on its Harvest Management Plan (HMP) and Co-Management Agreement (CMA) with communities, stakeholders, and partners and requires ANCC to travel and participate in other key community outreach meetings and events. While this contract provides important day-to-day operations funding, since 2004, USFWS Alaska’s Marine Mammals Management Office (MMM), which funds polar bear co-management, has been flat funded, effectively reducing available funds to fulfill requirements on outreach, sharing harvest rules and management information, as well as advocating with our federal partners and delegation to expand ANCC’s capacity and push for the support and implementation of programs for both human and bear safety. ANCC’s communities are remote and have varying levels of technological infrastructure and reliability that makes virtual meetings exceptionally challenging. Additionally, education and advocacy work with our federal partners and congressional delegation requires periodic travel to Washington D.C. Funding from FNDI’s grant will help fill a significant gap, making it possible for subsistence users to participate in Tribally driven harvest management and ensuring Tribal voices are heard at the federal level. As ANCC expects USFWS and DOI to finalize determinations on the HMP and CMA, ANCC will need to mobilize and complete community travel to address the approval or denial of the plans with subsistence users and stakeholders throughout the remainder of 2024 and 2025.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Sicangu Food Sovereignty Initiative (SFSI) was created to address critical food insecurity and revive traditional food practices on the Rosebud Reservation, rooted in the community's deep cultural and environmental concerns. Our project, named Yuptókakiŋ—which means "to peek under the surface" or "to delve into details" in Lakota—reflects our commitment to thoroughly understanding and transforming our food systems. The opportunity to attend the First Nations Development Institute’s (FNDI) Food Sovereignty Summit is pivotal for our entire team. This summit offers an exceptional platform for our team to engage with Indigenous leaders and experts who are advancing innovative food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture practices. Participation will provide us with critical insights and strategies essential for enhancing our program’s effectiveness. This grant will enable us to leverage this opportunity to its fullest potential. With support, our team will enhance its capacity by integrating new insights and best practices into our ongoing projects. This includes strengthening our food systems, improving our approach to land stewardship, and enhancing our overall impact on community health and self-sufficiency. The knowledge gained will also be shared within our organization and with our broader community, amplifying the benefits of this grant and fostering a more resilient and self-sufficient food system for the Siċaŋġu Lak̇ot̄a Oyate. The insights gained from the summit will be pivotal for our team by allowing us to live into the concept of Yuptókakiŋ and allow us to create a more impactful program. We will disseminate these learnings within our organization and across our community, ensuring that the benefits extend beyond our team to the broader Siċaŋġu Lak̇ot̄a Oyate. Investing in this professional development will drive meaningful, long-term change in our food sovereignty efforts, creating a sustainable and thriving food system for future generations.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The inception of the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center stemmed from the imperative to bridge ancestral pedagogy with contemporary scientific knowledge, yielding an educative and indispensable experience crucial for our historical and cultural comprehension. This grant opportunity addresses the recent acquisition of buildings by the Pueblo of Zuni from the Zuni Public School District (ZPSD), wherein the Museum has been selected to relocate to the former ZPSD Central Office. This transition necessitates financial assistance to establish a welcoming and enlightening ambiance, counteracting the neglect the area has endured since the school district's departure. The locality's present state, marked by graffiti and broken windows as expressions of community frustration, coupled with neglected landscaping, precipitates impending security concerns such as break-ins and pest infestations. Our proposed initiatives include the installation of artistic metal screens on windows, designed with emergency egress considerations, alongside the implementation of an advanced surveillance system to vigilantly monitor the premises and its environs. These additions are projected not only to safeguard the Museum, its staff, visitors, and assets, but also to contribute to the overall security of the neighborhood. In our novel setting, we are acutely attuned to the significance of language preservation, fueling our intent to cultivate a conducive learning environment and re-envision our exhibitions to facilitate intergenerational dialogues.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Warm Springs reservation consists of 3 districts. Agency area which serves the community through IHS, Shops, the museum, casino, gas stations along with the family grocery store “Macy’s Market”. Seekseequa is approximately 23 miles south of Warm Springs agency area with approximately 300 residents and has 1 fire station as a meeting area. Simnasho is approximately 27 miles north of the reservation and has a large elder population along with a longhouse and one market/gas station combo “Three Warriors Market”. Simnasho district has approximately 400 residents. Gas and reliable transportation can hinder our youth wanting to learn and participate in art classes being provided in the agency area. Not all of our people possess college degree’s but hold a plethora of knowledge that can’t be taught in a classroom. Some of these are passed through generation to generation whether it be traditional or an art learned and practiced. I believe Tananawit will bring out that inspiration to teach our youth through art fairs. Most art fairs consists of but not limited to: Bead work, weaving, raw hide work, medicine pouches, painting, drawing, moccasin making. Etc. Limitations in teaching can vary form limited supplies, transportation, venue, work space. With these rural outreach art fairs I can work with culture bearers who reside in these areas and gather at the community venues.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) In our community, we were lacking speakers; we lost a lot of our elders who's first language was Aaniiih or Nakoda. In the Aaniiih Language today, there are no known first language speakers and multiple second language learners. In Nakoda, there is around 4 first language speakers and multiple second language learners. There is a need for language preservation here. If we don't learn and preserve it now our language will be lost in the future. Our unique languages are part of our identity as Native people.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Since its founding, our organization has operated out of rented storage facilities across the community. The organization has spent several years investigating its options for building a new Food Resource Center. This investigation led us to purchase six acres of land and complete initial designs for the future facility. With a recent electrical fire temporarily closing its current rented space, the need for a permanent home to sustainably support our expanding work and serve the community is greater than ever. We are undertaking a capital campaign to raise $8.5 million to build the facilities we need to deepen and sustain our work of improving food security, providing nutrition education, and reclaiming and building food sovereignty within the Blackfeet Nation.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Ochethi Sakowin Camp was a birthing place for our people. A (re)birth of ancient and new ideas and ways forward. I remember when the camp first closed in 2017, I felt a spectrum of emotions: I was sad, angry, hurt, embarrassed, confused, loved, joyous, and was deeply grieving. I felt like it was just over, that was it, an abrupt end to the biggest awakening in my life. Over the last six (6) and a half years there has been a processing period, as well as a grieving period. All that has been generated out of the Water is Life movement, and the dream of what could have been and could still be, has shifted the world in ways that are currently unfolding and also waiting to be shared and are continuously reverberating. We know that our future ancestors will benefit from the ways we stood up in those moments. We no longer wish to ask for permission to uplift and revitalize our lifeways. We know the health of our people depends on reclaiming and uplifting our practices around birth/postpartum/end of life and death and we're determined to share those teachings we're learning from our Elders with the rest of our community members.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Research was gathered from community surveys and qualitative interviews to create a Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians Strategic Prevention Plan in 2020. This plan was researched and written by tribal members who have either themselves or have family members that have experienced being at-risk youth and the consequences. These individuals have drawn upon their family and community experience to contribute to the development of this Tribal data. This research guided the creation of a strategic prevention plan where strategies and programs were identified that would increase the protective factors of our youth and families. One youth shared, ‘Bringing our elders, aunties, uncles, parents, and youth together will increase our strength in family and community.’ A community member shared, ‘the bottom line is healing. Recognizing that as we become healthier, healing is still necessary. Communication and coming together is still necessary.’ This grant provides the opportunity for our local community members, elders and community adults, to be recognized as cultural knowledge experts in a society where older humans are often discounted. It provides the opportunity for an interchange of encouragement and empowerment to be shared amongst the community. This will provide strength as relationship bonds are created and strengthened.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Akwesasne Cultural Center is a public meeting area for the community. Akwesasne as whole provides a few immersive language programs for children and adults. What is missing, is a more flexible and centrally located language program for children and adults, to learn Kanien’kéha. Most language learning opportunities have a time requirement that most working professionals cannot commit to. These same opportunities are during the day when most working professionals are at their full-time employment. This is where we saw the opportunity to address the need of the working professional and students that attend schools during the day, by providing language resources after work and school. In researching the best way to offer materials and other resources, we came across the Can 8 VirtuaLab. The Can 8 VirtuaLab is like the Rosetta Stone software program. The Can 8 VirtuaLab is provided by the Kanien’kéha Language and Resource Centre. Not only does the Kanien’kéha Language and Resource Centre provide the language software they also produce training booklets to go along with the software. This grant will allow us to supply the needed resources for asynchronous learning that will allow the community member to learn at their own pace. Along with these new resources, any community member can access our preexisting language resources, like our language books and varied media from our library to aid in their learning. When the Kanien’kéha Language program takes off and the program establishes itself, we will seek to expand the program by hiring teachers and tutors to assist with the learning. This grant opportunity is a steppingstone into a new possible world with Kanien’kéha becoming the first language for all Akwesasron:non.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Since the inception of our organization, we have not had a physical location to gather or conduct our work. We relied on our community partners, friends, and family to sahre space with us. Although that has been a beautiful way for community to show up for our organization, this inconsistency in location has not allowed for the community to fully engage in our organization or the work we do. We have also added a few more staff members and having a space for them to connect, work, and store supplies was a clear need.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Zuni community is located in a rural area with limited to no access to local produce and resources. Zuni is considered a food desert despite having a rich tradition of farming that dates back from time immemorial. Zuni is located in an area that is surrounded by dormant agriculture fields that have not been utilized due to circumstances beyond our control such as climate change, lack of water/resources and lack of interest from community members. The Zuni river was a key component in maintaining a vibrant agricultural lifestyle; however, with a community upstream damming the river, Zuni lost access to our water system. The loss of the Zuni river resulted in the decline of farming which has had a detrimental effect on our people’s spiritual, mental and physical health. The opportunity that this grant will support is the expansion and renovation of existing community gardens with the potential development of a new community field that will provide locally grown vegetables for Zuni youth and community members. This program will be advised by ZYEP’s Agriculture Committee. The Agriculture Committee consists of seven individuals who are experienced individuals with a deep knowledge of Zuni agriculture. The vegetable field will consist of strictly non-GMO seeds. The creation of a larger field will also promote sustainable agriculture with the utilization of rain harvest. ZYEP has an extensive water catchment system that supports three small community gardens with the capacity to support a larger field. To further promote sustainable agriculture, drought-tolerant seeds will be planted in efforts to conserve water and resources.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Peoples Food Sovereignty Program was created through the need requests of traditional foods and medicines of the local tribal community living on the Flathead Reservation. There are approximately 6800 CSKT Tribal members living on the reservation, we support 1500 of those members and a grey area of 65+ other federally recognized tribal households on the reservation. We have implemented different programs to meet the needs of these community households and have expanded our capacity and improved efficiency each year. We are working to create a farm to further the capacity and resources of our program.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The Cahuilla Language and Archival Collection Preservation Project aims to further the goals of the current archival project and language preservation initiatives at Malki Museum. Over the last 5 years we have aimed to focus on furthering the Cahuilla Language learning and programs that are taking place hosted at Malki Museum. This has come in the way of teachers taking various language classes to improve their knowledge of the Cahuilla Language. We have also been able to focus on hosting smaller numbers of enrollment classes over the 2022-2023 years to serve the Morongo Band of Mission Indians tribal members and their families. This funding will assist in the research and purchase of a transcription program. It will also assist in the hiring of a contracted employee to input and develop the transcription program to our needs. We would like to begin transcribing into readable text several historical recordings that we have in our collection at Malki Museum. We would also like to purchase an additional a manual projector to assist in future Cahuilla language classes. The second goal within this project is the further development of our Archive and Collection Capacity Building initiative that we have been working on during 2020-2023 as part of a 5 year plan developed with our Executive Board Members and staff. With previous funding from First Nations Development Institute (FNDI) we were able to hire two consultants to help plan for a new archive and library facility at Malki Museum. This information has been developed into a report of findings that detail: the layout, budget, professional contacts, and fundraising ideas for the project. This report was completed between July 6, 2023 and August 8, 2023. It is currently under review by our Executive Board Members and staff. The hiring of an archival professional through this round of grant funding from FNDI will assist in preparing our collection for moving into a new building when the building project is completed (projected to be completed in 2025-2026). The contracted employee will work to clean, organize, label, and rehouse the collection of artifacts, photographs, documents, and books that are housed at the museum. With these tasks completed the collection will not only be up to date in its storage systems but will also be ready for temporary housing and for movement into the new archival facility.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The organization’s roots are within the heart of Indian country. Approximately 40% of the population lives below the poverty line three times the US average of 13%, there are no grocery stores, mostly dirt roads, many homes still have no running water or electricity in their homes. According to the 2011 Draft Water Resource Development Strategy for the NN, "Families, which haul water for domestic purposes, spend the equivalent of $43,000 per acre-foot of water compared with $600 per acre-foot for typical suburban water users in the region. This Navajo water hauling cost is $133 per thousand gallons. This water is among the most expensive in the United States for a sector of the population that is among the poorest." Further the report states, "Per capita water use on the reservation ranges between 10 and 100 gallons per day depending upon the water system and the availability of the water supply. By comparison, the average per capita use for 80 neighboring non-Indian communities in the Western United States is 190 gallons per day." The work is in the arid southwest where water is scarce and in high demand. Billions of dollars are spent on transporting water from one watershed to another (Central Arizona Project, Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, and more recent the Western Navajo Pipeline Project). There is visible desertification, springs and wetlands are drying up, perennial streams are being threatened, and food production is oppressive. Climate change has magnified the need to act. The organization will bring focus back to the land and water. The organization will demonstrate that we DO NOT have to live in a food desert, that our land does not have to erode, and that our land can infiltrate the rain and our soils can be healthy enough to grow healthy vegetation for ourselves and animals. We can grow back to helping one another as we have in the past to achieve sustainability. We can heal ourselves by healing the land.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) In January 2023, Saad K'idilyé hosted a multi-day strategic planning session to create a comprehensive plan for the organization. Completion of this plan was integral not only for clarity on how to expand programming but also provide clear direction of future funding needs. A major concern for the organization is sustainability. In addressing our funding approach, the attending group identified online giving as a great feasible revenue stream. Saad K'idilyé has laid the ground work to create an online presence through their website and multiple social media accounts but have been unable to remain consistent with online engagement. All staff time is dedicated to maintaining programming. The planning group recognized there is a missed opportunity to engage online giving through their website and social media and proposed that the organization hire a website/social media coordinator. This position would work with Saad K'idilyé to produce consistent content and inspire followers to support the organization. Funding from First Nation Development Institute would allow Saad K'idilyé to work towards sustainability and follow through on suggestions made in our strategic plan.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Kahua Imua translates into two equally important meanings - fortifying a strong foundation and embracing the potential of future generations. We believe a strong foundation begins with family lifestyles, a commitment from parents and grandparents to prioritize Hawaiian culture and language in the home, and a confidence in cultural identity that extends beyond the conventions of our modern, urban lives. After generations of oppression, there needs to be a conscious and powerful shift in the way we raise and educate our children, the true wealth of all cultures. As children grow their resource base and skill, they become the powerful foundation which we need to progress our nation. Kahua Imua equips families with the knowledge, resources, and tools to re-prioritize Hawaiian culture and language in the home.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Originally our program was located in a coffee shop (Painted Pony Coffee). They had art for sale from our local artists. Painted Pony is under the umbrella of Warm Springs Community Action Team (WSCAT). It is WSCAT who help establish us as a non-profit organization. In March, 2022, Tananawit opened in our own retail shop. That did not work out too well, the shop temporarily closed for business. The Board of Directors hired a new Executive Director, Debra Stacona in July, 2022. We reopened the shop in September with much success! We are located in a plaza of retail shops along highway 26 in Warm Springs, Oregon, next to the Indian Head Casino. Highway 26 is a direct connection between Western Oregon to Central and Eastern Oregon. Thousands of vehicles pass through daily. The opportunity that this grant will address is by giving us a chance to let the travelers know we are here, before they pass us up, by having visible signage for our art shop. We plan to install a sign above our shop windows in addition to signage close to the highway. We also want to promote our art shop in local arts magazines by buying ads.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Ojibwe immersion education is vastly different from monolingual English education. Ojibwe immersion educators often have to develop and create their own curriculum, resources, and assessments. Monolingual English schools have access to a plethora of resources, from classroom visuals (posters) to a wide variety of published curriculum to assessments. Therefore, Miin is working to create a network of all Ojibwe immersion schools and programs to support each other. One of the ways Miin is doing this is by providing a professional development training. Many times immersion schools are connected to a monolingual English school, and they have mandatory professional development training for the teachers. However, this professional development is geared towards Western Education of monolingual English speakers. The professional development training which Miin will provide is specifically designed for Ojibwe immersion educators, and is developed with Ojibwe-centric self-determined pedagogy grounded in Ojibwe language, worldview, and spiritual lifestyle. The training will be on Ojibwe language assessments and development. All of the immersion programs have asked for help with development and use of Ojibwe language assessments. The second part of our project is to continue to nurture the community of Ojibwe immersion educators which spans from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario. This will be done by providing the opportunity for them to meet and collaborate in-person. Miin will host a begining of the school year networking event, with a keynote speaker. Thus, allowing for educators to meet and deepen their connections across the schools and communities. These connections will help to provide a support system for the school year.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The opportunity to create “Idonapshe: let’s eat,” creates a deeper understanding of the connection of healthy, rich, nourishing traditional and non-traditional food to the Zuni youth. The fast-paced lifestyle of modern times has greatly influenced families to increase consumption of processed foods which also is influenced by the cost of eating healthy. The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is in the middle village where students walk straight to after school and arrive to play on the turf or the basketball court hungry. On one occasion, 12 middle school boys approached the Program manager, Tara Wolfe, and asked for food. Upon feeding the boys, a special bond of trust and respect with them was created, that bridged over to the middle school. This micro grant is an opportunity to provide food to those in need. One goal of the “Idonapshe’Let’s eat” program is to have a community pantry accessible to any student who needs the basic necessities of food and to increase the knowledge of our ancestors of sharing food and inviting all to partake in the consumption. The second goal of the Idopnapshe program is to have a bi-monthly gathering for 40 of the youth within our programs to join in a celebration of food with our elders. Conversations, language and knowledge will be shared as ZYEP staff will join in as a community focus group through the Zuni youth perspective.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The PNW Canoe Journey takes place every year and some of our board members suggested we attend the festivities in July. By building a kayak, we will be able to not just attend, but participate. This grant will allow us to not only build a traditional watercraft, but bring our local Attuan’s together and learn a traditional skill.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Naedc is in the 2nd year of implementing a youth leadership initiative. Which is focused on creating more opportunities for the youth to learn, gain or acquire Aaniiih and Nakoda cultural-based knowledge, skills, and ways of being, in order to help empower them to live healthier lives. On the Ft. Belknap Indian reservation there is one cultural camp hosted on the North end. We want to in collaboration with other tribal programs serving our youth, provide and host a cultural camp on the South end of the reservation. August 2022 was the 1st annual Wasay Wakpa cultural camp in Lodgepole, MT. This year we plan to host cultural camps in LodgePole again plus in the Mission Canyon, outside of Hays, MT. The Cultural camp creates a space for all youth and their families to come together outdoors and to engage in various cultural-based activities such as making arts & crafts, native games, storytelling, ceremonies, traditional ethno botany, language building, poetry, and talking circles.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) Model, Create, and Teach About Decolonized Spaces In activist spaces, we often fall into replicating colonial dynamics of exploitation that continue to marginalize the expertise and knowledge of indigenous communities. Often the attempt to undo colonization within colonial frameworks is in itself an act of colonization as it ignores the inherent intent of decolonization and presents as an unwillingness or an inability to change. Thečhíȟila accepts that in LandBack, there are not easy solutions for the end-goal of dismantling colonial power paradigms and building a legacy of organizing and sacrifice to get Indigenous Lands back into Indigenous hands. We center our needs around building community care and teaching activists how not to fall into patterns of oppression and structural injustices. One example of how Thečhíȟila has done this is helping fundraise a tribal member gathering to decolonize “Independence Day” to disrupt a colonial event that celebrates genocide and instead help pass down sacred cultural traditions and heritage in that community. We would love to be involved with more events like these not only to build more direct relationships with our own communities, but to build a larger team in our collective who can help sustain those communities.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) There is unreliable internet connection, poor infrastructure, poor networking systems, outdated technology, lack of IT support, few companies to contract IT services, and lack of cybersecurity. 54.8% of individuals have internet access in their homes. There are many unemployed tribal members. Warm Springs is experiencing poverty. Electricity is expensive and unreliable. There are frequent power outages. WSCAT has identified some of the basic technology and employment needs in Warm Springs and will work with low-income individuals to build the skills needed to be successful. WSCAT created a new program, the Technology Workforce Development program. The Technology Workforce Analyst is working on researching and developing the workforce program. This new program will train local tribal members in the field of technology. This program will provide training opportunities to increase technology, IT and computer skills, assist individuals in job placement, and be a technology resource. The program will create a solar installation, solar maintenance, and solar training program. This may include collaborating with other businesses in the local area to purchase equipment, provide apprenticeships, internships, or other training opportunities. Our project will help bridge the skill gap and create a skilled tribal workforce to ultimately assist in sustaining tribal sovereignty. Not all individuals have access to computers, tablets, smartphones, or the internet. The grant will assist in purchasing the technology equipment required to train individuals in the technology field. Training may include online courses and in person classes. A limited supply of technology may also be checked out on a loan basis, to complete the training from the comfort of their own home. Many homes do not have internet access or have poor internet connection. Providing mobile hotspots would give these individuals access to the internet to have the opportunity to attend these training sessions.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The FOAFS has been understaffed for many years, with all employees wearing multiple hats daily. While Jessica has the skills to create websites other tasks are often more pressing and so updating either the Friends or the school's website gets pushed back over and over. The AFS has not had its website updated in nearly a decade and any information on the former one is now far out of date. The parents and staff deserve an accessible website with staff and parent portals for information and knowledge sharing as well as a thought-out and easy-to-navigate public page for possible funders. The Friends site is updated once a year if possible but we have gone through so many changes recently that some of the information is now incorrect. In 2019, we attempted to rebrand and update the AFS logo in addition to creating a logo for the Friends to create a visual cohesive branding strategy between the programs. However, some parents were against changing the school's logo at that time and so the project stalled with only the Friends getting its own logo that looks nothing like the school's.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) The current Executive Director is planning to retire in 2024 and a succession plan is needed to help ready the FOAFS for the transition and to distribute some of the responsibilities to current staff. Within the organization there is currently two new staff members and one senior staff member. The project was developed to train current staff in project facilitation to manage future projects with the community. Professional staff development is also included in the project to ensure current staff have the skill set to be organized and effective in a fast-paced work environment. The project will also include a retreat for both FOAFS and AFS staff along the Executive Director to develop a succession plan for both organizations to ensure prosperous future for the next generation of Kanien'keha speakers.

Program Opportunity Statement (Recommended 300 words or less) We are seeking to fund the ‘Malki Museum Capacity Building Project’ that will take place during the grant period of April 2023 to April 2024. The term capacity is used to define the need for larger crowd accommodations, as well as the development of research and promotional information for our upcoming capital building project. With Covid-19 restrictions easing in our area we have been able to open our in-person events and have seen a spike in attendance to all of our events during the 2021 year. It was a welcomed development that we were not prepared for. Another upcoming development will be special invitations sent to tribal family engagement groups and elders groups in order to help boost our attendance and reach within the community. We are seeking funds to help support our in-person event seating accommodations by purchasing another set of bleachers to allow for more visitors to enjoy the programming taking place during the day. Malki Museum is also seeking funds to hire two consultants. Both will be assisting to create content and research that will be used in the creation for our new capital building project Malki Museum Library and Archive. One consultant will be tasked to do research into the specific building type and company we will use to purchase a pre-fabricated building that will house an office, research room, and hold all of Malki Museum’s collection of books, artifacts, and images. They will also be tasked with getting mock ups of the building and researching the additional costs associated with the building project so that we will have an overall budget number to use for fundraising purposes. The second consultant will be hired to create a promotional video that will show Malki’s supporters of our upcoming project and give information about how they can support the project.

The ultimate purpose of Hopi Relief is to retain the current food and hygiene box distribution program as a long term service for the residents of the Hopi reservation. We will continue to provide monthly service to ensure that we are working steadily toward the ultimate goal of creating a centrally located food pantry and resource building for future daily continuous operation. This project will also increase our outreach to the local Hopi community by expanding our service to local organizations in need of assistance due to tribal government barriers.

The ultimate purpose is to add funds that will go towards the continued support of our after school program. With the center being opened and closed throughout the year, this school year is vital to getting our kids back on track. Our students and their families have demonstrated great resiliency and we know that the demand for academic assistance is critical.

The ultimate purpose is to 1) increase the number of work hours of our part-time staff to create additional programs, services and fundraising opportunities which enhance the overall mission, and 2) maintaining the Organization's current and future programs, thereby allowing us to leverage additional resources generated by their efforts to better support our Artists. Further, with increased staff time, our Organizational capacity will be enhanced with the proposed resource development plan through increased grant writing, fundraising, events and the implementation of our WIA Guild membership dues, donations and sponsorships. Generating additional resources, allows us to better leverage other resources.

The Hoopa Valley was at one time an agricultural and trading community in the early 1900’s. The Hoopa community has experience less family livestock and farm raising. It was not uncommon during that time period for youth to raise and run cattle in the Hoopa valley and on the Forest Service summit. The lack of families raising livestock has caused food insecurity to a great number of residents in the community. Through this project, the KTRCD looks to help revitalize livestock to support the local food system and economy.

Program Purpose: The ultimate purpose is to 1) increase holistic healing in indigenous communities through pre and post natal yoga practice 2) retain the tribal language and teachings for future generations and, thus, keep alive a vital aspect of our culture and identity. Further, this will help us leverage existing Ttawaxt services by providing current clientele-Tribes valuable content for their pre and post natal indigenous mothers.

Our purpose is to create community care through Indigenous mutual aid networks in Oceti Sakowin territory to increase and retain our effort directly aiding tribal members in COVID-19 quarantine and isolation with cooked meals, traditional medicines and foods, and supplies including PPE, 2) utilize and increase this food and medicine effort for the people with community gardens of fruits, vegetables, herbs and traditional medicines of the Oceti Sakowin (14 in progress), increase food security, leverage our base of 350+ families we have assisted over the pandemic to promote traditional and contemporary wicozani (Lakota concept for welllness) in homes and systems.

The ultimate purpose is to 1) Increase the work of repatriation, leveraging a really old concept for cultural sovereignty. We will 2) utilize indigenous knowledge & practice, learning from people who have been doing this work a long time. To 3) increase participation in repatriation work, we will offer an online portal of educational resources supporting community work to 4) Retain the role of basket weavers and regalia holders, returning care taking responsibility to the indigenous peoples. Lastly, 4) this project will increase community resources for knowledge keeping, creating opportunity for healing for all people, including setters.

The ultimate purpose is to 1) create an event that celebrates the Keex’ Kwaan Tlingit Way of Life, by 2) increase youth participation and education in the harvest, processing, and preservation of their traditional foods, and 3) retain community knowledge regarding foodways by continuing the intergenerational transmission of knowledge. Further, this project will help us leverage and expand OVK’s pre-existing environmental programs by engaging summer youth workforce in the event, helping to sustain the community’s way of life and cherished resources in perpetuity.